Bound To Stay Bound

View MARC Record
 

Full Text Reviews:

Bulletin for the Center... - 11/01/2012 This slender picture-book biography chronicles the life of Alex, the African grey parrot whose ability to learn language challenged scientific beliefs and made him a popular and beloved figure. The book begins with Irene Pepperberg’s acquisition of Alex in 1977 and describes the process she used to teach him and the behavioral testing he underwent. It also describes Alex in his daily life as he began putting short phrases together and dealt imperiously with the lab assistants and a new young parrot; it’s that parrot, Griffin, with whom Pepperberg has worked since Alex’s death in 2007. Spinner is a veteran author who tells Alex’s tale with verve and accessibility, highlighting details (like his delight in the word “No” and his sibling rivalry) that make the bird into a particularly kid-appealing character. Animals always seem to bring out the best in Meilo So (as in her illustrations for Prelutsky’s Beauty of the Beast, BCCB 1/98); her mixed-media art varies from intricately crafted portraits of Alex that give tactile, designerly significance to each of his feathers, to freewheeling outlines of humans and a vivid, ’70s-inspired palette that uses Alex’s gray as an anchor for a near-psychedelic rainbow of hues. Many kids convinced of the wisdom of their dogs or cats won’t have thought about birds, and Alex’s lively character here makes him both an interesting subject and an effective ambassador for his kind. There is no bibliography or notes, but Spinner’s author’s note is a compelling and heartfelt musing on humanity’s desire to communicate with animals. DS - Copyright 2012 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

School Library Journal - 10/01/2012 Gr 1–4—In four generously illustrated picture-book chapters, Spinner tells of Irene Pepperberg's studies in animal communication. As a graduate student, Pepperberg purchased an African grey parrot and named it Alex, short for Avian Learning Experiment. He became the subject of her work at Purdue University. Over time, as Alex became less frightened and learned to verbalize, he changed into a bossy show-off. Pepperberg trained him to identify colors, shapes, materials, and numbers. Once Alex acquired a vocabulary, he put words together and demonstrated an unusually high level of intelligence for a bird. When stories about him appeared in the media, he became a star. Sadly Alex passed away in 2007, but the results of Pepperberg's research changed the way people think about birds and influenced pet owners' care of African grey parrots. Spinner adds a note summarizing her own experiences with pets and tucks in a comment about how understanding animals has progressed. This easy-to-comprehend account is not burdened by technical jargon. So's artwork is done in a combination of colored inks, watercolors, gouache, and colored pencil. A realistic-looking Alex appears on many pages. Lots of white space make the images pop. Solidly colored endpapers give the book a tropical feel and add to the quality packaging. Spinner and So's combined talents recount an interesting slice of animal science.—Lynn Vanca, freelance librarian, Akron, OH - Copyright 2012 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

View MARC Record
Loading...



  • Copyright © Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc. All rights reserved.
  • Privacy Policy