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79th out of 326 books
—
307 voters
Ottoline and the Yellow Cat (Ottoline #1)
Meet Ottoline Brown and her best friend, Mr. Munroe. No puzzle is ever too tricky for the two of them to solve.
Hardcover, 172 pages
Published
February 2nd 2008
by MacMillan Children's Books
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A pinch of Dr. Seuss, a dash of Eloise, and a drop of Nancy Drew. Part chapter book, part graphic novel. Good for reluctant and sophisticated readers alike! In short, a very thoughtful and enjoyable read indeed! Very highly recommended for readers who like a bit of quirk and sass! Very excited to read the next installments Ottoline Goes to School and Ottoline At Sea!
I read this book simply because it was included in a scheme of work for Literacy which is used in the school I teach at. I will be working with it next week and thought I would read it in preparation over the half term week.
It is a very easy read. I read it in two sittings and could easily have read it in one were it not for other things having to be done first. In fact my 9 year old daughter, who liked the look of it, did read it in one go once I had finished with it.
The story is a light, but i...more
It is a very easy read. I read it in two sittings and could easily have read it in one were it not for other things having to be done first. In fact my 9 year old daughter, who liked the look of it, did read it in one go once I had finished with it.
The story is a light, but i...more
Ottoline is a little girl with a penchant for solving mysteries. She lives with her very hairy friend Mr. Monroe in a large apartment in the city, tending to the strange objects collected by her globetrotting parents. Ottoline is kind of an urban Pippi Longstocking, and Mr. Monroe bears an uncanny resemblance to Cousin Itt from the Adams Family (we learn that he comes from a bog in Norway). When they notice a string of missing lapdogs and burgleries, Ottoline wonders if there may be a connection...more
It's been three months since I taught this book to my group of second graders and they STILL reference it during discussions of entirely unrelated books! Not only that but they bring in other books from the series and insist I look at visual motifs that have carried through from this book, the first in the series.
It's this last part that I think makes Ottoline and the Yellow Cat such a great book for teaching close reading to second graders. Not only are the pictures very detailed but much of th...more
It's this last part that I think makes Ottoline and the Yellow Cat such a great book for teaching close reading to second graders. Not only are the pictures very detailed but much of th...more
I liked this book because the yellow cat named the dogs and their names were Rupert, Wilson, Olto, Fifi and Mr Munro was disguised so that the yellow cat didn't know it was Mr Munro and the yellow cat called him Bimby. It was also quite sad because Mr Munro kept going to Ottoline and he wanted to go on a mission with her but every time he dressed in his disguise Ottoline said "No" all the time. So Mr Munro went on the top of Pepperpot Building and was very sad and then it started to rain and Mr...more
I liked this book because at the beginning it tells you what Mr Munroe doesn't like and what Ottoline does like. Mr Munroe doesn't like the rain or Ottoline brushing his hair but on the other hand Ottoline likes brushing Mr Munroe's hair, splashing in puddles and collecting things such as postcards and unusual things. Mr Munroe is small and hairy and Ottoline is a weird girl. This is a mystery story about a wicked yellow cat stealing things liked jewellery, gold and treasure mostly from the rich...more
A simply charming story by Chris Riddell. Ottoline is a little rich girl who has parents off gallivanting around the world finding new items for their many collections. From Emperor's Hats, to Meteorites, to Extremely Small Paintings, her parents seemed to collect it all. To take care of Ottoline while they are abroad, there are a number of services (including the Smiling Dragon Clothes Folding Co, and Happy Nest Bed Makers), and Mr. Monroe who they found in a bog in Norway before Ottoline was b...more
i absolutely love this book. in the same vein as Olivia
and Eloise
, the quirky black and white drawings with dashes of red follow the adventures of ottoline -- who lives at home while here parents collect treasures -- and mr. munroe -- a hairy creature who used to live in a bog, and now keeps an eye on ottoline.
the drawings are gorgeous. several full page drawings of the city scape as they are walking around had me stopping to look twice.
the story is cute, but unique.
the characters are memorab...more
and Eloise
, the quirky black and white drawings with dashes of red follow the adventures of ottoline -- who lives at home while here parents collect treasures -- and mr. munroe -- a hairy creature who used to live in a bog, and now keeps an eye on ottoline.the drawings are gorgeous. several full page drawings of the city scape as they are walking around had me stopping to look twice.
the story is cute, but unique.
the characters are memorab...more
Genre: Graphic Novel
Ottoline Brown and her best friend, Mr. Monroe, work to solve the mystery of who is behind a string of burglaries, where dogs keep disappearing.
Character
There is a very interesting character in Mr. Monroe, who is described as “a small, hairy man,” who came from a bog in Norway. We learn that Ottoline’s parents are professors who found this creature in Norway and invited him to come home with them. He has grown up with Ottoline and cares for her. On page 91, he realizes that...more
Ottoline Brown and her best friend, Mr. Monroe, work to solve the mystery of who is behind a string of burglaries, where dogs keep disappearing.
Character
There is a very interesting character in Mr. Monroe, who is described as “a small, hairy man,” who came from a bog in Norway. We learn that Ottoline’s parents are professors who found this creature in Norway and invited him to come home with them. He has grown up with Ottoline and cares for her. On page 91, he realizes that...more
Charming middle grade mystery for younger children (1st - 3rd grades). Reminiscent of Eloise (but for slightly older children), this short chapter book follows Ottoline, a young girl living in a large apartment building with the hairy Mr. Munroe (a strange Norwegian bog creature) as a caretaker while her parents travel the world searching for unusual objects to add to their collections. Ottoline and Mr. Munroe solve the mystery of disappearing lap dogs in an adventure complete with disguises and...more
The cover is done up in faux gold leaf curliques, and most pages are completed by diagrams or clever little black and white illustrations, this alone was enough to get me to open up the book. But then there's it's heroine, Ottoline. She's a clever girl always recording things her journal, she enjoys maintaining her parent's large collections, eavesdropping on her neighbors, and brushing the full length hair of her Cousin It-esque nanny, Mr. Munroe while her parents are off traveling the country...more
It's cute. It's almost a graphic novel--but there's just enough text to keep it a book. I like the black and white w/occasional touches of red format.
But there's something a little TOO cute here, something that says "isn't this all so witty and charming"?
It reminds me of Eloise. And I HATE Eloise....
But there's something a little TOO cute here, something that says "isn't this all so witty and charming"?
It reminds me of Eloise. And I HATE Eloise....
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I think this would be a great book to share with 5 to 7 year olds. The illustrations are fun and clever (did you notice how Ottoline is always wearing two different shoes?) and the story is engaging (a series of burglaries are curiously connected with a group of missing lapdogs). I can definitely see the comparisons to Eloise.
I enjoyed how interactive the text was, as if the author anticipated the questions that might come up when reading and tried to point the reader to the answer. There were...more
I enjoyed how interactive the text was, as if the author anticipated the questions that might come up when reading and tried to point the reader to the answer. There were...more
While this mystery book has great illustrations, I was very disappointed by the thin story, which did not have much character or plot development. In addition, it is only aimed toward girls as there is no male character in the story at all except Mr. Munroe, an "It" like character with long flowing hair from the Norwegian Bogs. I think its saving grace is that it will expose girls to maps and diagrams with its labeled illustrations of sky lines and interior buildings. Girls may be attracted to t...more
Ottoline and the Yellow Cat is a combination of Eloise (a similar character), meets The Invention of Hugo Cabret (illustrations), combined with Kate Klise's books (author's literary technique). Ottoline lives alone (her parents are always traveling) with Mr. Munroe (small, hairy and from a bog in Norwary). Ottoline discovers posters stuck to lampposts all over town. Small lapdogs seem to be lost in every neighborhood. Ottoline and Mr. Munroe, with the help of the bear in the basement, find a way...more
Dear Mr. Riddell,
My children and I recently found your book "Ottoline and the Yellow Cat" at our library. We are currently working to acquire a collection of words to describe the book. So far we have acquired the following words: "awesome," "quirky," fascinating," intriguing pictures," "really fun," "hilarious," and my favorite--a four-word combo--"I like Mr. Munroe." We do have a small request for you. WE WANT MORE OTTOLINE!!!
Um, sorry for the outburst.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Young and her brood
P.S. We...more
My children and I recently found your book "Ottoline and the Yellow Cat" at our library. We are currently working to acquire a collection of words to describe the book. So far we have acquired the following words: "awesome," "quirky," fascinating," intriguing pictures," "really fun," "hilarious," and my favorite--a four-word combo--"I like Mr. Munroe." We do have a small request for you. WE WANT MORE OTTOLINE!!!
Um, sorry for the outburst.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Young and her brood
P.S. We...more
Ottoline is brilliantly oddball. She lives alone but for Mr Munro, a small hairy thing from Norway, while her parents rove the world sending back curiosities to her that caught their attention. Things like five spouted teapots, for example. Ottoline herself is a bit of an eccentric; although she has a large collection of shoes, she likes to wear one from one pair on one foot, and another from a completely different pair on the other. If I could get away with this in Real Life, I would so do it....more
Other readers have compared this story to Olivia and Eloise and I can certainly see the resemblance. Ottoline's parents are rich and off exploring the world. In this case, she is left in the capable hands of Mr. Monroe who was found in a bog in Norway and a series of cleaning services to tend to her daily needs. From a clothes folding to bed making services whats not to love. Ottoline's favorite things are collecting postcards, solving mysteries and brushing Mr. Munroe's hair. In this particular...more
Apolline et le chat masqué est le premier livre d'une série qui compte déjà 3 volumes. Chris Riddell est un illustrateur de talent et n'hésite pas à substituer le texte au coup de crayon, ce qui fait vraiment le plus de cet ouvrage. Conseillé dès 6 ans, je pense que si l'histoire est simple, on peut profiter des dessins à tout âge et je le destinerais à des enfants de 9-10 ans sans problème.
Apolline a des parents qui sont de grands voyageurs et elle n'a de nouvelles d'eux que par cartes postales...more
Apolline a des parents qui sont de grands voyageurs et elle n'a de nouvelles d'eux que par cartes postales...more
Ottoline of Ottoline and the Yellow Cat by Chris Riddell is another of the child protagonists who have world traveling parents and are stuck at home basically alone except for a loyal crew of servants. Although the book starts with a trope that often annoys me, Ottoline is different. She's happy and she's clearly loved and in contact with her parents via postcards sent on behalf of their explorer's club. Ottoline also has a pal, an odd creature who looks like Cousin It, named Mr. Munroe. To her...more
Well, this came Tuesday, and I couldn't tear myself away. Ottoline and the Yellow Cat is the story of Ottoline and her companion Mr. Monroe, a small, hairy bog creature from Norway. They live in the Pepperpot building while Ottoline's parents are away traveling. They collect fabulous items such as emperors' hats, meteorites, extremely small paintings, portable fish bowls, and hot-water bottles.More... While they are away, Marion's Bathroom Supplies, The 1000-Strong Lightbulb-Changing Company, Sm...more
The art is definitely five stars, the story about three and three quarters. Great young reader series that finally doesn't feel like everything else (Judy Moody, Junie B., Just Grace, and even Clementine, though I love Clementine) plus mystery, foreign destinations, a hairy Norwegian bog man (that looks like Cousin It!), and lots of little drawings with arrows (!!!). I think what dulled the story for me was that... well, that I'm not seven, but also the Yellow Cat herself is creepy. Yugh. Think...more
This book was put together in a fun and interesting way. Lots of very detailed pictures that went along with, and often supplemented the information in, the text. This would be good for young readers (2-3 grade) who like illustrated books or graphic novels. Reading this book, I immediately thought of similar books (though for a slightly older audience), The Invention of Hugo Cabret and The Diary of a Wimpy Kid, both of which had a similar format. I can't wait to get my hands on the next one.
I adore Chris Riddell’s illustrations, but before now I had only ever seen his work when accompanied by the words of another (Paul Stewart in The Edge Chronicles and Neil Gaiman in The Graveyard Book). This first experience of his own story with his gorgeous drawings is something of a revelation! I love the quirkiness of the characters and plot – Riddell has style and flair which, when coupled with those fantastic pen-and-ink renderings, is a winning combination.
Ottoline lives alone in an apartment (her parents are explorers) with her companion, Mr. Monroe, who is a shaggy dog-like creature. But her life’s not boring, no, Ottoline is a master of disguise, and when posters go up all over town for lost lap dogs, Ottoline and Mr. Monroe go undercover to solve this mystery.
This was a cute, fun, and quirky story supported heavily by illustrations. Good for detail oriented and readers who lean towards graphic novels.
This was a cute, fun, and quirky story supported heavily by illustrations. Good for detail oriented and readers who lean towards graphic novels.
I love the format of the Ottoline books. They resemble a picture book, in that you can't understand the story without reading the illustrations, and there are illustrations on every page, but not only do they have illustrations, they have chapters and a real plot line. I love recommending Ottoline to early readers. I hope other authors/illustrators take up this format.
Plus Chris Riddell is fabulous. Check out his website!
Plus Chris Riddell is fabulous. Check out his website!
The book was about a little girl named Ottoline and Mr.Munroe was her guardian. Ottoline parents were traveling so Mr.Munroe took care of her.Mr.Munroe was a bog from Norway.One day Mr.Munroe was walking outside when he noticed a poster it was a lost lapdog with a picture of the lapdog.Each day he found more and more posters of lost lapdogs.Then Mr.Munroe showed them to Ottoline.Both Mr.Munroe and Ottoline were thinking something tricky was going on.One day Ottoline and Mr.Munroe went outside an...more
Probably this was a little advanced for my 5 year old, but the illustrations were so engaging, I couldn't resist. It's also a graphic novel, which normally makes me twitchy to read. But both the 5 y/o and I really enjoyed it. The illustrations were quite detailed. The story was easy to follow but with enough side notes as to be engaging. And the characters were excellent, esp. the mysterious and hirsute Mr. Monroe.
Loved this unique and quirky mystery starring a very independent little girl (on her own while mum and dad travel abroad!), a Norwegian bog creature that reminds me of Wednesday's pet in the Aadams Family, and a cat. A graphic novel, sure, but a little like a novel. The text often breaks with formality and accompanies the delightful, whimsical illustrations around the page.
For 2nd-4th graders (best 3rd).
For 2nd-4th graders (best 3rd).
What a fun book! It is a great elementary school novel with unique writing and illustrations throughout. Perfect for children who are into chapters books, but not accustomed to really long reads. It is a well-written "crime" story, with odd but warm characters, like a clever young girl with brainy fashion sense and her companion who originated in a bog in Norway. I'll be looking for the further adventures of Ottoline.
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Chris Riddell was born in Cape Town, South Africa, where his father was an Anglican priest and a member of the ANC. The family moved to England in 1963, when Riddell was one year old, and he spent his childhood in a number of different locations, as his father moved between parishes. Both of Riddell's parents continued to be active in the anti-apartheid movement.
Chris Riddell is an internationally...more
More about Chris Riddell...
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Oct 23, 2012 08:52am
Oct 23, 2012 11:44am