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31st out of 61 books
—
154 voters
Otis (Otis)
by
Loren Long
New York Times bestselling author/artist Loren Long creates an unforgettable children's classic. Otis is a special tractor. He loves his farmer and he loves to work. And he loves the little calf in the next stall, whom he purrs to sleep with his soft motor. In fact, the two become great friends: they play in the fields, leap hay bales, and play ring-around-the-rosy by Mud...more
Hardcover, 40 pages
Published
September 22nd 2009
by Philomel
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Otis is an energetic little tractor. He works hard in the fields all day, then plays in the evening before settling beneath a tree to watch the farm. It's a pretty good life, all right. When the farmer brings in a frightened baby calf, Otis' calm putt puff eases her fears and helps her to sleep. Otis and the calf develop a true friendship in the next few weeks, and life on the farm is truly wonderful. Until...
One day the farmer brings home a brand new, big, yellow tractor. Otis is moved out of...more
One day the farmer brings home a brand new, big, yellow tractor. Otis is moved out of...more
I enjoyed reading this book about Otis the tractor and his friend calf who play together around the farm. The illustrations are so different from any book that I have ever read, which make it so unique. I would reccommend this book to children who can relate to farms, or children ages 3-6 whose parents could read them this story, and older children grades 1-2.
From School Library Journal
Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 2—Otis is a fun-loving tractor who roams the fields after a hard day's work and...more
From School Library Journal
Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 2—Otis is a fun-loving tractor who roams the fields after a hard day's work and...more
Take a quick trip back to the days of farming when you meet the cute litte red tractor named Otis. He's happy to work hard all day with his farmer. After the work is done, Otis loves to zoom around the farm doing stunts. (Now you've grabbed the attention of the male listeners!) In the evening, Otis returns to his stall in the barn where he enjoys being all alone. One night the farmer brings a bawling calf into the barn where she is comforted by Otis's soft "putt puff puttedy chuff." Their friend...more
Otis the tractor has a charmed life on the farm, working hard but still playing at the end of the day -- leapfrogging hay bales and playing ring around the rosy with the ducks. His steady putt puff puttedy chuff sound comforts the new little calf in the barn and the two become friends. But when the farmer gets a shiny new big yellow tractor, there seems to be no place for Otis anymore. When the little calf gets stuck in Mud Pond though, the big tractor only scares her. Otis saves the day and the...more
I found Otis to be rather boring despite having some nice features such as quality of the illustrations and a nice story line. The illustrations are dark and somewhat somber with colours usually reserved for the main characters. They
Probably the most beautiful and well-written picture of the decade, hands down. Loren Long has brought back the wistful joy of children's books from long ago, in the style of Virginia Lee Burton. This enchanting tale of friendship between a calf and a small red tractor touches your heart, as you feel yourself transported to another time where no one was in a rush, and you could take in the beauty of nature around you at your leisure. Otis the Tractor traipses through the fields with his friend t...more
Otis is a small tractor that likes his job on the farm. The one thing he likes more is spending time with his new friend, the new little calf. The new little calf really likes to spend time with Otis. They become great friends until the farmer buys a new big, yellow tractor. Then Otis is forgotten about…Until the little calf needs him, and no one else can help him except for his old friend. It is then that the farmer also realizes the true value of Otis.
This is a fun read. I would recommend this...more
This is a fun read. I would recommend this...more
This tractor is pretty cute in an odd sort of way. I really, really like the illustrations. They make me wish I could be more creative.
The story itself is quite simple, Otis, the tractor bonds with a calf and the the pair are unseperable. One day a new, fancy tractor arrived and Otis was hung out to dry.
The poor little calk missed Otis terribly, he missed him because Otis was so saddened by the new tractors arrival and his being forced out that he just sat there, day in and day out, doing noth...more
The story itself is quite simple, Otis, the tractor bonds with a calf and the the pair are unseperable. One day a new, fancy tractor arrived and Otis was hung out to dry.
The poor little calk missed Otis terribly, he missed him because Otis was so saddened by the new tractors arrival and his being forced out that he just sat there, day in and day out, doing noth...more
The friendship of a tractor and a calf.
Long writes that he was influences heavily by Virgina Lee Burton. Cool. It's a visible homage -- the replacement of an old, lovable working thing for shinny new one, rolling and warm illustration backgrounds, a sweet friendship tale at the heart of the story, etc -- and one I fully support.
The illustrations are lovely. I'm a big fan. Also, story where a putt puff tractor and a calf sometimes they just sit under an apple tree and look out at the fields? Aww...more
Long writes that he was influences heavily by Virgina Lee Burton. Cool. It's a visible homage -- the replacement of an old, lovable working thing for shinny new one, rolling and warm illustration backgrounds, a sweet friendship tale at the heart of the story, etc -- and one I fully support.
The illustrations are lovely. I'm a big fan. Also, story where a putt puff tractor and a calf sometimes they just sit under an apple tree and look out at the fields? Aww...more
Otis is a very special tractor. He loves working with the farmer and living in his barn next to the little calf. Otis has a soft purring sound that comforts the little calf. One day, the farmer gets a new, larger, and louder tractor to replace Otis in the fields and barn. Otis now lives behind barn and is covered in weeds from lack of use. One day, the little calf gets stuck in Mud Pond and no one can coax her out...can Otis save the day?
Long's story of Otis reminds me of a childhood favorite, M...more
Long's story of Otis reminds me of a childhood favorite, M...more
Otis is a red little tractor that takes care of his farm alongside his farmer. Otis loved to work, but he also enjoyed playing and relaxing under the tree whenever he got a chance. Every night he slept in the barn that he had all to himself. One day the farmer brought a new calf to sleep with Otis in the barn. The calf followed Otis everywhere. Pretty soon Otis and the calf were the best of friends and loved each other. The farmer got a brand new tractor one day and put Otis behind the barn. On...more
Summary: In Otis we meet a tractor named Otis who loves his work on his farm and loves playing when he is done for the day even more. Otis makes a friend in a young calf who sleeps with him in the barn. They have even more fun playing together. Then a the farmer buys new, huge, yellow tractor to replace Otis, who is soon forgotten except by his friend who misses him. What will happen to their friendship now?
Review: The pictures by Loren Long are absolutely gorgeous. The black and white colors wi...more
Review: The pictures by Loren Long are absolutely gorgeous. The black and white colors wi...more
Loved this book! The backflap says that Loren Long was inspired by the work Virginia Lee Burton and Robert Lawson and it very much shows. My first thought was that it would appeal to the trucks and tractors crowd of kids yet the heart of the story is not machinery but the friendship between Otis, a tractor, and a little calf. One day Otis is replaced by a newer, fancier machine. In the most heartbreaking scene, Otis sits unused with weeds growing over him, looking as hunched over and lonely as a...more
I kind of expected my nephew to like Otis more than he did. He frequently enjoys a story that is kind of nostalgic in feel (see The Little Auto, Cowboy Small, The Poky Little Puppy, Caps for Sale). When we finished Otis, though, he said, "I did not like that one." When I asked him why, he said, "Well, the pictures were too... weird." He also seemed to a have a little trouble keeping track of what was going on in the story, which surprised me. I thought that it was fairly straightforward, and kin...more
Otis is a hard working tractor who loves his farmer and his farm. He works all day, then spends the evenings jumping bales of hay and playing ring-around-the-rosie with ducks or just sitting under the apple tree watching over the farm. When a new calf moves into the barn stall next to Otis, Otis's noise lulls the scared calf to sleep. From then on, they are best friends.
But soon, Otis is replaced with a big, shiny yellow tractor. Otis finds himself in the weeds behind the barn, and the calf is...more
But soon, Otis is replaced with a big, shiny yellow tractor. Otis finds himself in the weeds behind the barn, and the calf is...more
Aug 07, 2011
Candice
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Sophie
Recommended to Candice by:
Lorry
Shelves:
picture-books
A cute story about friendship and also about how newer isn't always better. Otis the tractor lives a happy life. He likes to work on the farm, but he likes to play, too. Every night a tired but happy Otis sleeps in a little stall in the barn. One night the farmer brings a baby calf into the barn. The calf bawls because it misses its mother, but the sound of a soft putt puff puttedy chuff from Otis's stall calms the calf. Soon Otis and the calf become best friends, but their happiness is short-li...more
Why is it that a dominant theme in children's literature is abandonment? Love, abandonment, and rescue are what this biggish board book trades in, and thickly.
Otis is a friendly tractor. He makes friends with a young calf. Otis gets replaced by a heartless farmer who wants a big, serious tractor who scares the calf. Young calf goes a-wandering and gets in trouble. Quick, who can save the calf? No one but Otis, the plucky tractor who proves that love and friendship can never be obsolete...urgh......more
Otis is a friendly tractor. He makes friends with a young calf. Otis gets replaced by a heartless farmer who wants a big, serious tractor who scares the calf. Young calf goes a-wandering and gets in trouble. Quick, who can save the calf? No one but Otis, the plucky tractor who proves that love and friendship can never be obsolete...urgh......more
Set a toy tractor in a preschool or kindergarten room and many a boy will drop his plastic dinosaur to take the vehicle for a joyride.
BRRRRR! RRRRMMM, RRRRMMM. VROOOM!
A few collisions may ensue, but the tractor (and its casualties—a mix of dolls, Matchbox cars and, yes, plastic dinosaurs) quickly recover. Cats have nine lives. Tractors and plastic dinosaurs? Nine thousand.
Illustrator Loren Long (Mr. Peabody's Apples) has taken the driver's seat, handling the writing and the pictures in his endea...more
BRRRRR! RRRRMMM, RRRRMMM. VROOOM!
A few collisions may ensue, but the tractor (and its casualties—a mix of dolls, Matchbox cars and, yes, plastic dinosaurs) quickly recover. Cats have nine lives. Tractors and plastic dinosaurs? Nine thousand.
Illustrator Loren Long (Mr. Peabody's Apples) has taken the driver's seat, handling the writing and the pictures in his endea...more
A sweet, old-school story of friendship; openly influenced by Virginia Lee Burton (especially Mike Mulligan & His Steam Shovel, the theme of which Long more-or-less cribs, but with great respect) but also reminiscent of the contemporary, sophisticated take on classic visual style perfected by Pixar films. Otis is a little tractor who loves farm life and especially loves his best friend, a cute, gangly calf. When a big, shiny, new tractor arrives and takes over Otis’ role on the farm, the lit...more
Audience: This book would be great for students in Kindergarten or 1st, possibly 2nd.
Appeal: This book is not as colorful as many other books, however, the drawings are simple and fun to look at. Otis is the perfect vision of a hardworking tractor and students can easily relate to him.
Application: In the classroom I would use Otis for a lesson in helping. I would start by asking the students if they like to help out around the house. We would talk about how important it is to help your friends...more
Appeal: This book is not as colorful as many other books, however, the drawings are simple and fun to look at. Otis is the perfect vision of a hardworking tractor and students can easily relate to him.
Application: In the classroom I would use Otis for a lesson in helping. I would start by asking the students if they like to help out around the house. We would talk about how important it is to help your friends...more
Audience: The audience for this book is primary elementary school. I think this book would be best for later kindergarten or early first grade because of the length.
Appeal: I think this book would appeal to later kindergarteners and early first graders because they learn about farm animals and the sounds they make. They are also all about spending time with their friends and getting to play with them like the tractor and the calf.
Application: I would use this book to see where the children are a...more
Appeal: I think this book would appeal to later kindergarteners and early first graders because they learn about farm animals and the sounds they make. They are also all about spending time with their friends and getting to play with them like the tractor and the calf.
Application: I would use this book to see where the children are a...more
Otis, the tractor, loves his life on the farm. He diligently works the field all day, then relaxes at night chasing rabbits, playing with the ducks, or just sitting under the apple tree. Life become even sweeter when the calf moves in and he has a friend to share in the fun. Then, big yellow tractor moves in, and Otis is left in the weeds. Life isn't great any more for Otis, and not even calf can get him to play. Then calf gets in trouble and no one but Otis can save him, but will Otis leave the...more
4.5 STARS. I so wanted to love this book and think maybe I placed my expectations too high since I'd been desperately wanting to read it ever since I saw it in a bookstore before Christmas. In the end, by the time I read my library copy, I really, really liked it but it lacked that extra "something" to make it really a standout in my mind. Even so, I highly recommend it! Long's inspiration is from classic children's books such as The Story of Ferdinand and Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel (whi...more
8 likes · like · see review
Audience: ages 6 to 9, definitely boys and rural farming communities, animal-lovers, most backgrounds and vocabularies
Appeal: The image of the calf stuck in the mud was a little concerning, so I'd be careful of that with students who might be more than a little distressed, but it was a good story of friendship and hard work. Life and death situations are pretty deep which is why the change in audience.
Application: I'd use the moral this story to show students what hard work and friendship can ac...more
Appeal: The image of the calf stuck in the mud was a little concerning, so I'd be careful of that with students who might be more than a little distressed, but it was a good story of friendship and hard work. Life and death situations are pretty deep which is why the change in audience.
Application: I'd use the moral this story to show students what hard work and friendship can ac...more
Audience: I think this book would work for k-3rd grade. This book is about a tractor, a farm and involves mud. Therefore, I feel this book will probably attract more boys, looking for something that is "tough," but has a good message at the end.
Appeal: The book promotes the idea that everyone is useful for something and that everyone has something great about them. It also promotes friendship. The book has some darker, rustic tones to it, a lot of reds.I feel like the appeal of this book would b...more
Appeal: The book promotes the idea that everyone is useful for something and that everyone has something great about them. It also promotes friendship. The book has some darker, rustic tones to it, a lot of reds.I feel like the appeal of this book would b...more
This cute book is about a little tractor that loves his job. He works in the fields witht his farmer during the day and plays on the farm at night. One day the farmer gets a new tractor and parks Otis behind the barn. Otis is very sad. One day a calf gets caught in the mud pond and no one can get him out, not even the big new tractor. Otis comes to the rescue and gets him out and he becomes the hero and the farmer realizes that his farm runs a lot smoother with Otis around.
This is a cute little...more
This is a cute little...more
Otis is an old-timey story with old-timey illustrations, beautifully rendered by Loren Long with a muted palette, like the old four-color illustrations. Otis is a happy tractor who works hard on the farm. When a bawling baby calf joins the farm, Otis' "putt puff puttedy chuff" is the only thing that soothes her. Otis and the calf become friends, but soon Otis is replaced by a big, yellow tractor. One day the calf gets stuck in the mud - who do you think will save the day?
Perfectly paced with the...more
Perfectly paced with the...more
Otis by Loren Long
Audience: Kindergarten-2nd Grade
Appeal: The initial reason I chose this book is because I live in a rural area and know that our students will relate to the tractor, calf, and farm life in general. This is a heart-touching story about an old tractor that befriends a calf. The book teaches lessons about respecting those who are older (and that they can still be useful) and the value of friendship. There are other books about Otis so young readers can continue to read the adventu...more
Audience: Kindergarten-2nd Grade
Appeal: The initial reason I chose this book is because I live in a rural area and know that our students will relate to the tractor, calf, and farm life in general. This is a heart-touching story about an old tractor that befriends a calf. The book teaches lessons about respecting those who are older (and that they can still be useful) and the value of friendship. There are other books about Otis so young readers can continue to read the adventu...more
This is a sweet book about friendship. Otis is a tractor who makes little putt-puff sounds as he drives around the farm. When his noise comforts a homesick calf who is new to the farm, the two form a wonderful friendship and enjoy gallivanting around the farm together until the farmer decides to buy a new tractor. What will become of Otis? And who will be able to save the calf when she gets stuck in a mud pond?
Loren Long's illustrations are so soft and beautifully subtle. And the calf is adorabl...more
Loren Long's illustrations are so soft and beautifully subtle. And the calf is adorabl...more
This picture book was created with gouache and pencil and it tells the story of a little red tractor, Otis, and how he saves his friend, the little calf. Otis embodies many positive characteristics such as working hard, having fun, being gentle, being a good friend, and not being willing to give up (even if it sometimes takes some reminding first). The artistic style and media are also important in way of representing these by giving Otis humanistic traits through line, motion, and color. As for...more
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20 ott. 14:03