One Small Huge Very Big Pet

At school visits I’ve been asked about animals in books I’ve written and or illustrated. It often comes up whether I have pets.

I love drawing animals of all kinds, many of which have turned up in my books. As to pets, we’ve had many, but there’s only one now.

That’s Merlin, our small huge very big Quaker parrot. 

Just a sec, did I just write small huge very big all in one sentence?

Yes I did. Merlin is small for a parrot. He’s just slightly bigger than a budgie and very much smaller than a macaw. But his ego is HUGE. He can be very loving but if he decides he doesn’t like you – which applies sadly to most people, he will use his very sharp beak to let you know not to come closer. He knows who’s boss whether it was one of the cats we had or a dog of any size, not to mention humans. He’s cute, but watch out!

As for big, I think he thinks he’s human and our size, just a tiny bit smaller.

For a character who’s 27 years old, and one who greets us every morning with ‘Good Morning’ from his cage, he’s got every right to believe whatever he wants as long as he continues to tell us how pretty he is and sends us kisses to seal it.

Yeah, Merlin is quite the bird and quite the pet.

Maybe one day there will be a book about a small Huge VERY Big bird.

We love you Merlin!