This tale of a unique bird, a lonely professor, and some urban magic is both funny and touching. An unusually smart dodo has managed to escape extinction and is living happily in a big city. The city is also home to a professor, the only person who is sure that somewhere, somehow, a dodo is alive. A chance encounter turns these two into hunted and hunter: the professor wants to capture Dodo and show the scientific world that he was right . . . but Dodo doesn’t want to live in a cage. How this standoff develops into a friendship, proving that indeed anything can happen in the big city, is told in Kae Nishimura’s fresh, original text and distinctively comic illustrations.
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Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3–In this quirky story, readers are taken back to once upon a time, when dodo birds became extinct. One quicker and smarter bird manages to survive, and one dedicated professor who had studied dodo birds for more than seventy years stubbornly believes in its existence. After traveling the world, this sole dodo settles in New York City, where he can dance and spend a lot of time in the park. Then one day, he and the professor have one of those big-city chance encounters. The professor wants to catch the bird so that people will finally believe his theory, but Dodo really doesn't want to be caught. Finally, after high pursuit and a clever twist, Dodo and the professor become close friends who dance and spend a lot of time in the park. Done in rich watercolors with thick lines, the offbeat illustrations add punch and details that bring out the wry humor of the story. A note on the dedication page reminds readers caught up in Dodo's adventures that Unfortunately, as far as we know, the dodo (Raphus cucullatus) really is extinct. This amusing tale is a treat to read aloud and pays special tribute to New York City and the two unlikely friends.–Julie Roach, Watertown Free Public Library, MA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
The offbeat illustrations add punch and details . . . this amusing tale is a treat to read aloud.” SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL School Library Journal
"Fanciful tale, chock-full of worthy messages about freedm and friendship, belief and determination." KIRKUS Kirkus Reviews
"Fanciful tale, chock-full of worthy messages about freedm and friendship, belief and determination." KIRKUS Kirkus Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Many lessons packed in one story,
This review is from: I Am Dodo: Not a True Story (Hardcover)
This book can gently introduce young children to some difficult ideas: extinction, and humankind's potential impact on the survival of other species. I found this book to be a great discussion starter when I used it for story time with 4-6 year olds at the museum.
Even children who are a little older are drawn in by Nishimura's humorous illustrations, and the unusual but charming title character, Dodo. As it says on the cover, this is not a true story, and Dodo's not-true-to-life appearance requires a little bit of imagination and artistic license. (One thing it's important to note for young dodo enthusiasts: because it has been extinct since about 1681, there were never any photographs of the Dodo, and artists have always had to recreate its image based on written observations.) This book also has a positive message about the value of mutual respect and friendship, which is a wonderful lesson for children of all ages. I Am Dodo is a sophisticated, witty, and beautiful book. Miriam Kessler Preschool Coordinator at the NY Hall of Science
0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A truly fresh voice in children's books,
This review is from: I Am Dodo: Not a True Story (Hardcover)
This book is unlike any other I've ever read. Ms. Nishimura has a truly unique vision and a refined sense of storytelling that is refreshing and enjoyable. Her sense of humor and whimsical characters create in the reader a slow, satisfying glow that lasts long beyond the last page. I recommend I AM DODO for anyone who appreciates substance and quality in a picture book.
0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not a real dodo,
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This review is from: I Am Dodo: Not a True Story (Hardcover)
This book was a big let down. The main character, the dodo, isn't a real dodo. The illustrator wouldn't know a dodo bird if it bit her.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
Once upon a time, there was an island where dodo birds lived. Read the first page New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Once upon a time, there was an island where dodo birds lived. Read the first page New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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