Reviewed by Kira M for TeensReadToo.com

When Ellie has to give a report on an exotic pet, she has a hard time picking a topic. When the neighbor asks her to watch her parrot, Ellie decides this would make a perfect animal for her project.

The bird, however, doesn't want to learn the lines Ellie is trying to make it speak for her report. Instead, it would rather fly around playing with Ellie's little brother and insulting Ellie. To make matters worse, the parrot flies out the window one afternoon. With the help of some unusual people - a zookeeper, a librarian, some good friends, and her pet-obsessed family - Ellie will try everything she can to get the parrot back.

Will Ellie succeed before her neighbor comes home? Will she do well on her report?

A fun, realistic fiction book for girls who like such books as the DIARY OF A WIMPY KID series. The characters are entertaining, the plot is interesting, and the illustrations complement the text well. Readers who like realistic fiction and animal stories will enjoy reading ELLIE MCDOODLE: BEST FRIENDS FUR-EVER. ( )