Conversations with Cosmo

It's likely that Red Planet Audiobooks has published the only audiobook narrated, in part, by a talking bird. The first voice we hear is that of the author's pet, Cosmo, talking, followed by that of narrator Roxanne Walker. Not a scientist, Craige acquired an African Grey parrot after hearing the audiobook of Irene Pepperberg, who studied and wrote about the language limits of her African Grey. Listeners can expect many examples of Cosmo's talking and imitating other sounds like the smoke alarm, the telephone, and the wolf whistle. Since the author takes Cosmo to schools for children, she must be careful about her vocabulary around him. A mischievous friend called one day when Craige wasn't home and, via the answering machine, taught Cosmo to say Geoffrey Chaucer's favorite word: "fart." J.A.H. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine