Rosa's Parrot [Hardcover]

Jan Wahl (Author), Kim Howard (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Rosa is hard of hearing and she relies on her parrot, Pico, to repeat things loudly for her, but sometimes Pico takes advantage of Rosa to create mischief.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A mischievous parrot wreaks havoc when he plays a trick on his hard-of-hearing owner in this jaunty tale of friendship and forgiveness. Rosa dotes on Pico, her pet parrot. More than just a companion, the little bird is also a help to her, repeating people's questions loudly so that she can hear. On a trip to town one day?after a cumulative interlude in which their twosome expands to include Mayor Flan, Inez the flower woman, Pepe the violinist and Pepe's dogs?Pico can't resist the urge to play a prank and causes a melee in the marketplace. All's well in the end, of course, as Rosa first scolds and then, after a suitable interval, wordlessly pardons her rascally pet. Wahl (I Met a Dinosaur) adroitly delineates the relationship between the old woman and the bird, and he fuels his prose with repetitive elements that enhance the story's read-aloud potential. Howard's (Mediopolito/Half Chicken) arresting, vibrant art plays up the tale's south-of-the-border flavor. Applying hot tropical hues in swaths of vigorous brushwork, she creates densely packed explosions of color, line and form. The art is almost too energetic in spots, so that the type is sometimes swallowed by the paintings. But for those who like their art on the peppery side, this will be a fiesta for eye and ear. Ages 6-10.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1Rosa lives with her parrot in a little pink house on a little blue street in a little brown town. Since the woman is hard of hearing, Pico repeats sentences for her. On a trip to the market, Pico imitates a cat and sends the local dogs into a frenzy. A chase ensues, sending fruit and flowers flying everywhere. Returning home, Rosa scolds Pico and sends him to the corner. However, she cant stay angry at her pet very long and they finally share a cup of hot chocolate. The story is slight and silly, and it is unclear why Rosas town is described as being brown (it actually looks rather colorful). The illustrations, said to be inspired by Latin American murals, are very busy, and children may find it difficult to distinguish various elements because they run together. This offering just doesnt fly.Jeanette Larson, Texas State Library, Austin
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover
• Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing (January 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580890113
• ISBN-13: 978-1580890113
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,821,626 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A fiesta of color and language with a touching, clever storyline!, May 9, 2011

By 

C. A. Leu (Boise, ID USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rosa's Parrot (Hardcover)

We stumbled on this gem while perusing the stacks on our mobile library service bus. Kids know that parrots like to mimic humans, right? Wahl transforms this morsel of knowledge into a magical and clever story of a human/bird friendship. Pico the Parrot helps Rosa, who is hard of hearing, by repeating things for her. Being a parrot though, and possessing the ability of a great and LOUD mimic, he can't resist getting into a little trouble at the market (MEOW!). Rosa figures this out and is not happy with him. It is not long, however, before all is forgiven and the two are sharing hot chocolate together. Our family was entranced by the rich art and imaginative story. After we checked it out three times, we had to go get ourselves a copy! The colorful art, inventive story, and south of the border scene make it a great choice for Cinco De Mayo. The universal theme of friendship in a setting of overcoming a human disability (hearing loss) make it a great and unique choice for anytime.