Ten-year-old Harry Holdsworth isn't sure what to expect when his American uncle George leaves him an African Gray parrot named Madison.

When the bird arrives in London, Harry quickly discovers that Madison (Mad for short) is no ordinary parrot: not only can he talk, but he sings, plays the piano, and uses the telephone! He helps Mr. Holdsworth with the Sunday Times crossword and is an excellent chess player, but his favorite game is Monopoly: he likes to play using the battleship, and he nearly always wins.

When a robber breaks into the Holdsworth's house, Mad manages to save the valuables, but finds himself kidnapped instead!

All Mad wants to do is go home, but it will take all of his skills to do it!

Here's another copy on my BookCrossing shelf.

See first journal entry: this book seemed like a perfect book for Team Battleship to release for the Monopoly game.

When Mad is kidnapped, he wants to go home, and in order to do so he heads for his favorite square on the monopoly board: Trafalgar Square (named for the famous battle in which British Admiral Lord Nelson lost his life,). To help make sure Mad succeeds, Team Battleship's release for passing go is at Thomas Square, named for another British Admiral - one who had a significant impact on the Hawaiian monarchy.

Released in a plastic bag to protect it from the pigeons - like the larger Trafalgar Square, Thomas Square has a significant bird population..which may even include an escaped parrot or two!

Left at the plant sale fundraiser for Kids Hurt Too / Seeds of Love for bookczuk's Darkness to Light Release Challenge. Darkness to Light (D2L) is a leading non-profit working to end child sexual abuse. If you'd like to help, please visit their website or find them on Facebook and Twitter (at @Darkness2Light).

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This book was set free to find a new reader; I'm so glad you've found it!

If you are able to make a journal entry to let me know you've found my book that would be terrific.

If you're new to BookCrossing, I hope you will take some time to explore this wonderful free and anonymous community of book lovers and learn about what it has to offer. If you decide to sign up, you may use me ( hyphen8 ) as your referring member, but that's certainly not required.

In fact, there are no requirements: this is now your book and you may do whatever you like with it. You're welcome to keep it for as long as you wish, and you can even mark it for your "permanent collection"...but you don't have to.

Please do feel free to make a journal entry when you're done with the book saying what you thought of it or what you plan to do with it next: if you decide to pass it this book to another reader or leave it for someone else to find, joining BookCrossing will allow you to follow the book's future travels whenever another reader makes a journal entry...who knows where it will turn up next?

Free your books - help spread the words!