Otto Goes to School, Otto Goes to the Beach, Otto Goes to Bed, Otto Has a Birthday Party, and Otto Goes to Camp
September 1, 2005
PreS-Gr 1 -Otto is back in his next big adventure -heading to school. Starting with his favorite breakfast, -cereal, juice, and a banana split, - the pup faces a child's typical first-day worries but has a good time when he settles in. His lessons include learning to wag his tail without knocking things over; finding out that shoes are for wearing and not chewing; and sharing toys and games -all capped with the refrain of -Good dog, Otto! - Parr uses his trademark bold primary colors, blocky simple characters, and heavy black line to illustrate this tale. He keeps the focus on the fun while sharing insights on this new experience." -Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha's Public Library, WI"
Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
August 1, 2005
PreS. Using pure colors and elemental shapes outlined in black, Parr tells the story of dog-boy Otto. Unlike so many picture books' animal heroes, Otto has as many canine characteristics as human ones. He gets dressed and rides the school bus, but in class he learns how to wag his tail without knocking things over, and when he waits his turn for the bathroom, he is on all fours. Although text and art are simple in the extreme, young kids may be a bit befuddled by Otto's identity permutations; unlike adults, they probably won't have confronted the question, if Pluto and Goofy are both dogs, why does only Goofy wear clothes? Children who are able to grasp the concept will find things to like, and Parr's last-page message adds support for a new experience: "The first day of school is fun and exciting. You will make new friends, learn new things, and you will be really smart."(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)
January 1, 2006
Guileless dog Otto returns, this time to attend school, where he learns to wag his tale responsibly, etc. There's not much in the way of story, but readers will delight in Parr's unmistakable neon-colored world and appreciate the visual gags (e.g., a line of dogs leading to a tree shows that Otto "learns to wait his turn for the bathroom").
(Copyright 2006 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)