“What’s going on?” he asked her when she climbed into the front seat. “I thought you couldn’t make it to the shelter today because of the library event. What made you change your mind?”
“A poem,” Amanda said, “Crazy, huh? I don’t even like poetry.” Pointing to the road, she added, “Just drive. I’ll explain on the way.”
At the shelter, Letty Noland confirmed that Cornelius Bryson was Maxine’s original owner. “He had no living relatives, so he left the bird to us, along with a sizable donation for her care. We used some of the money to buy the materials for her perch,” she said, gesturing to the fancy climbing structure Drew’s father had built. “I heard he also left part of his estate to the library.”
“I just came from there.” Amanda was still clutching the program from the dedication ceremony. A photo of Cornelius Bryson was printed on the cover. She walked over to the perch and showed it to Maxine. The bird showed no sign of recognition.
The inside of the program included a few of Bryson’s poems, including “One Wordy Bird.” Amanda asked Maxine, “Is this about you?” and began reading.
The bird listened attentively, ruffling her feathers and bobbing her head in tune with the poem’s meter. “Good, good,” she cooed in obvious delight.
Amanda heard the shelter’s front door open and looked up to see Meg entering with her parents. “We knew you’d be here,” Meg told her cousin. Drew was right behind her, followed by Blanca and Mrs. Montez.
Maxine squawked, “more!” and Amanda realized she’d stopped reading when her friends entered. She finished the poem, then told her friends, “I’m sorry I ran out of the ceremony, but I had an idea.”
“I think we all had the same idea,” Drew said, speaking for the rest of the Paw Pals. “We were so focused on finding the right dog, we didn’t realize that the perfect reading buddy was in front of us the whole time!”
Mrs. Noland clapped her hands together. “I think Mr. Bryson would be very pleased with the idea of Maxine helping children to read. But remember, a service animal is one-half of a team. Who will be Maxine’s guardian?”
Amanda looked up at the blue-and-yellow macaw, whose soft chattering seemed to indicate contentment. The bird liked being the center of attention. “I’ve got a pretty good idea about that, too.”
Fine-Feathered Friend
“Helllloooo,” Maxine the macaw greeted the members of Mrs. McKay’s fourth grade class. The students responded in unison, “Hello!”
The big blue and yellow bird was perched on the shoulder of her new owner. Amanda, Meg, and Blanca exchanged excited glances as their teacher introduced their special guests.
Mr. Henderson grinned as he gave Maxine a pine nut, one of her favorite treats. Amanda had never seen the librarian so happy.
Several weeks had passed since the Paw Pals had approached him about adopting Maxine. Due to his work schedule and small apartment, the librarian had ruled out owing a dog, but he liked the idea of having a pet macaw—especially one that shared his fondness for literature. He visited the shelter to meet the bird that same day, and soon Maxine had a new home.
Mrs. Noland referred him to an aviculturist—an expert at raising birds—for advice on handling the macaw. He did additional research on his own, reading nearly every book on bird care in the library. Once he and the bird had bonded, he began bringing Maxine to story time, where she was an instant hit with the kids. The fancy perch Mr. Bixby built for Maxine was moved to the library’s reading room. Surrounded by books and the portrait of her original owner, Cornelius Bryson, the bird seemed very much at home during her library visits.
Mr. Henderson also planned to bring the bird to daycare centers, hospitals, and nursing homes—anywhere they could share their love of books and reading with others. Amanda, the self-appointed leader of the Paw Pals, had organized today’s visit to Mrs. McKay’s class, Maxine’s first elementary school appearance.
“Macaws are highly intelligent,” Mr. Henderson told the kids. He described the species’ ability to mimic human speech and showed the newest additions to Maxine’s vocal repertoire—“woof” and “meow,” which she’d picked up during her stay at the shelter. Then he shared the story of how, thanks to the Paw Pals, he’d come to be Maxine’s owner. With a nod to Amanda, he said, “I wanted a reading buddy, and I got a reading birdy.”
He picked up a book he’d brought with him and held it up for the children to see. “Maxine’s original owner used to read to her all the time. When he was working on a new poem, he’d recite it over and over until he was happy with it. I think that’s why she’s so fond of rhyming books. Her favorite is Green Eggs and Ham.” At the sight of the book, Maxine bobbed her head and chirped happily.
“Who would like to read to her first?” the librarian asked.
Hands shot up around the room. Blanca was surprised to see that Janelle, who never liked to read in class, was among the volunteers. “Pick Janelle,” she whispered to the librarian, pointing to the girl in the next row.
Standing in front of the class, Janelle held the book up and read aloud to Maxine. The text was simple but with all eyes on her, the girl seemed understandably nervous. Her hands shook when she turned the page. When she stumbled over a word, she blushed and dropped her head to her chest.
Mrs. McKay stepped forward and put her arm around her student’s shoulder. “Thank you, Janelle. Would you like to stop now?”
Before the girl could answer, Maxine squawked, “More, more!”
Janelle looked up at the bird. Maxine stared back at her, head bobbing with anticipation. After a moment, Janelle started reading again, her small voice growing stronger with every stanza. After a few more pages, the librarian thanked Janelle and let another child take a turn at reading to the bird.
As Janelle was making her way down the aisle to return to her seat, Blanca reached up to give her a high-five. “Spoiler alert,” Blanca whispered. “He really does like green eggs and ham.”
Janelle let out a short burst of laughter. “I know how the story ends! I can read, you know.”
“Yeah.” Blanca smiled and nodded. “I know you can.”
The sign outside the library’s front entrance had been modified. Under the words NO ANIMALS ALLOWED, Mr. Henderson had added “EXCEPT SERVICE ANIMALS.”
Meg stepped to one side of the sign, signaling the border collie beside her to sit. “Good boy, Chance,” she said, slipping the dog a treat. Chance’s black and white hair gleamed in the morning sun.
“Move a little to the right, please.” Tammy Pham, a photographer for the newspaper, gestured to Meg. Then she positioned Mr. Henderson and Maxine on the other side of the sign. “Smile,” she urged them, squeezing a squeaky toy in hopes of getting both dog and bird to also look at the camera. Maxine must have been used to having her photo taken. Unprompted, the bird sang out, “Cheeeese!”
The newspaper was doing a story on working animals, especially the library’s new reading buddy. The photographer had already taken a group shot of Maxine and the four Paw Pals. Now they all headed inside, where several children and their parents—including Willow and Mrs. Midori—were awaiting the bird’s scheduled appearance at story time.
Amanda had created business cards for the Paw Pals. As they entered the library she handed one to the photographer, along with a list showing the proper spelling of each of their names. “Feel free to e-mail me if you have follow-up questions.”
Project PAW’s first official assignment was a success, Amanda thought as she watched Maxine interact with the children. The bird was calm, patient, and attentive, just as a reading buddy should be. She’d seen how Maxine was able to get kids excited to read. Now she realized that the activity was just as beneficial for the macaw. At the shelter, she’d been well cared for—but seldom the center of attention. As a library buddy, she’d go on regular outings and meet lots of new people. It was the perfect arrangement for a highly intelligent, social creature.
“Mr. Henderson was right,�
� Amanda told her friends. “Reading buddies can make a big difference.”
“So can we,” Meg added, putting one arm around her cousin’s shoulder. “Now, what should our next project be?”
A Real-Life
Reading Buddy
One Wordy Bird was inspired by the true story of Buddy the macaw. Buddy is registered as a therapy animal with Pet Partners, a Community Partner of the ASPCA.
Buddy and his owner live in Arizona, where they make regular visits to libraries, schools, and nursing homes. Buddy’s calm and curious nature make him the perfect reading buddy. He listens closely and nods his head with the turn of each page. Many children return again and again for the chance to read to this special bird. Buddy loves all types of books, but like Maxine, he has a particular fondness for the works of Dr. Seuss.
Do Macaws Make
Good Pets?
Macaws like Maxine are amazing and intelligent. But do they make good pets?
Macaws are the largest members of the parrot family. All birds have special needs, and large birds are particularly complicated to care for. A smaller bird—such as a canary, budgie, or parakeet—may be a better choice, especially for beginning bird owners.
Adopting a parrot or macaw can be a lifelong commitment. That’s because they live very, very long lives. They are highly social animals and need lots of time and attention.
Birds don’t behave like other pets. They’re not domesticated like dogs and cats. Even when living with humans, they are wild animals at heart.
Large birds are loud and often destructive. If scared or upset, they may bite. A parrot’s beak is especially sharp and powerful. They’ll chew on furniture, wires, and other objects. This behavior is part of a bird’s natural nest-building tendencies.
If you are thinking about adopting a pet bird, do lots of research. Read about different bird types and what’s necessary for their care. Learn about proper bird diet and exercise.
Talk to professionals, such as an avian veterinarian (a vet who specializes in birds). Visit a bird rescue or shelter and talk to the professionals there.
If you decide a bird is the right pet for you, consider getting two! Birds are flock animals. They do best when living with at least one other bird.
Meet the Paw Pals
Meg Harper is ten years old and has already traveled the world thanks to her father’s job as a computer expert. Always being the new kid in school has made Meg a bit shy. At age six, she was diagnosed with epilepsy, a disorder that causes her to occasionally have seizures. Meg is often accompanied by her service dog, Chance.
Amanda Midori is a few months younger than her cousin Meg, but she’s a natural leader. She’s a straight-A student with exceptional organizational skills. Amanda lives with her family above their grooming salon, the Wash and Wag.
Drew Bixby is Amanda’s next-door neighbor. Younger than the cousins, he shares their love of animals. He also enjoys playing sports and going on outdoor adventures with his scouting troop.
Blanca Montez has been Amanda’s friend since kindergarten. Curious and chatty, she is full of questions and always ready to lend a hand.
Chance is a black and white border collie. Abandoned outside the Wash and Wag, Chance was eventually adopted by Meg. Now a trained service animal, Chance helps Meg cope with having epilepsy. He is the Paw Pals’ official mascot.
ASPCA PAW Pals Page 4