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Synopsis
Fifteen-year-old Tim loves his job at his dad's pet store, partly because he gets to spend time with his best friend, a black cockatoo named Elmo. But things at work have been tense since the store moved to a larger, more expensive location. To make extra money his father rents out the store's exotic birds for parties and Tim is furious at this exploitation of his friend. When Elmo is stolen from one of the parties, the police are unconcerned about the theft. Tim and his new human friend, Sapna, set out to find Elmo and discover that Elmo is more valuable than they'd ever imagined. When award-winning author Monique Polak was a kid her best friend was her budgie, Nervous Thompson Williamson. Monique lives in Montreal, Quebec.
Children's Literature
Tim and his father/boss, a cockatoo disappear in chapter six and then are recovered fairly quickly. The setting is a mall and the community of shop owners there, which adds a nice human element to a familiar retail environment. The message about "letting an animal into your heart" creates a meaningful ending for the story but for most of the book, Tim's devotion to the bird is overshadowed by his anger toward his father. The target age group will be drawn to the teenage protagonist. His inner monologue sounds closer to age twelve than fifteen. This story leaves the reader wanting to know more, especially about the cockatoo, but it seems that space constraints may have played a part in editing. This title is a speedy read, but the promise of mystery is disappointing. One of the "Orca Currents" series, it is an abridged account of international intrigue. Reviewer: Tina Dybvik