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The Story Even Tricked Us
In The Crow’s Ring, readers follow a group of friends who find themselves pulled into a long-buried robbery when they try to save a beloved tugboat from the scrap pile. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
We planned from the beginning that the protagonist and his friends would get older in each of the three books. In The Crow’s Ring, the kids are going on fourteen, so we knew the opening could be suspenseful and more complex. And by book three they had formed very strong friendships, so we wanted all of them to be involved in the opening drama.
On a personal level, as a young boy living in Iceland, Thorir loved making regular trips to the harbor to watch the ships come in. He remembers having a special interest in the tugboats with their rugged character and charm. Those memories were translated into the storyline of Captain Hodges’s tugboat, the beloved Maryanne. Middle-grade readers love the challenge of solving puzzles, and this inspired the cold-case mystery. We have to admit sometimes when we were writing, the story even tricked us.
Did you draw on a real place or community when creating Riverside and Stony Creek?
Since writing the series, we’ve learned that the name Riverside is among the most common city names in our country, found in forty-six of our fifty states. However, our Riverside is fictitious, inspired by our days living in the shadows of the nation’s capital, near Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, a charming historical town where we were married. It also sits by the river, providing access to the Atlantic Ocean. On the other hand, the concept of Stony Creek has no connection to us. It rose organically in Thorir’s mind as he was writing.
Ralph isn’t just a fun addition—he actively drives the plot. What made you decide to give the crow such an important role?
Yes, we made the crow a star! In The Big Dream, book 2, we planted a seed for Ralph’s leading role. This happened when he flew to Brandon’s rooftop with what the boys thought was a junk ring, and then he eventually took off with it. Now, the ring is back… what did Ralph do with it? The kids are older, and their friendships have deepened. Likewise, they know and love Ralph, and he interacts with all of them. However, they are keenly aware of the strong connection between Brandon and Ralph.
Realizing many young people make lasting memories with their pets, we highlighted Ralph helping Brandon. Since crows are notoriously smart, it was realistic for him to do many of the antics in this quirky and humorous mystery. It would be something this boy would never forget. He and his crow… working together to solve a hometown crime!
Can you give readers a glimpse inside the next book in this series? Where will it take them?
The Crow’s Tales was intended to be a three-book series. However, we’ve drafted book four, but its fate remains undetermined. The Crow’s Ring (without spoilers) ends with a hint on the closing page. If there is book four, it may take place on an island in the Atlantic Ocean. “Holy ravioli!”
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Another Rollicking Adventure
What begins as a fun summer turns wild and crazy when thirteen-year-old Brandon Woodberry and his best friends meet a salty old sea captain with ties to an unsolved 1930s jewelry heist. Determined to both crack the case and save the captain’s tugboat before it’s hauled off for scrap metal, Brandon & Co. follow their noses and a series of enticing clues.
But the heat is on after Brandon’s pet crow, Ralph, turns up with a valuable missing ring, and the line between hero and villain gets murky. Can Brandon and his friends — both feathered and non — solve the cold case, clear their names, and rescue the tugboat before time and luck run out?
Join Brandon for another adventurous summertime romp as he searches for the truth and discovers a curious bond to the sea.
Don’t forget to read THE BIRD CAPER and THE BIG DREAM in The Crow’s Tales series. Laugh-out-loud mystery adventures to entertain young readers and adults, too!
THE BACKSTORY
The Crow’s Ring was always going to be a mystery adventure, like the rest of the series. The Captain’s tugboat, the Maryanne, is key to the story. It’s based on Thorir’s childhood in Iceland, where he’d go to the harbor and watch the ships his father sailed on. He especially loved the look and character of the tugboats.
Another interesting point is that in book two (The Big Dream), Brandon’s pet crow, Ralph, finds a ring. The ring turns up again and plays an important role in this story. Look at the ring on the book cover—it’s a copy of the one Victoria’s dad gave her many years ago when she was a young girl. The ring is meaningful to her since she didn’t have her dad in her life growing up.
Near the end of the story, Brandon and Josh are served a beautiful Corn Flake Cake. This is a delicious cake with pineapple, whipped cream, and cornflakes. Thorir’s Icelandic mother used to make this, and we both miss this tasty dessert. His sister, Ragnhildur, knows how to make the cake, but unfortunately, she lives far from us. We’re hoping to try and bake it someday!
Is The Crow’s Ring the last book in TheCrow’s Tales series, or is there more to come? We originally intended to write only one book, the 1st edition of The Big Dream, for our grandchildren, as a gift for them for the holidays. Little did we know we would fall in love with writing for middle-grade and with the fun and heart-warming characters we had created. It didn’t take long to figure out there was more to young Brandon’s story and his adventurous relationship with his pet crow, Ralph.
Instead of a series of loosely connected stories, we decided to focus on the characters’ journey through middle school. This allowed us to show how our protagonist, Brandon, and his friends matured in their interests and relationships. In book one, The Bird Caper, Brandon is 10 years old. In book two, The Big Dream, he’s 12. And in book three, The Crow’s Ring, he’s 13, turning 14. As the stories’ characters — Brandon, Josh, Penny, Skip, and Sophie — age, their challenges become increasingly complicated and exciting. This approach to the series has opened the door to endless adventures and insights.
So, if you’re wondering, “Will there be a book four, five, or even more?” The answer is mostly up to you, the fans!
The Crow’s Ring
The Crow’s Ring is a middle-grade adventure mystery that follows Brandon and his friends as they try to save Captain Hodges’s beloved old tugboat, the Maryanne, from being scrapped, only to get pulled into a long-buried robbery tied to Stony Creek, a missing ring, and Brandon’s sharp-eyed pet crow, Ralph. What starts as a summer restoration project turns into a kid-led investigation full of hidden clues, family history, and plenty of chaos, with the tugboat itself feeling almost as important as any person in the story.
I liked how readable and alive the book feels. The voice is direct, funny, and easy to settle into, and it keeps moving. I could feel the authors leaning into cliffhangers, comic timing, and the energy of a close-knit friend group, and for the most part it works. Brandon is a likable guide through all of it, and the supporting cast each gets a clear shape fast, especially bold Penny, unpredictable Josh, and of course Ralph, who is not just a cute detail but a real engine for the plot. I also liked the way the book lets Captain Hodges be more than a gruff old eccentric. His attachment to the Maryanne, and the way the tug carries his grief and memory of his wife, gives the story a warmer, deeper current under all the antics.
What stayed with me was the book’s sense of place and its belief that kids can matter. Riverside, the marina, the creek, the rooftop with Ralph’s stash, all of it gives the novel a lived-in feel that keeps the mystery grounded even when the plot gets wonderfully busy. I was especially drawn to the way restoration and investigation mirror each other. The kids are not just fixing up a wrecked boat. They are also piecing together a damaged story, and in doing that they help give Captain Hodges a future again, especially once the old case starts opening doors and the Maryanne’s survival begins to look possible. That idea lands well without getting preachy. The book sometimes piles on the coincidences and broad comic beats, still, the warmth carries it.
I’d recommend The Crow’s Ring most to readers who enjoy middle-grade fiction with adventure, humor, friendship, and a mystery that feels old-fashioned in a good way. It has the pull of a summer caper, the structure of a clue-driven detective story, and just enough heart to make the whole thing feel grounded. I think it will especially click with younger readers who like ensemble casts, lively pacing, and stories where community, loyalty, and curiosity do real work. It feels like the kind of book you hand to a kid who wants excitement, but also wants to care.
Pages: 334 | ASIN : B0GHZM4DMT
The Big Dream: Middle-Grade Fiction (The Crow’s Tales) Book 2
Victoria E. Pannell and Thorir Sigfusson’s The Big Dream is a lively, humor-filled adventure that captures the magic of summer, childhood friendships, and one boy’s determination to chase an unlikely dream. It follows Brandon Woodberry, a kid with an endless imagination, a mischievous pet crow named Ralph, and two best friends, Josh and Skip, as they set out to enter a remote-controlled car race. The problem? They need to raise nearly $2,000 to buy a car kit and customize it. Their summer becomes a whirlwind of hustling for cash, plotting pigeon-catching schemes, and dealing with school, family, and growing up. With its warm humor and engaging storytelling, the book is a delightful ode to youthful ambition.
Brandon’s voice is instantly engaging and full of personality and wit. His internal monologues, whether he’s trying to stay awake in English class or navigating a hilarious dinner-table debate about his summer plans, feel authentic and relatable. The humor is spot-on, and I found myself laughing out loud more than once. The authors do a fantastic job of making the characters feel like real kids, complete with wild ideas, exaggerated reactions, and a boundless sense of possibility.
One of the book’s strongest aspects is its pacing. There’s never a dull moment. Whether it’s the boys pulling off a chaotic car wash, burning cookies during a bake sale, or dealing with an infuriatingly smug rich guy who tosses them a measly nickel as a tip, each chapter propels the story forward. The setbacks the boys face feel real, but there’s a persistent optimism that makes you root for them. Ralph the crow is another highlight, and his antics, from stealing cookies to strategically “decorating” a rude customer’s car, add a layer of unexpected hilarity to the story. His presence gives the book a slight whimsy, making it even more charming.
Beyond the humor and adventure, The Big Dream has an underlying message about perseverance and teamwork. The boys don’t always see eye to eye, and at times, their plans seem completely doomed (especially when their money-making schemes fall short). However, their friendship carries them through, and their determination to see the project through despite all odds is inspiring. The moment when they finally start believing they can do it is when they shift from seeing obstacles to finding solutions, is genuinely uplifting. It’s a wonderful message for kids.
I’d recommend The Big Dream to middle-grade readers who love stories about friendship, big ideas, and crazy summer escapades. It’s funny, heartfelt, and full of that electrifying feeling of endless summer days where anything seems possible. Whether you’re here for the humor, the adventure, or the sheer joy of watching a group of kids take on a seemingly impossible dream, this book delivers.
Pages: 312 | ASIN : B0DRZ88WZ9
Change Can Open Doors
The Crow’s Tales: The Bird Caper follows a ten-year-old boy whose family is moving to a new home, and he is worried about what his future will hold for him and his pet birds. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Deep in the process of writing our first book, The Big Dream, we agreed to create a series. The dilemma was that The Big Dream didn’t capture the essence of what we wanted for Book One. This challenge ignited the inspiration for The Bird Caper as the perfect opportunity to introduce Brandon, his pet crow, Ralph, and the evolution of new friendships. The goal is to make the reader feel like they truly know and relate to Brandon. You get to meet Brandon’s family and intimately share his fears about moving to a new home and see his strength in resolving difficult situations on his own. We hope perhaps readers will even like him as a friend.
It seemed like you took your time in building the characters and the story to great emotional effect. How did you manage the pacing of the story while keeping readers engaged?
Pacing is a middle-grade challenge in today’s fast-paced electronic world. As novice writers, we followed a basic formula. We created dialogue wherever possible and used care with dialogue tags. Varied sentence and paragraph length. Monitored filler words. Inserted new twists and events in every chapter. And kept the chapters short.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The primary theme is “change.” The story shines a light on young Brandon’s new life experience, showing him that, while daunting, change can also open doors to new friendships and adventures. The story depicts what kids go through all over the world. But it’s not often as scary as it seems. This is an excellent message for young readers.
Additionally, the story emphasizes the value of friendship and community as we follow Brandon’s journey of leaving his beloved neighborhood and longing for a sense of belonging in a new environment. The story introduces determination, exploration, and perseverance as his means to cope with his newfound challenges.
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?
The Bird Caper is Book 1 in our The Crow’s Tales trilogy. Book 2, The Big Dream is scheduled for release as a 2nd Edition in 2024. In this book, Brandon and his friends desperately try to raise money over the summer break to enter a remote-controlled car race. They will stop at nothing to achieve their dream even if it means bending the rules, just a little bit. Young readers will laugh out loud at the fund-raising adventures and the (mis)adventures of Ralph the Crow, who is drafted in to help. The book captures the essence of summer, childhood friendships, and the innocence of youth. A fun read, with a surprising, unexpected twist at the end. Book 3, The Crow’s Ring, is a clever mystery about finding the truth (Coming 2025).
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THE BIRD CAPPER in the fun book series everyone’s been waiting for!
THE CROW’S TALES.
Are you ready for a thrilling adventure that will leave you on the edge of your seat? Look no further. In THE BIRD CAPER (Book 1), ten year old Brandon is faced with the ultimate challenge when his parents decide to sell his home. This change means moving the family away from his beloved neighborhood and friends. Desperate not to move, Brandon turns to his pet crow, Ralph, for comfort. But when Ralph becomes the suspect in a string of mysterious bird incidents, Brandon must race against time to clear his name and save his friendship with his best friend, Josh. As tensions rise and new challenges emerge, Brandon must uncover the truth behind the crimes and chaos before it’s too late. Will he be able to outsmart the dreaded B.B. Boy bullies? And who knew that ladybugs could play such a pivotal role in the grand scheme of things? With action at every corner, this middle-grade mystery adventure is a must-read for boys and girls. A perfect book for 8-12 year olds. Fans of books like “The Mysterious Benedict Society” will devour this captivating tale. Don’t wait any longer, grab your copy of THE BIRD CAPER today!
Bonus! Teacher Reading Resources Included.
Don’t forget to read THE BIG DREAM! Book 2 of THE CROW’S TALES, a 3-book series. Entertaining stories with wholesome values!
The Bird Caper
The Bird Caper by Victoria E. Pannell and Thorir Sigfusson is a heartwarming tale about embracing change and overcoming fears. The story follows Brandon, a boy who cherishes his friends, family, and a host of pets, particularly his beloved pigeons and a crow named Ralph. His world is turned upside down when his parents announce an unexpected move, forcing Brandon to confront uncertainties about his relationships and his cherished pets. As he navigates his new reality, Brandon embarks on a journey filled with surprising adventures and challenges, from dealing with a friend’s disappointment to standing up to bullies who mock his passion for birds. Along the way, he discovers his knack for solving mysteries.
Moving can be a daunting experience for many children, often seen as a negative disruption. However, The Bird Caper beautifully illustrates how such transitions can be opportunities for growth and new friendships. Brandon’s gradual adaptation process, narrated from his perspective, allows readers to deeply connect with his emotional journey. The plot is rich and engaging, covering various aspects of school, family life, and social interactions, providing a multifaceted view of Brandon’s experience. The story’s mystery elements add an intriguing layer to the narrative. Brandon’s involvement in small but significant mysteries, like when Ralph the crow steals computer chips from his best friend, showcases his problem-solving skills and adds excitement to the plot. These episodes, while rooted in everyday occurrences, maintain a dynamic and relatable storyline that keeps readers invested in Brandon’s adventures. While the plot revolves around the move, it remains lively and authentic, portraying real-life situations that children can easily relate to. Some might find the story’s calm, realistic approach different from more fantastical tales, but this groundedness makes this book captivating and encouraging. It may even inspire young readers to embrace new experiences and challenges.
Victoria E. Pannell and Thorir Sigfusson have crafted a delightful and engaging story that will undoubtedly capture the interest of young readers. The Bird Caper is a must-read for children facing changes in their lives and for anyone who enjoys a heartfelt, realistic adventure.
Pages: 165 | ASIN : B0D3Q4VW84
