World's Worst Parrot

by Alice Kuipers

Overview

Ava works hard at maintaining a certain image online and at school.

As far as anyone else knows, life is great. But when she inherits an African gray parrot from her great-uncle Bertie (whom she barely remembers), Ava’s carefully crafted world starts to crumble. The parrot, Mervin, is loud and messy and obnoxious. Ava’s brother thinks it’s hilarious to post videos of Ava trying to deal with the crazy bird. He even creates a profile for the two of them. Everyone wants to see more of Ava and Mervin. Suddenly, Ava is internet famous—in the worst possible way. Her friends think the parrot is gross and start acting weird toward her. But then a new girl at school helps Ava see that this parrot might not be the worst gift in the world and that just being yourself is the best way to be.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781459837065
Publisher:	Orca Book Publishers
Publication date:	02/14/2023
Series:	Orca Currents Series
Edition description:	High readability edition
Pages:	120
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.31(d)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Alice Kuipers is the author of more than 10 books for young readers, including the Arthur Ellis Award winner The Worst Thing She Ever Did, as well as World's Worst Parrot and Pia's Plans in the Orca Currents line. Her work has been published in dozens of countries and has also been made into plays and produced for radio. She lives with her family in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Editorial Reviews

"I like this book a lot...I really recommend this book to others because it is easy to understand, and it will fit for those kids who are learning English like me."

student takeover edition Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) Canadian Children’s Book News

Recommended.

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

A very good read for reluctant teen readers. Excellent purchase for school libraries and classrooms.

Must Read Literature

A breezy read but still touches on many of the struggles of middle-grade students in the digital age…It’s a pleasure to follow the avian antics and watch as Mervin squawks his way into everyone’s hearts.

Booklist

A very good read for reluctant teen readers. Excellent purchase for school libraries and classrooms.

Must Read Lit: K thru YA

"I like this book a lot...I really recommend this book to others because it is easy to understand, and it will fit for those kids who are learning English like me."

student takeover edition Canadian Children's Book News

A breezy read but still touches on many of the struggles of middle-grade students in the digital age…It’s a pleasure to follow the avian antics and watch as Mervin squawks his way into everyone’s hearts.

Booklist

2019-09-29
After Ava inherits a parrot from a barely remembered great-uncle, her efforts to maintain an idealized image seem to crumble.

Ava has successfully used social media to depict herself as leading a perfect life, hiding that her father has recently abandoned their family, that her older brother, Gregg, is an aggravating tease, and that her mother is both depressed and angry. Still, by posting attractive selfies and a running monologue of her supposed beautiful life, Ava has managed to acquire several hundred followers. The parrot, Mervin, is a challenge—noisy, destructive, and demanding lots of attention. As soon as Gregg posts a photo of the parrot at his worst, Ava's two BFFs, Kim and Kim, promptly (and seemingly inexplicably) dump her, apparently put off by Mervin's messiness. Only later, as Ava begins to bond with another classmate, does it become clear that the Kims have become more interested in hunky Gregg than in Ava (making their rejection of her even less understandable). Characters (default white) are predictable and only superficially depicted, and the ups and downs of Ava's social media and school images are equally lacking in nuance. Only the lively parrot and Ava's growing understanding of and affection for him rise above average.

Best for those interested in pet birds. (Fiction. 9-12)

Kirkus Reviews