Queen Mariella and the Crow’s Message by James P Menconi

The story “Queen Mariella and the Crow’s Message” is a companion book to “Queen Mariella and the Fable of the Peony”. The story follows the life and adventures of Queen Mariella and her two sons, Dulio and Bianco, who receives a message from their father, Javier. The text is written at a fourth-grade readability using Frye’s Readability; however, it can be used at the second through sixth-grade levels for character education. The use of Spanish words in the text introduces readers to a bicultural, bilingual world that we now experience. Consequently, this book would be great for a bicultural/bilingual experience. “Queen Mariella and the Crow’s Message” is a great story to help children and adults understand the value of character education and the consequences of bullying.