I remember when [b:Alex and Me|3018307|Alex & Me How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence--and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process|Irene M. Pepperberg|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1347735719s/3018307.jpg|3048873] came out in 2008. The story of the smartest bird in the world was bound to be rewritten for children and I think Stephanie Spinner has done a good job of it, especially for a 2nd to 5th grade audience and reluctant readers. With lots of colorful illustrations and a short, clear narrative, this story has major appeal for animal lovers and kids who only want TRUE stories. It might be interesting to compare this to [b:The One and Only Ivan|11594337|The One and Only Ivan|Katherine Applegate|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1326506063s/11594337.jpg|16536239] in terms of how animal intelligence is portrayed. Both stories really make you fall in love with the main animal character.

I took some issue with the author attributing motivations to Alex that weren't necessarily factual. For example, the author says Alex would answer incorrectly to "tease" the trainers or to "confuse" a younger bird also being trained in the lab. But I think these assertions are balanced in part by including this statement: "There were still people who doubted that Alex understood what he was saying, but Irene was sure that he did."

The sad ending and the tribute to the difference Alex made in the treatment of other African grey parrots also call to mind Ivan the gorilla. Two great books about two memorable animals! ( )

Genre: biography
Age: intermediate and middle
Review/Critique: this book tells the life of Alex the Parrot. Alex is a very special parrot that learned many different words and had the ability to tell what colors and shapes were. The book is a biography because it tells the story of Alex's life accurately without any fiction.
Medium: paint and drawing. ( )

This is a true story about a girl named Irene who bought a African grey parrot, named Alex to study him. At that time, most scientists thought that the bigger the brain, the smarter the creature. Animals like Alex with small brains were ignored because they were thought to be unintelligent. However Alex’s intelligent mind was a shock to everyone. He eventually learned to count, add, and subtract; recognize shapes, sizes, and colors; and to speak, and understand, hundreds of words. The things Alex did no one expected because it was unheard of by any animal. The central message of this story is that people and animals can be capable of so much more than what they are given credit for, and everyone deserves a chance. ( )

This is the story of Alex, an African grey parrot that sparked change in the world of animal brain research, and his trainer, a graduate student at Purdue.

Intermediate

Recommended Ages: Gr. 2-4

Plot Summary: Irene has always loved birds. She's had them as pets since she was four years old. But when she goes to the pet store to select an African Gray parrot, sh intends to keep him as more than a pet. She wants to prove to the world that birds are smart, just like scientists proved that apes, chimps, and dophins can communicate. She names her bird Alex, short for Avian Learning Experiment, and she begins work immediately. With the help of many assistants, Irene spends years training Alex to identify color, matter, and shape of objects. Alex learned how to identify how items were similar and could even identify when there was nothing similar. Irene had many people text Alex in his skills, which required a lot of training and repetition. Good thing Alex was a pretty good sport about it, occasionally teasing or bossing his trainers. He demanded food and rubs frequently. He also purposefully gave incorrect answers to fool a younger bird. Will the world understand the depth of his intelligence?

Setting: 1977

Characters:
Irene Pepperburg - 27 y/o, wanted to be a chemist before watching a tv series about animal communication
Alex - African gray parrot

Recurring Themes: animal communication, research, experiments, intelligence

Controversial Issues: none

Personal Thoughts: I found the main plot to be very interesting, but it seems like there were too many minor subplots to distract. Very much reads like informational text. It would have been better with rising action leading to a climax in the story. I also think the book would have been more engaging if it was written from the perspective of Irene so the reader became her.

Genre: Historical nonfiction

Pacing: medium, lengthy text on each page of the picture book
Characters: not very well developed, learn a lot about Alex but don't connect with him too much
Frame:
Storyline:

Activity: ( )