Parrots Over Puerto Rico

Parrots Over Puerto Rico

By: Susan Roth and Cindy Trumbore

2014 Medal Winner of the Robert F. Sibert Award

Note: The Sibert Award is given to authors and illustrators that are the most distinguished informational book published in the United States in the previous year.

Sibert Award Link

Summary: High in the treetops over Puerto Rico fly brilliant emerald parrots.  These Puerto Rican parrots have lived in Puerto Rico for millions of years.  Over many years settlers, explorers, and developers came to the island and do what they do best.... ruined habitats, captured the parrots, and simply made these majestic parrots begin to fade away.  By 1960 the Puerto Rican Parrot was almost extinct.  As we learn about Puerto Rico's history we see how scientists slowly and amazingly recovered the Puerto Rican Parrots. 

Illustrations: With a children's informational book the illustrations are a must and one of the most important elements especially if the book is used as a read aloud as this one definitely would be.  Susan Roth creates the illustrations using a fabric and paper collage method. The book is turned sideways and becomes vertical. This allows Roth to do almost a double page layout for her illustrations.  The verticalness of the book gives the illustrations depth and layers of grass, trees, and lushness.  It feels like a true rain forest canopy.  

Roth, S. L., & Trumbore, C. (2013). Parrots over Puerto Rico. New York: LEE and LOW Books Inc.

Lesson Plan Idea: 

      1. Read Parrots over Puerto Rico out loud to the class.

      2. Create a class timeline of the parrots drop in population to their increase.

      3. Discuss the illustrations and the collage technique

      4. Have students chose one animal that is on the endangered list. They will find at least 5 facts                   about that animal.

      5. Once they have their facts they will create a "Save the ?" poster for their animal.  

      6. The illustration of the animal must be done using the collage technique of paper and fabric that                Roth used in Parrots over Puerto Rico.