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jessalynn_librarian's review against another edition
5.0
I find it difficult to convey my enthusiasm for this book without sounding ridiculous. "It's about these parrots! That smell like honey! And they're almost extinct, and these people had to wait five years for a chick to hatch so they could go to New Zealand for ten days to write this book! You should totally read it." Yeah. But that's pretty much how I feel.
The story has a great sense of urgency, both because the parrots are so endangered (87 are living at one point during the course of the book) and because Sy Montgomery and Nic Bishop had such a short window of time to do on-site research, gather observations, and take photographs (visitors are only allowed to stay on the parrots' island for ten days). I'm not normally the type to get worked up over an endangered species, although I do believe we humans need to undo some of the damage we've done, but these birds were thrilling, and I give credit for my enthusiasm to Montgomery and Bishop for gripping storytelling and great photos.
As with other Scientists in the Field books, readers really get a sense of what it is that scientists do and why their jobs are important and interesting (I say this as someone who never enjoyed science class). Here, we see the dedication of the scientists (and the governmental support they receive) as well as what their day-to-day job entails. Waking up at all hours to help heat a kakapo chick? Check. Hiking through all weather to locate birds and monitor food supplies? Check. Store a dead penguin in your fridge? Check. Highly recommended for budding scientists or environmentalists, maybe fourth grade and up (that includes you, grown-ups).
The story has a great sense of urgency, both because the parrots are so endangered (87 are living at one point during the course of the book) and because Sy Montgomery and Nic Bishop had such a short window of time to do on-site research, gather observations, and take photographs (visitors are only allowed to stay on the parrots' island for ten days). I'm not normally the type to get worked up over an endangered species, although I do believe we humans need to undo some of the damage we've done, but these birds were thrilling, and I give credit for my enthusiasm to Montgomery and Bishop for gripping storytelling and great photos.
As with other Scientists in the Field books, readers really get a sense of what it is that scientists do and why their jobs are important and interesting (I say this as someone who never enjoyed science class). Here, we see the dedication of the scientists (and the governmental support they receive) as well as what their day-to-day job entails. Waking up at all hours to help heat a kakapo chick? Check. Hiking through all weather to locate birds and monitor food supplies? Check. Store a dead penguin in your fridge? Check. Highly recommended for budding scientists or environmentalists, maybe fourth grade and up (that includes you, grown-ups).
renatasnacks's review against another edition
4.0
HEY THERE, CUTEST ENDANGERED ANIMAL I DID NOT KNOW EXISTED UNTIL THIS WEEK
cmw119's review against another edition
1.0
*Snore*
Ooh, sorry. Must have gotten in a nap while I had to pretend to be interested in this book. All the articles we've read said we have to let kids read nonfiction books that interest them. Apparently the same doesn't go for the teacher education programs.
Don't get me wrong. It was informative and if you give a hoot (haha) at all about birds you'll probably enjoy it. I however, don't care about them at all, and didn't particularly like the underhanded jabs at how horrible humans are because we kill off animals.
Ooh, sorry. Must have gotten in a nap while I had to pretend to be interested in this book. All the articles we've read said we have to let kids read nonfiction books that interest them. Apparently the same doesn't go for the teacher education programs.
Don't get me wrong. It was informative and if you give a hoot (haha) at all about birds you'll probably enjoy it. I however, don't care about them at all, and didn't particularly like the underhanded jabs at how horrible humans are because we kill off animals.
emdoux's review against another edition
5.0
The kakapo, a type of parrot that lives in New Zealand, is one of the most amusing animals on the planet. I first heard about the kakapo while reading a book called Last Chance to See, a book written by a famous science fiction author, Douglas Adams, about a trip he took round the world to observe several endangered species of animal in the wild. One of those animals was the kakapo.
He wrote that “the Kakapo is a kind of parrot. It lives in New Zealand. It’s a flightless parrot – it has forgotten how to fly. Sadly, it has also forgotten that it has forgotten how to fly. So, a seriously worried kakapo has been known to run up a tree and jump out of it.” Kakapos fly like bricks, it turns out. They also, not having ever lived with any predators at all, are really good at getting eaten (they even smell like honey, which is pretty enticing for any animal looking for a quick meal). They don’t have great vision (hence the whiskers on the front of their faces, which they use to help them feel their way around) – and not only can’t they fly, they can’t run… they do this sort of waddling skip that I really recommend looking up a YouTube video of.
As you can imagine from all that evidence on how kakapo are really bad at being alive, they are a critically endangered species. When Douglas Adams went to New Zealand in the 1970s to see the kakapo, there were only about fifty of them in existence. They don’t live anywhere except New Zealand, and they’re very difficult animals as far as keeping themselves alive. They, as you can imagine with the whole flying / falling thing, aren’t very smart. (in fact, they really aren’t very smart.) But they are very interesting – and they are very endangered.
Can anyone guess how many kakapo are alive in the world today?? Only 125. That’s about as many as are in your entire grade. There aren’t even that many pages in this book. Kakapo seem to be doing a lot better, though – and you’ll read about how humans helped in this Sibert-winning book. I think a good nonfiction book is one that leaves you telling your friends random and interesting facts for weeks after you read it... and this book hits that mark perfectly.
He wrote that “the Kakapo is a kind of parrot. It lives in New Zealand. It’s a flightless parrot – it has forgotten how to fly. Sadly, it has also forgotten that it has forgotten how to fly. So, a seriously worried kakapo has been known to run up a tree and jump out of it.” Kakapos fly like bricks, it turns out. They also, not having ever lived with any predators at all, are really good at getting eaten (they even smell like honey, which is pretty enticing for any animal looking for a quick meal). They don’t have great vision (hence the whiskers on the front of their faces, which they use to help them feel their way around) – and not only can’t they fly, they can’t run… they do this sort of waddling skip that I really recommend looking up a YouTube video of.
As you can imagine from all that evidence on how kakapo are really bad at being alive, they are a critically endangered species. When Douglas Adams went to New Zealand in the 1970s to see the kakapo, there were only about fifty of them in existence. They don’t live anywhere except New Zealand, and they’re very difficult animals as far as keeping themselves alive. They, as you can imagine with the whole flying / falling thing, aren’t very smart. (in fact, they really aren’t very smart.) But they are very interesting – and they are very endangered.
Can anyone guess how many kakapo are alive in the world today?? Only 125. That’s about as many as are in your entire grade. There aren’t even that many pages in this book. Kakapo seem to be doing a lot better, though – and you’ll read about how humans helped in this Sibert-winning book. I think a good nonfiction book is one that leaves you telling your friends random and interesting facts for weeks after you read it... and this book hits that mark perfectly.
caitz's review against another edition
5.0
Although this was written for children, I learned a great deal about these birds. They are flightless parrots who only live on one island in New Zealand. I enjoy Sy Montgomery's writing style and find her very informative.
acgerman1's review against another edition
3.0
My Review: http://agerman1blog.wordpress.com/2014/03/22/book-review-kakapo-rescue-saving-the-worlds-strangest-parrot-written-by-sy-montgomery-illustrated-by-nic-bishop/
erine's review against another edition
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this story of a strange parrot species. The writing style was engaging, if a little on the juvenile side, and it made me want to travel halfway across the world to see this strange parrot. The photographs were beautiful, and the efforts to save this species extraordinary.
I loved the story of the parrot who is in love with people and ambushes them on the way to the bathroom, the mother parrots who care so diligently for their chicks, and the natural history of New Zealand.
I loved the story of the parrot who is in love with people and ambushes them on the way to the bathroom, the mother parrots who care so diligently for their chicks, and the natural history of New Zealand.