cover image Max, the Bad-Talking Parrot

Max, the Bad-Talking Parrot

Patricia Brennan Demuth. Dodd Mead, $0 (32pp) ISBN 978-0-396-08767-0

Tillie's parrot Max speaks in rhymes. He is usually good-natured and courteous, but when he takes offense at Tillie's friend Mrs. Goosebump he begins insulting her in verse. This gets him in trouble with the two friends, but it also leads to his stopping a thief from robbing Tillie's apartment. The story's idea is cute and could provide a useful springboard for parents to discuss ""bad'' language with their children. But the book's execution is only fair. The rhymes are not especially clever and the text, though lively, rarely sparkles. Zaunders's expressive, quirky illustrations enhance the book, but the overall effect falls short of the mark. (59)