Mighty Zoë: The Misunderstood Parrot
July 16, 2020
'Mighty Zoë' is a true story about a green-cheeked conure named 'Zoë.' One day, Zoë is adopted by a loving family who becomes quickly bonded to her. Over time, the family realizes that Zoë considers herself MIGHTY and IN CHARGE-regardless of her tiny size. She also has many strong opinions and demands that she isn't afraid to share! But, like many animal species, Zoë often finds herself misunderstood by people. Using colorful sound effects and thought bubbles, this story provides readers with special insight into the mind of a conure. And when a new guy joins the family, the humans also learn that it will be up to Zoë to decide whether he may join her flock. With its vibrant illustrations and hilarious text, 'Mighty Zoë' provides readers with plenty of laughter as they learn all about these bossy, silly and deeply loving little parrots.
(Printed in US, UK or AU)
"A family learns what it takes to be good owners of a pet parrot in this picture book for elementary schoolers."
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"Zoë, a green-cheeked conure, is adopted by a mother with two children, several cats, and a dog. The bird quickly adopts Mama as her soul mate, and although the parrot doesn’t imitate human words, she seemingly answers questions with fervent nods. The family learns about the parrot’s preening behaviors, which include plucking hairs from Mama’s arm, and her tendency to splash around in her water. She also makes 'grinding' noises with her beak, bites to warn of danger, and squawks when lonely. Lonczak reveals these actions in a matter-of-fact manner, never criticizing Zoë but instead focusing on the family’s reactions. Clever asides from Zoë’s perspective, such as her defense of spilling popcorn ('How am I supposed to grow the forest if she keeps cleaning up the seeds?!') offer insight into bird psychology. The humans’ facial expressions in Varjotie’s cartoonlike, full-color illustrations sometimes seem unrealistic; Mama hardly reacts when Zoë bites her on the ear. The charming images of Zoë, though, capture the little bird’s big personality. A reference to Napoleon may puzzle young readers, though."
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"A pleasant, approachable portrait of a less-common type of pet."
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Kirkus Review