Common Sense Note
A fun story with simple writing and expressive cartoonlike illustrations conveys both family love and Otis's determination to be himself. Readers will chuckle at a pig that dislikes mud.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Sally Snyder
Otis knows that he's different, but he is determined to be himself. His brothers and sisters accept him, although he chooses not to play in the mud with them. This gentle lesson of being oneself and being accepted is valuable for children.
Watercolor-and-ink illustrations are framed in white with text overlaid on the pictures. Cartoon-like art portrays Otis and his rotund family humorously but sympathetically. The obvious joy of his fellow pigs sliding down a mud hill contrasts perfectly with the illustration of Otis, with a most unpleasant look on his face, imagining himself covered in mud.
Children will enjoy the twist in this story--a pig not wanting to be messy, as opposed to a child not wanting to be neat. Being different from the crowd is also the theme of Tacky the Penguin, by Helen Lester. For Pete's Sake, by Ellen Stoll Walsh, also looks at identity.
From The Book
How such a neat pig was born to such a sloppy family was anyone's guess. When his brothers played rugby in the swamp, Otis kept score on the sidelines. When his sisters played tag in the wallow, Otis counted.buttercups in the grass. Otis tried very hard to remain a spotless pig. But making friends wasn't easy.
Plot Summary:
A pig that doesn't like the mud? Otis prefers to stay spotless, though his family loves the mud. But Otis befriends a frog that dislikes mud as well. A humorous story, with serene illustrations, about individuality and friendship should entertain both parent and child.
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