Scan barcode
bibliosteph's review
5.0
Wonderful non-fiction for young readers (and adults!) Beautiful photos with informative, captivating text about a special species of parrot that is being brought back from the brink of extinction. Great for 2nd - 6th grades.
ashylibrarian's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
4.0
- Interesting and very focused topic (on the kakapo bird)
- Environmentalism and endangered species
- Lots of text on the pages, so definitely best fit for an older reader
- Great, real-life pictures
- Explorative
- Environmentalism and endangered species
- Lots of text on the pages, so definitely best fit for an older reader
- Great, real-life pictures
- Explorative
cpoole's review
5.0
Montgomery, Sy, and Nic Bishop. Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Strangest Parrot. Boston [Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2010. Print. 74 p.
Sibert Medal 2011
The kakapo is a parrot found only in New Zealand, which is the heaviest and is also flightless of all parrots. “Nest-minders”, scientists studying the bird, travel to the birds' habitat to learn more about the species in order to save it from extinction. One bird they watch has been nicknamed Lisa, who is only one of eighty-seven in existence. Gorgeous photographs taken by expert Nic Bishop illustrate the team of scientists' work, aided by the National Kakapo Recovery Team in New Zealand. Biological information about this country and the habitat the bird lives in is detailed along with close up photographs of other native species. An investigation into what has led to the near extinction, what can be done to save the remaining population, and repair the damages done by humans hundreds of years ago. Readers are also given descriptive information about the scientist team's equipment and experiences on Codfish island attempting to conserve the species. Discover more about this mission at the website: http://www.kakaporecovery.org.nz/, especially on the “Kids Track” page of the site, where views can listen to the calls of the kakapo.
Sibert Medal 2011
The kakapo is a parrot found only in New Zealand, which is the heaviest and is also flightless of all parrots. “Nest-minders”, scientists studying the bird, travel to the birds' habitat to learn more about the species in order to save it from extinction. One bird they watch has been nicknamed Lisa, who is only one of eighty-seven in existence. Gorgeous photographs taken by expert Nic Bishop illustrate the team of scientists' work, aided by the National Kakapo Recovery Team in New Zealand. Biological information about this country and the habitat the bird lives in is detailed along with close up photographs of other native species. An investigation into what has led to the near extinction, what can be done to save the remaining population, and repair the damages done by humans hundreds of years ago. Readers are also given descriptive information about the scientist team's equipment and experiences on Codfish island attempting to conserve the species. Discover more about this mission at the website: http://www.kakaporecovery.org.nz/, especially on the “Kids Track” page of the site, where views can listen to the calls of the kakapo.
madrtz's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
4.0
Great children’s book! I read it because I love kakapo and Sy Montgomery’s writing.
ericasunshine's review against another edition
5.0
i finally know what love is. honestly this book was great, i had no idea what a kakapo even was and now i am incredibly invested and heartbroken
perri's review against another edition
4.0
A nocturnal parrot that can't fly and smells of honey? World's strangest indeed! I requested this book not knowing it was juvenile non-fiction and so glad I did. It really works just fine for an adult-kind of like reading a magazine article about the fight to save an animal I'd never heard of in a place I didn't know existed. An added bonus are the stunning photographs. Don't let prejudice against kids' books keep you from this one.
luann's review against another edition
4.0
I don't remember ever hearing about this type of parrot - who doesn't fly, lives underground, and smells like honey! I felt like I was right there with Sy Montgomery and Nic Bishop as they traveled to the island where these parrots live and experienced a bit of the struggle to save these parrots from extinction. This was an excellent addition to the Scientists in the Field series and a worthy winner of the Sibert Medal.
sunsoar25's review against another edition
5.0
This informational book relates the mission of trying to save a very odd species of bird native to New Zealand from extinction. Humans are trying to make up for the wrongs of the past by ensuring that these birds can again begin to thrive. This book includes stunning full color photos of the mission, surroundings, wildlife, and the people trying to help make things right. It also has an index, bibliography, an address to donate to the cause, and a link to the website about the kakapo recovery program. I think an interesting question to be asked of young readers is why they think people did this in the first place and why they feel such a need to help the kakapo now.
djblock99's review against another edition
5.0
This book pretty much has it all - lovable characters, humor, drama, danger, romance, tragedy and a hopeful ending. The Kakapo are introduced by name; all are adorable and full of personality. The scientists who appear in the book take a back seat to the birds, and I think this is a wise choice. Lisa is an attentive mother and Richard Henry is a distinguished senior statesman. One male, Sirocco, was raised by humans and thinks that he's human, too. His efforts to find a mate add humor, romance and danger (one ranger stubs a toe while running from Sirocco's unwanted affection) all at once.
Montgomery and Bishop literally had to wait for years to create this book, so that they could visit the birds at a time when they were breeding. When they arrive at Codfish Island, there are 88 birds. Births and deaths occur during their 10-day research mission (visitors are only allowed on to the island for 10 days at a time). Each hatching egg is attended with great anxiety and celebration, and each death is a crushing blow.
Bishop provides many lush green photographs of the parrots and their surroundings, but doesn't leave the humans out. We see them weighing and feeding chicks and tracking the birds through the dense forests. We even see the author in one photograph, during her magical encounter with a curious Kakapo named Sinbad. There are also photographs of other native birds and even a very cool shot of a bat in flight.
The writing has an engaging journalistic sensibility and (except for sections on the history of the birds and the other Richard Henry, a famed conservationist) is told in the first-person and present tense. Most of the research for the book was conducted on-site, so there are no notes. A few helpful books are listed in the back; four recent titles and one historical book from 1888. The website and mailing address for the Kakapo Recovery Programme are also included.
I think this book benefits from having the right subject, right author, and right photographer all come together to create something very special.
Montgomery and Bishop literally had to wait for years to create this book, so that they could visit the birds at a time when they were breeding. When they arrive at Codfish Island, there are 88 birds. Births and deaths occur during their 10-day research mission (visitors are only allowed on to the island for 10 days at a time). Each hatching egg is attended with great anxiety and celebration, and each death is a crushing blow.
Bishop provides many lush green photographs of the parrots and their surroundings, but doesn't leave the humans out. We see them weighing and feeding chicks and tracking the birds through the dense forests. We even see the author in one photograph, during her magical encounter with a curious Kakapo named Sinbad. There are also photographs of other native birds and even a very cool shot of a bat in flight.
The writing has an engaging journalistic sensibility and (except for sections on the history of the birds and the other Richard Henry, a famed conservationist) is told in the first-person and present tense. Most of the research for the book was conducted on-site, so there are no notes. A few helpful books are listed in the back; four recent titles and one historical book from 1888. The website and mailing address for the Kakapo Recovery Programme are also included.
I think this book benefits from having the right subject, right author, and right photographer all come together to create something very special.
More...