“Sterling and the Canary”... You might think it’s not an interesting title, but you’re wrong! I liked this story very much! I guarantee you will like it, too!
Sterling Thaxton is the main character of the story. He’s the best-looking boy in his school. He’s tall and strong. He’s amazing at sports. He can kick a football so high that when it comes back down it has a suntan. He can run faster than all the other kids, even if they are on bikes. To keep long story short, Sterling is the coolest boy in the school!
One day, a new girl arrives at Sterling’s school. Her name is Lizzie Harris. Her hair is the color of magic. Her nose is as sweet as music. Her arms are as wonderful as rainbows. Sterling falls in love with her and wants to ask her out: “Hello,” said Sterling. “What’s your name?” “Lizzie Harris,” said the new girl. Up close she was even prettier. (...) “That’s a nice name,” said Sterling. “I’m Sterling Thaxton. Will you go out with me?” “Let’s see,” said Lizzie. “You’re very good-looking.” “It’s true,” said Sterling with a grin. “And I bet you’re good at sports, aren’t you?” “Oh, yes,” said Sterling happily. “You should see me kick a football, it’s an amazing sight.” “And I bet all the girls are in love with you, aren’t they?” said Lizzie. “Oh, yes,” said Sterling. “They are.” “Well, not me,” said Lizzie. “I don’t care how good-looking you are or how good at sports you are or how many girls are in love with you. The only thing I care about is Maths.” (pages 6-7) The problem is that Sterling is rubbish at Maths. Doctor Edward Macintosh offers to help... She is Sterling’s best friend.
(*Pause*)
You might say: “Whoa, back off! You’re telling me that Doctor Edward Macintosh is... a girl?” Yes, Sterling’s best friend is a girl, not a boy. I know it’s a REALLY strange name. If you want to find out how Doctor Edward Macintosh ended up with such a name, then you will have to read the story...
Okay, let’s continue... Where was I? Ah, yes, Doctor Edward Macintosh offers to help Sterling. She’s good at Maths! Here’s a part of the story that is very funny: “OK, Sterling. What’s two plus three?” “Um... A thousand?” said Sterling. “Not quite,” said Doctor Edward Macintosh kindly. “Let’s try again.” (...) “What’s ten take away five?” said Doctor Edward Macintosh. “A thousand?” said Sterling. “Good try,” said Doctor Edward Macintosh. “OK, what’s six times two?” “A thousand?” said Sterling. “Not quite,” said Doctor Edward Macintosh. “All right, if I’ve got one apple in my left hand and two apples in my right hand how many apples have I got altogether?” “A thousand?” said Sterling. “Oh, dear,” said Doctor Edward Macintosh. “Right, one last try. What’s nine hundred and ninety-nine plus one?” “Seven?” said Sterling. “Oh, dear,” said Doctor Edward Macintosh.” (pages 12-14)
One thing is for sure: Sterling HATES Maths! He gives up and leaves Doctor Edward Macintosh’s house. He is feeling embarrassed in front of his friend...
One day, Sterling finds... a canary! And not just an ordinary one! A talking canary with a little bell around its neck! Sterling finds out that the canary went to the Canary University. The bird happens to be quite good at Maths! Sterling takes the canary with him.
The following day, the boy puts on a red baseball cap. The canary is under the cap. Sterling goes straight to Lizzie to tell her that he is good at Maths now. Doctor Edward Macintosh is not far away from Sterling and Lizzie. She is licking a big fat ice cream in a cone...
Lizzie and Sterling have the following conversation: “I told you, I don’t want to talk to you,” she said. “But I’m really good at Maths now,” said Sterling. “I’ve been... er... I’ve been practising my sums.” “Oh, really?” said Lizzie Harris, looking up at last. “Well, tell me this. What’s thirty plus forty?” “Seventy,” whispered the canary under the baseball cap. “Seventy,” said Sterling. “Not bad,” said Lizzie Harris. “Twenty divided by four?” (...) “So you can do Maths after all,” said Lizzie Harris. “I’m impressed.” “So you’ll go out with me then?” said Sterling. “No, of course not,” said Lizzie Harris. “Great,” said Sterling happily. “Shall we go to see a film – hey, hold on a minute! What did you say?” “I said I’m not going out with you,” said Lizzie. “I’ve changed my mind. I’m not into Maths any more.” “What?” said Sterling. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “The thing I’m into now is capital cities,” said Lizzie Harris.” (pages 26-28)
Sterling isn’t good at capital cities either. Luckily, the canary tells him that it knows all the capital cities in the entire world! Sterling has a relief.
The weekend comes and Sterling is bored. On Saturdays, he used to go over to Doctor Edward Macintosh’s house. They were always having fun with each other! But now, Sterling can’t talk to Doctor Edward Macintosh anymore. He’s feeling way too embarrassed!
At school, Lizzie asks Sterling the capital cities of Italy, Russia and Japan. In the meantime, Doctor Edward Macintosh spies her friend and Lizzie. She eats another big fat ice cream... The boy answers correctly the questions, but Lizzie still doesn’t want to go out with him! She tells Sterling that she doesn’t care about capital cities anymore. She cares about types of flowers now.
In my opinion, Lizzie Harris is such a selfish girl! If I were Sterling, I would never talk to Lizzie again! But Sterling doesn’t give up. Luckily, the canary knows any type of flower, so it helps Sterling again. There are some flowers near Lizzie and Sterling. The boy has to say the name of the flowers that Lizzie points to. The canary, as usual, whispers the correct answer to Sterling. As I was reading, a question popped into my mind: how come the canary can see the flowers if it is under Sterling’s baseball cap? Luckily, I soon found out the answer... And you will soon find it out, too!
After realizing that Sterling knows all the types of flowers, Lizzie wants to go out with him. Sterling is very happy! This is what Lizzie wants to do: “You can start by taking me out to a posh restaurant,” said Lizzie Harris. “Then I want you to take me shopping. I want a new dress. I want a gold necklace. I want new shoes. Then you can take me dancing so everyone can see how nice I look.” (page 53) Sterling listens to Lizzie, but he doesn’t know what to say. He looks at the girl and suddenly realizes that she isn’t nice at all: “He thought about all the trouble she’d put him through. He thought about how she kept changing her mind. He thought about all the things she wanted.” (page 55) Sterling remembers of Doctor Edward Macintosh. She is the one who helped him a lot of times. She is the one who knows what real fun is. She is Sterling’s true friend.
Sterling walks away from Lizzie, telling her that he doesn’t want to go out with her anymore. The boy goes to Doctor Edward Macintosh and apologies for having been such an idiot lately. He asks her out and Doctor Edward Macintosh accepts the request.
You’re probably wondering: how did the canary see the flowers? Well, it’s time to tell you the truth... This is what happens in the end:
Sterling takes off his baseball cap and the canary flies away. The little bell around its neck fells off. In the meantime, Doctor Edward Macintosh puts her ice cream cone in her bag. In fact, dear readers, the bell isn’t a bell and the ice cream cone isn’t an ice cream cone after all... The bell is a tiny metal speaker that sounds can come out of. The ice cream cone is a microphone. You see, there was no talking canary. It was Doctor Edward Macintosh all day long. She was the one who helped Sterling! That’s why Doctor Edward Macintosh was spying Lizzie and her best friend, so she could hear Lizzie’s questions and tell Sterling the answers.
I don’t know about you, but this idea is very good! Doctor Edward Macintosh is my favorite character. She is so nice and smart. She is a true friend! I wish I had such a friend like her! :)
The ending is very nice: “It was funny, but the canary never did talk again after that. But Sterling didn’t mind. He was holding his best friend’s hand and the sun was shining and he was in love.” (page 58)
I give the book more than five stars and I would recommend it to anyone who likes canaries! :)
Your question might be: where is the canary now? Well, surprisingly, it lives in my house! :))
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