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18th out of 32 books
—
17 voters
Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Strangest Parrot (Scientists in the Field)
On remote Codfish Island off the southern coast of New Zealand live the last ninety-one kakapo parrots on earth. These trusting, flightless, and beautiful birds—the largest and most unusual parrots on earth—have suffered devastating population loss.
Now, on an island refuge with the last of the species, New Zealand’s National Kakapo Recovery Team is working to restore the k...more
Now, on an island refuge with the last of the species, New Zealand’s National Kakapo Recovery Team is working to restore the k...more
Hardcover, 80 pages
Published
May 24th 2010
by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
(first published 2010)
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Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Strangest Parrot
What a beautiful book. This is a non-fiction account of the efforts to save the Kakapo parrot in New Zealand from extinction. The photography is stunning, the story is sad, the efforts to save the parrot are so valiant and the writing is engaging. I learned that the natural history of New Zealand is utterly fantastic — and has almost disappeared. When this book was written, there were only 87 Kakapo parrots in the entire world. Tonight, according...more
What a beautiful book. This is a non-fiction account of the efforts to save the Kakapo parrot in New Zealand from extinction. The photography is stunning, the story is sad, the efforts to save the parrot are so valiant and the writing is engaging. I learned that the natural history of New Zealand is utterly fantastic — and has almost disappeared. When this book was written, there were only 87 Kakapo parrots in the entire world. Tonight, according...more
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Sy Montgomery's books got me interested in endangered and extinct species. I think I started with Journey of the Pink Dolphins and things snowballed from there. When The Good Pig's paperback came out in 2007, it was my go-to rec at Borders. "A good book to read? Do you like animals? Yes? Read this." Montgomery writes primarily for children, but I check periodically to make sure I haven't missed anything, which is how I found Kakapo Rescue.
First off, Nic Bishop's photographs are gorgeous. His pe...more
First off, Nic Bishop's photographs are gorgeous. His pe...more
In this book you learn about one of the strangest parrots, a Kakapo. Before reading this book I did not even know that there was such a bird called a Kakapo. This isn't your average parrot, not only does it look different, but it also smells and does different things compared to the others. One of the strangest things is that it cannot even fly. This is such a unique and beautiful bird, but it is sad to say that it is an endangered species. In this book it informs you about what volunteers are d...more
This chapter book was a little different because it contained pictures. The artistic media used was photography. I liked how this book incorporated photography because it helped visualize the scenes. I have never known, yet seen a kakapo parrot so the photography let me see in it in real life. If the author decided to do all the illustrations with pencil, it would not have had the same effect. By having photographs, this helped me connect to the book better and I know for kids they will be inter...more
Kakapo Rescue is an educational yet interesting book. I think this book is good for the older kids, maybe for kids in middle school. It contains actual facts about the near extinct Kakapo Parrot, and reviews the studies spent on location of the parrot. At the beginning of the book, I liked the "fast facts" on the side of the page because it gave the reader very simple answers to questions that are probably commonly asked. The only thing I found was that I was loosing interest as I read the book....more
This book is a wonderful example of the non-fiction books now being published to meet common core standards. The author and photographer tackle the story of the efforts to save the Kakapo, an 8 pound parrot from New Zealand that is on the verge of extinction. They spent 10 days on isolated Codfish Island documenting the work rangers and volunteers are doing to try to save the Kakapo. They explain that the birds got to this point due to human intervention. The photographs are absolutely beautiful...more
Montgomery, Sy, and Nic Bishop. Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Strangest Parrot. Boston [Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2010. Print. 74 p.
Sibert Medal 2011
The kakapo is a parrot found only in New Zealand, which is the heaviest and is also flightless of all parrots. “Nest-minders”, scientists studying the bird, travel to the birds' habitat to learn more about the species in order to save it from extinction. One bird they watch has been nicknamed Lisa, who is only one of eighty-sev...more
Sibert Medal 2011
The kakapo is a parrot found only in New Zealand, which is the heaviest and is also flightless of all parrots. “Nest-minders”, scientists studying the bird, travel to the birds' habitat to learn more about the species in order to save it from extinction. One bird they watch has been nicknamed Lisa, who is only one of eighty-sev...more
Montgomery, Sy. (2010). Kakapo Rescue. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 74 pp. ISBN 978-0-618-49417-0 (Hard Cover); $18.00.
Kakapo parrots (pronounced KAR ka poe) are so endangered that if one wishes to visit them on their New Zealand island, one must submit to a rigorous sterilization procedure, along with all luggage, equipment, and clothing, before being allowed on the island with the less than one hundred surviving parrots.
The kakapo parrot, like many island birds was once numerous. This parrot is...more
Kakapo parrots (pronounced KAR ka poe) are so endangered that if one wishes to visit them on their New Zealand island, one must submit to a rigorous sterilization procedure, along with all luggage, equipment, and clothing, before being allowed on the island with the less than one hundred surviving parrots.
The kakapo parrot, like many island birds was once numerous. This parrot is...more
Hundreds of years ago, the kakapo used to roam New Zealand freely. The kakapo is a noctural, flighless parrot. Now, because of man, industrialism, and other predators this bird is on the very of extinction, with only about 90 remaining in the entire world.
The author, Sy Montgomery, and illustrator, Nic Bishop, traveled to the remote Codfish Island, off the New Zealand coast, to be with volunteers and the New Zealand’s National Kakapo Recovery Team to watch these amazing, beautiful birds for ten...more
The author, Sy Montgomery, and illustrator, Nic Bishop, traveled to the remote Codfish Island, off the New Zealand coast, to be with volunteers and the New Zealand’s National Kakapo Recovery Team to watch these amazing, beautiful birds for ten...more
This book written by Sy Montgomery and photographed by Nic Bishop is about the extinction and rescue of the Kakapo(Kar-ka-poe)Bird from New Zealand told by nest-minders(a team that observes, cares for, and helps rescue kakapo's and other to-be extinct animals);scientists in the field. With only eighty-seven in existence, kakapos were all taken and put on Codfish Island in New Zealand (a sterilized, nearly impossible island to get to). Nest-minders are sterilized and taken to Codfish for short am...more
Kakapo Rescue is a non-fiction book that won the Robert Sibert award in 2011. When just glancing at this book I wasn't too sure that I would enjoy this book. To be honest there were many scientific pictures, so I thought that it would be full of scientific vocabulary that would make the book very hard to understand. It was in fact almost the exact opposite when I started to read the book. Ever since I was a young child, I have always loved all kinds of animals. I always had a very strong connect...more
1. Classification: Informational Junior book
2. Summary: This informational book is on the endangered bird, Kakapo found on the remote island of Codfish which is found off the coast of New Zealand. These birds are absolutely beautiful creatures.
3. Critique:
a.) This book is amazing! The photographs of the Kakapo bird are absolutely beautiful. I had never heard of this bird until I read this book. The information and facts on this bird are so amazing and interesting to read about!
b.) I found out s...more
2. Summary: This informational book is on the endangered bird, Kakapo found on the remote island of Codfish which is found off the coast of New Zealand. These birds are absolutely beautiful creatures.
3. Critique:
a.) This book is amazing! The photographs of the Kakapo bird are absolutely beautiful. I had never heard of this bird until I read this book. The information and facts on this bird are so amazing and interesting to read about!
b.) I found out s...more
Aug 09, 2011
Beverly
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
10-14 year olds
Recommended to Beverly by:
Multnomah County Library School Corps
Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Strangest Parrot should have been sub-titled Saving the World's Most Endearing parrot. They are so cute, fascinating, and lovable. And endangered. As of the publication date, there were 93 left - all on one island, Codfish Island, south of New Zealand. The book, from Scientists in the Field, is the story of the people trying to save the Kakapo and the fascinating facts we are learning about this bird and the other unusual inhabitants on Codfish Island. All tween...more
Age Group:
Marketed to children but a fascinating read for all audiences
Genre:
Non-Fiction, Endangered Animals, Historical
Summary:
Author Sy Montgomery and photographer Nic Bishop take readers on an exquisite visual journey through the remote forests of Codfish Island, just off the coast of New Zealand in search of the rare and endangered kakapo parrot.
Adorable, quirky and flightless, the kakapo capture the hearts of all who work to save them. Kakapo are true survivors, pushed to the limits by h...more
Marketed to children but a fascinating read for all audiences
Genre:
Non-Fiction, Endangered Animals, Historical
Summary:
Author Sy Montgomery and photographer Nic Bishop take readers on an exquisite visual journey through the remote forests of Codfish Island, just off the coast of New Zealand in search of the rare and endangered kakapo parrot.
Adorable, quirky and flightless, the kakapo capture the hearts of all who work to save them. Kakapo are true survivors, pushed to the limits by h...more
Confession: I wasn't much of a non-fiction reader growing up. I loved being swept up in stories. I loved the mystery, the drama, the tension of a great novel, whether it took place in a fantasy world or a town that felt just like mine. And when I thought about non-fiction, I generally thought of things like my junior high school social studies book, which was....fine, I guess...and even occasionally interesting, but certainly not something I'd read for fun.
But lately, I've turned into something...more
But lately, I've turned into something...more
The kapako is a rare species of flightless parrot unique to New Zealand. It is a large bird, weighing in at nearly 9 lbs, with soft, mossy-green feathers that smell like a mixture of honey and peat. Its large size and generally sanguine nature make it an easy target for predators (both human and introduced species such as rats, cats, and stoats), and it was hunted nearly into extinction in the past couple centuries. Small populations of the birds were discovered about 70 years ago, and the remai...more
I find it difficult to convey my enthusiasm for this book without sounding ridiculous. "It's about these parrots! That smell like honey! And they're almost extinct, and these people had to wait five years for a chick to hatch so they could go to New Zealand for ten days to write this book! You should totally read it." Yeah. But that's pretty much how I feel.
The story has a great sense of urgency, both because the parrots are so endangered (87 are living at one point during the course of the boo...more
The story has a great sense of urgency, both because the parrots are so endangered (87 are living at one point during the course of the boo...more
Imagine a green parrot... the size of a house cat! Make it smell like honey, give it lots of curiousity, and listen to it growl, croak and make a chinking noise like a cash register for up to 70 years. This is the Kakapo parrot of New Zealand, which is on the brink of extinction. Flightless, nesting underground, social and odd, this native New Zealand bird species lost everything when civilization arrived. Men brought germs and rodents on ships, and then brought cats and dogs to hunt the rats. A...more
This endearing book introduces readers to the kakapo, which is a flightless bird that is considered the heaviest parrot in the world. Native to New Zealand, these birds have been brought to the edge of extinction primarily through human settlement (and the accompanying non-native wildlife brought with it) of the islands. There are now only about 90 individuals left among the species.
Author and Montgomery and photographer Bishop got to spend 10 days on Codfish Island, which has been set aside as...more
Author and Montgomery and photographer Bishop got to spend 10 days on Codfish Island, which has been set aside as...more
On remote Codfish Island off the southern coast of New Zealand live the last 91 kakapo parrots on earth. These trusting, flightless, & beautiful birds, the largest & most unusual parrots on earth, have suffered devastating population loss.
Now, on this island refuge, New Zealand’s National Kakapo Recovery Team is working to restore the kakapo population. With the help of 14 humans who share a single hut & a passion for saving these odd ground-dwelling birds, the kakapo are making a co...more
Now, on this island refuge, New Zealand’s National Kakapo Recovery Team is working to restore the kakapo population. With the help of 14 humans who share a single hut & a passion for saving these odd ground-dwelling birds, the kakapo are making a co...more
If I could kiss a book and tell it I loved it with all my heart, you just know that's what I'd be doing with this one. Montgomery has a knack for finding interesting subjects for her nonfiction chapter books, but she's outdone herself with this one. Aside from the tantalizing term "World's Strangest Parrot" in the title, there's not a soul alive who won't finish this book and immediately want a kakapo of their very own. Practically driven to extinction in the wake of humans and other animals, th...more
This book chronicles the visit of author, Sy Montgomery and photographer, Nic Bishop’s visit to Codfish Island off the southern tip of New Zealand to show the steps being taken to save the kakapo parrot from the brink of extinction. This book won the Robert F. Sibert award in 2011. It is especially detailed and incredibly interesting. The book begins with a story of one of the parrots. At the end of the first chapter, it gives basic facts about the kakapo parrots. The next chapter is about the h...more
1 like · like · see review
The kakapo (KAR-ka-poe) “is the rarest and heaviest parrot, the only flightless and night-active parrot, and undoubtedly the strangest parrot in the world” (p. 1). This story explores to captivating, yet rare, world of the colorful bird from New Zealand. Where at one time millions of kakapo called New Zealand home, now only 91 are left in the southern country. A rescue mission is in effect by the many scientists and volunteers who are trying to save the animals from extinction. Kakapo Rescue: Sa...more
These have got to be the cutest birds in the entire world: big (up to nine pounds), flightless, friendly, nocturnal parrots that had exactly zero defenses against the predators humans brought with them when they settled New Zealand. The world's entire population of kakapo now lives on two tiny islands and totals fewer than 90 birds. Though super-human efforts are being made to preserve the species, the birds themselves seem to not be cooperating: rarely breeding, laying infertile eggs, eggs that...more
Nonfiction: I really liked hearing the story of the Kakapo. It was well written and I could almost feel the researchers and volunteers personal connection to the parrots. They're pretty much dedicating their lives to save them. I hope that if children read this book, they will understand the importance of protecting our planet and even develop an interest in helping animals. This would be a good introduction in a science class when talking about endangered or extinct animals.
This book made me th...more
This book made me th...more
When I picked up this book, I was thinking to myself, oh, another solid entry in the Scientists in the Field series, though I also thought... wow, this is a pretty substantial book, weight-wise. I tried to dislike it, tried thinking, who cares enough about this poor flightless parrot only surviving on a remote island off New Zealand to want to read a whole book on it? Well, as it turned out, that person was ME! And hopefully a lot of others, too. Nic Bishop's photos are, as always, excellent. Bu...more
Apr 30, 2013
Lynsie Baumann
added it
Kakapo Rescue was a phenomenal book. The photographs were gorgeous and the information in this non-fictional piece of work was so captivating and keeps the reader interested. I highly recommend this book because honestly, for me it is hard to keep my attention and interest while reading a informational or documentary type book, and Kakapo Rescue had me hooked and I wanted to know more! This is a beautifully written chapter book with captivating photography about a recovery team from New Zealand’...more
I liked this book a lot. I enjoy reading nonfiction in general so this book was a little more bearable. I loved the photographs in the book. They were very high quality and made the information so much more interesting because you were seeing how amazing of a creature these birds are. Its crazy to think that there are less than 100 of these beautiful creatures. The book does an amazing job at showing the urgency of the situation. If something is not done then they will no longer be around for pe...more
Kakapo parrots are the rarest in the world--fewer than 100 survive, on a tiny island off New Zealand. They are flightless, nocturnal, heavy, and smell like honey. This is an account of the kakapo, and the people trying desperately to save them.
This book got stars on pretty much every review, and it deserves them. The topic is fascinating and compelling, the pictures are wonderful, and the book is well-structured and well-told. Narrative nonfiction for middle school is making a comeback, and I th...more
This book got stars on pretty much every review, and it deserves them. The topic is fascinating and compelling, the pictures are wonderful, and the book is well-structured and well-told. Narrative nonfiction for middle school is making a comeback, and I th...more
Kakapo Rescue introduces readers to the kakapo (KAR-ka-po), the world's strangest parrot. This endangered species cannot fly and is also the world's heaviest parrot. This unique species is on the brink of extinction with only 91 alive today. All surviving kakapo have been relocated to a remote island, Codfish Island, in southern New Zealand. Volunteers study the birds and assist with their nutrition, breeding, and general well being. Sy Montgomery and Nic Bishop were given the unique opportunity...more
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Part Indiana Jones, part Emily Dickinson, as the Boston Globe describes her, Sy Montgomery is an author, naturalist, documentary scriptwriter, and radio commentator who has traveled to some of the worlds most remote wildernesses for her work. She has worked in a pit crawling with 18,000 snakes in Manitoba, been hunted by a tiger in India, swum with pink dolphins in the Amazon, and been undressed b...more
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