Otis

by Loren Long, Loren Long (Illustrator)

Overview

In the tradition of such classics as "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel," the beloved, #1 "New York Times"-bestselling author/illustrator of "The Little Engine That Could" and "Drummer Boy" returns with an unforgettable new story--and character--that celebrates the power of friendship and perseverance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780399252488
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	09/22/2009
Series:	Otis Series , #1
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	86,322
Product dimensions:	11.26(w) x 10.78(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD580L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Loren Long grew up in Lexington, Kentucky. He pursued graduate-level studies at the American Academy of Art in Chicago after graduating with a BA in Graphic Design/Art Studio from the University of Kentucky. After graduation Long worked as an illustrator for a greeting card company in Cincinnati before beginning his career as a freelance illustrator.

Since then, Long has received numerous accolades for his fluid WPA painting style. He has been awarded two gold medals from the Society of Illustrators in New York, and has been frequently selected for their annual exhibition and book. His work has also appeared in many other major annual exhibitions such as American Illustration, Communication Arts, Step By Step Graphics and Print.

Long’s clients include Time Magazine, Reader’s Digest, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Atlantic Monthly, Boy’s Life, Land’s End, Sports Illustrated and HBO. He has also illustrated book covers for numerous publishers and has recently concentrated on illustrating books for young readers where his work has garnered much recognition and praise.

Recent awards/accolades:

2002

The United Nations chose to hang in their lobby Long’s painting of a firefighter in action, along with 21 other selections from the Prevailing Human Spirit Show at the Society of Illustrators.

2003

Recipient of the Golden Kite Award for picture book illustration, presented by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators for I Dream of Trains. The book was also selected as one of the New York Public Library’s 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, 2003.

2004

Winner of the Parents' Choice Gold Award.

Illustrates New York Times #1 best-seller, Mr. Peabody’s Apples

To learn more about Loren Long and his books, go to www.lorenlong.com

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

**JUMPSTART'S 2013 READ FOR THE RECORD SELECTION!**

Editorial Reviews

**JUMPSTART'S 2013 READ FOR THE RECORD SELECTION!**

From the Publisher

How this little left-behind machine goes from has-been to hero is an all-too-familiar but nonetheless satisfying trope that will leave young readers with smiles as big as Otis's goofy grin. Loren Long's almost monochromatic palette, punctuated by reds and yellows, focuses all the attention exactly where it needs to be: on the David-and-Goliath disparity between Otis and his replacement.
—The Washington Post

Kristi Jemtegaard

Readers of classic children's books will find traces of Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Little Toot and The Story of Ferdinand in this story of “a friendly little tractor.” Otis the tractor loves to work as much as he loves to play. When he snores in the barn, his “soft putt puff puttedy chuff” consoles a motherless calf. Otis and the calf become pals, and Long (who reillustrated The Little Engine That Could) pictures them sitting under a tree in Ferdinand the bull's iconic pose. Yet this idyll cannot last. Otis's owner (no loyal Mike Mulligan) purchases a huge “brand-new yellow tractor” and puts Otis out to pasture, where “the weeds began to cover his tires.” Only when the calf gets stuck in a muddy pond does Otis rev to the rescue. Long fashions Otis's headlamps as eyes and accents the charcoal gray and fawn brown gouache with apple red, buttery yellow and denim blue. Resurrecting stories of sweet machines aiding helpless animals is not easy in an era concerned with fossil fuels and feedlots, but Long's story should inspire readers to revisit old favorites. Ages 3–5. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Long's terrific fluid artwork...will entertain kids...even more, the tale's smoothly rounded nostalgic flare will charm adults tasked with reading the tale aloud.

Booklist

PreS-Gr 2—Otis is a fun-loving tractor who roams the fields after a hard day's work and plays in the haystacks. In the barn one night, his engine provides a gentle purr that helps a frightened young calf fall into a peaceful sleep. The two become inseparable. That is, until the farmer decides to upgrade and brings home a brand-new, shiny yellow tractor and relegates Otis to the weeds behind the building. Having outlived his usefulness, Otis just sits there, impervious to the calf's call to play. But when his friend gets stuck in Mud Pond and no one—not even the fire department—can pull her out, the feisty tractor revs his engine ("putt puff puttedy chuff") and saves the day. His heroism and concern for a friend are themes that will appeal to young readers. Long's gouache and pencil artwork is stunning with a red and cream main character against a sepia-toned monochromatic background. The overall effect is nostalgic and comforting as readers bond with the determined little tractor. In the end, Otis finds a place on the farm where his engine's soft purr can be put to good use. This satisfying conclusion that speaks of a place for everyone is sure to ring true to children.—Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

School Library Journal

Continuing to find inspiration in the work of Virginia Lee Burton, Munro Leaf and other illustrators of the past, Long (The Little Engine That Could, 2005) offers an aw-shucks friendship tale that features a small but hardworking tractor ("putt puff puttedy chuff") with a Little Toot-style face and a big-eared young descendant of Ferdinand the bull who gets stuck in deep, gooey mud. After the big new yellow tractor, crowds of overalls-clad locals and a red fire engine all fail to pull her out, the little tractor (who had been left behind the barn to rust after the arrival of the new tractor) comes putt-puff-puttedy-chuff-ing down the hill to entice his terrified bovine buddy successfully back to dry ground. Short on internal logic but long on creamy scenes of calf and tractor either gamboling energetically with a gaggle of McCloskey-like geese through neutral-toned fields or resting peacefully in the shade of a gnarled tree (apple, not cork), the episode will certainly draw nostalgic adults. Considering the author's track record and influences, it may find a welcome from younger audiences too. (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews

Children's literature favorites Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel and Ferdinand the Bull have a new friend in Otis the tractor. When the farmer brings home a big, shiny yellow tractor and moves Otis out of his stall, it seems Otis will be obsolete and the farm's new little calf will be without his barn-mate. Chris Sorensen is an unobtrusive narrator. His quiet voice and leisurely pace let the farm drama unfold on its own. Choosing crucial moments to accentuate, Sorensen emphasizes an announcement of a calf-judging contest, slows his words as the calf sinks deeper and d-e-e-p-e-r into a pond, and proudly "puff, putts" as the calf and Otis parade through town. Young listeners will enjoy joining the two friends as they contentedly watch the farm from under the apple tree. A.R. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

MAY 2010 - AudioFile