it is prety good
Otis
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Sweet, nostalgic friendship tale with a truly classic look.
Themes in this book include: friendship
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 3 and Up
The good stuff
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Educational value:
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Role models:
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Illustrations:
What to watch out for
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Violence & scariness:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Otis was written by Darienne Hosley Stewart
Parents need to know there is nothing of concern in this gentle story. Sensitive kids might be anxious during the climactic scene as farmers and firefighters try to save a calf from drowning in mud, but all ends well, of course.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about coping with change. How does Otis feel when he’s replaced? How do you think he feels once the farmer realizes how helpful he still can be?
- Families can also talk about unlikely friendships, like the Disney tale The Adventures of Milo and Otis and even the classic Charlotte's Web. Why does it often give readers that warm-fuzzy feeling? What other books or movies of unlikely friendships can you think of?
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More on Otis
Book Summary
Otis is a little red tractor who loves to both work and play on his farm. When a scared calf arrives in his barn, his soft putt-puffs soothe the new arrival and the two become close companions. They enjoy each other’s company until Otis is replaced by a new tractor, and the dispirited old tractor can’t be budged from his weed-covered resting place. The calf, lonely and sad, one day trudges into a muddy pond and gets stuck, sinking deeper and deeper. The harder everyone works to rescue her, the more the frightened calf sinks. All seems lost until her old friend, roused by her cries, putt-puffs to her aid.
Is It Any Good?
Otis will feel like an old familiar storybook to parents. Author-illustrator Loren Long acknowledges Virginia Lee Burton (Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel) and Robert Lawson (The Story of Ferdinand), and their influence runs deeps here. The subdued palette, strong lines, and soft texture give the book the feel of a classic. The prose flows smoothly and gently, and the illustrations of the cavorting tractor and calf offer plenty of energy and humor.
To his credit, Long doesn’t overdo the arrival of the new tractor: Newer, bigger, and better isn’t necessarily bad, and indeed the yellow tractor continues to be the farmer’s go-to machine. But the farmer and especially Otis learn that growing old doesn’t necessitate being put out to pasture, so to speak.
Publisher’s Details
Publisher: Philomel, Publication date: 9/22/2009
Number of pages: 40, Price: $17.99 (hardcover)
Read Aloud: 3, Read Alone: 6
Number of pages: 40, Price: $17.99 (hardcover)
Read Aloud: 3, Read Alone: 6
Our Members Say
See 9 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
kids
-
I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
kids
it is prety good
-
I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
it is prety good
-
I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
kids
it is prety good
-
I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
- My highlights are:
it is a good book
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Ratings at a Glance
| 56% | of parents say there are good role models |
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