It’s my turn to choose the Picture Book of the Day and I picked the 2014 Seibert Winner, Parrots Over Puerto Rico. I thought we’d explore parrots today with a non-fiction picture book, a singalong parrot picture book and an easy reader with a naughty parrot.
Next, I clear up confusion that I have about parrots versus Macaws versus Cockatoos. This will help because I want you to meet some parrot friends. Finally, I am giving away all three books! I hope you enjoy this little parrot adventure! Please share your favorite parrot books!
Picture Book of the Day
Parrots Over Puerto Rico by Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore
Once, hundreds of thousands of Puerto Rican parrots flew over Puerto Rico where they had lived for millions of years. But by 1937, only about two thousand Puerto Rican parrots, known locally as iguaca, remained in El Yunque, a tropical rainforest in the Luquillo Mountains to the east. By 1975, only thirteen parrots were left. Thanks to efforts by conservationists, a recovery program was set up. But with challenges from mother nature including thunderstorms and hurricanes, will the iguaca survive?
Parrots Over Puerto Rico is the 2014 Seibert Winner!
[picture book, ages 5 and up]
More Parrot Picture Books
The Parrot Tico Tango by Anna Witte, sung by Brain Amador
Here’s a fun parrot picture book to sing along with. [picture book with CD for ages 1 and up]
Izzy and Poe by Anita Felicelli, illustrated by Lindsay Merrill
Izzy and Poe play at the beach seeking adventure when they meet Captain Jack, a parrot who convinces them that they can fly. [early reader, ages 4 and up]
Parrots, Cockatoos and Macaws
I was a little confused about parrots versus macaws — I thought they were the same so I did a little research.
Parrots
Parrots are a very large group of birds (Order: Psittaciformes) that include Parakeets, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Lorries, Macaws, Amazons, and Cockatoos.
What is the difference between Macaws and Parrots?
• Macaws are a type of parrots while parrots are a very large group of psittaciformes including many types of attractive birds.
• The diversity is very high among parrots with over 370 species while there are only 18 species of macaws.
• Macaws are naturally distributed in the tropics and near tropics of North and South American continents, whereas parrots are found all over the world except Antarctica.
• Macaws are mainly tropical or subtropical birds while there are some parrot species living in temperate climates.
More on parrots, Macaws and Cockatoos here.
I met these fine feathered friends at a resort in Hawaii where they hung out in the lobby.
Even though budgerigars are typically called parakeets, especially in the United States, they are just one of over 100 species commonly referred to as parakeets, a widely diverse class of tiny, slender parrots spread out over more than a dozen genera in the subfamilyPsittacinae of the family Psittacidae…
There are more than five million budgies in the wild today. In the wild, budgies are generally a lot smaller than their captive counterparts. As nomadic birds, they stick to open habitats like scrublands, woodlands and grasslands in dry parts of Australia, and they have inhabited this part of the world for more than five million years. The availability of water and food determines where they go. from Budgerigar
And have you wondered if birds can dance? Meet Snowball, the internet sensation. Snowball is a male Eleonora Cockatoo, noted as being the first non-human animal conclusively demonstrated to be capable of beat induction — perceiving music and synchronizing his body movements to the beat (i.e., dancing). from Wikipedia
Parrot Picture Book Giveaway
I am giving away all three books. To win please enter the Rafflecopter!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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My books:
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Starred review from School Library Journal
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me
I am amazed at the diversity of this species. A long time ago, I visited the Parrot Jungle in Florida and spent several hours looking at these beautiful birds. Yes, they did have a few of them trained to dance!
Hi Barbara,
I also had no idea the parrots were endangered either! I’ve only ever though of parrots as pets, I’m embarrassed to say! Wow, I had no idea that dancing parrots were common! They are really beautiful and fascinating creatures!
We LOVE the Tico Tango book, and would love to learn more about the endangered parrots in Puerto Rico!
Hi Becky,
Thanks so much for entering!! Picture books that you can sing along to are fun!!
Ooh, and it looks like Snowball already nows how to dance!
Hi Becky,
That Snowball is an amazing dancer…I thought that was fascinating! No wonder they are in high demand as pets!
That video of snowball seems to indicate that some birds CAN dance. Not sure if there are many more…
Hi Valerie,
There seems to be quite a few birds in the Parrot family that can dance but I wonder if it’s limited to this type of bird.
I love that Snowball dance video–it’s hilarious!
I have a few additional parrot book recommendations:
Alex the Parrot by Stephanie Spinner with beautiful illustrations by Meilo So (which is middle grade nonfiction)
The one on which it is based for adults called Alex & Me by researcher Irene Pepperberg–a fantastic book about animal intelligence & the bond they shared.
And a cute one for younger kids called If You Were a Parrot by Katherine Rawson
Hi Maria,
Thank you for your wonderful book recommendations, as usual!!! I’ll add them to the list!!!
Two other things:I forgot to mention The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill. I haven\’t read the book, but the documentary film is excellent.Apparently there are also feral monk parakeets in Brooklyn which I\’d love to see someday!
http://www.brooklynparrots.com/
Thank you, thank you Maria!!! The feral monk parakeets sound interesting!!
When I lived in Guatemala we had a parrot who definitely danced! He would also climb up our music stands and drop the music off one page at a time while we practiced!
Hi MaryAnne,
Wow, that’s an amazing parrot. Was it able to drop off the music at the right time? That would be something for the record books … a parrot that can read music!!
I read _Parrots over Puerto Rico_ today at work. Such beautifully striking illustrations! I would love to see a few of them dancing. 🙂
Hi Amanda,
Me too! I hope they make a successful comeback!!!
During one of our winter storm, I put a whole plate of birdseed out on a huge tray that could sit above the snow. We sat and watched as the birds hopped happily as they ate. I am pretty sure it was a dance.
Hi Jenny,
You remind to buy some birdseed the next time I am buying dogfood at the pet store. We would love to watch birds eat birdseed but we think the squirrels in our area get it all! What fun to see birds to a special thank-the-gods-for-this-plate-of-food dance!!
Sure – can’t we all??
Absolutely Andie!!
How amazing is to learn from these parrots and reading about them. I have to see if I can find this book at my local library in Spanish or bilingual. Visiting from This Reading Mama.
Hi Barbara,
I hope you can find the picture books and thank you also for entering!
Thank you for the chance to win!! With three small children whom are all avid readers, these books would be a great addition to our book collection. 🙂
Hi Kami,
Thank you so much for entering!!!
I think they dance to the songs that they sing! 😉
Hi Adeline,
I wonder if they can sing a wide range of songs?! 🙂
WOWWWWW, Snowball is amazing, I couldn’t stop watching. I love the look of Izzy and Poe, that sounds fantastic. Thanks so much for educating us on our feathered friends and for some great book recommendations on the Kid Lib Blog Hop
Hi Julie,
Parrots are amazing creatures. I had no idea! I’m so glad you enjoyed the clip of Snowball!
After watching the fun video, I DO think they can dance! Loved PARROTS OVER PUERTO RICO…read it recently to my 3-yr-old nephew. He and I marveled over the pictures and the story!
Hi Dawn,
It makes me sooo happy that you shared the video and story with your 3-year-old nephew!! I think they can dance too! They are such remarkable animals!!
I am sure domesticated birds can dance they way they copy speech. I don’t know about in the wild, maybe!
I would love to win Parrots Over Puerto Rico! It is in my library bag right now and I think it is just beautiful! I may have to add it to my books bound on top book list too.
Hi Ann,
What an interesting thought!! Can wild parrots also dance or is it a learned behavior?! I’d love for someone to test this!! Thanks for entering. It’s a beautiful book. I’d keep it myself but I am running out of room!!
Ha ha! Loved the Snowball video!
Keep up the good work. I love your book recommendations and share them with others.
Any books I win are going to be donated to an underfunded school library .
Thanks so much for your kind words C Fowler. I have to say, I’ve been having a tough week and your words are very comforting! Thank you! And I really appreciate you donating any books you win to an underfunded school library. That is a cause close to my heart! I am doing the same with books so sometimes I am torn whether to give them away on my blog, to my son’s teacher or to this underfunded school in Michigan. I wish I could do all three!!!
Oh, I remember this one! I see your giveaway is almost over – Tweeting!!!
Thanks Renee!!!