A blue parrot and a little brown spider monkey are among the many animals and birds packed in boxes, crates, and cages. They are floating down the river on a barge on their way to new homes far away from their native rain forest environment.

The blue parrot, unhappy about his current captivity, pecks away at the lock on the cage until it comes loose. When the door swings open, the parrot flies back to his home in the rain forest. Meanwhile, the monkey is very sad being away from his family. Ramon, the boatman, sees the monkey's distress and decides to return the little animal to its rightful place. Ramon feels it's the right thing to do.

With illustrations included, The Blue Parrot and the Little Monkey tells a hopeful story about animals who have been captured from the wild to be sold to zoos or exploited. It shares how one man faces a difficult decision.