Otto and the Story Tree

by Vivien Mildenberger

In this love letter to the magic of storytelling and connection, a lonely old bird tells stories to a seed, which eventually grows into a tree where animals gather to listen.

A cranky old bird named Otto lives in a dirty and dark house. He could dust, but, ack! Who can be bothered? One day, while making his evening meal, he drops a seed on the floor. He could pick it up, but, ack!, who could be bothered? And so he settles into his armchair and starts to tell a story about being caught in a fierce storm while riding in a hot air balloon. When he wakes up the next morning, the seed has sprouted. And so, at the end of the day, he settles in to spin another yarn. Finally, the sprout is a full-grown tree, which grows right through the top of the house, and animals gather in its top branches every night to listen to one of Otto’s marvelous stories.
    Here is a picture book that celebrates the power of imagination and the connections that are made through storytelling.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Birds, Friendship, Storytime, Fantasy

40 pages, Hardcover

Published April 15, 2025

Reviews

[Ardin Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute story. I love Otto.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming, magical story about a grumpy bird who finds friendship (and good listeners) in a most surprising place.

[E.R. Burgess · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous book filled with glorious illustrations and a charming tale of the wonders of creativity

Vivien Mildenberger has one of the most innovative and beautiful styles in all of modern children’s literature. It’s delightful to see that her storytelling prowess is strong enough to not be overwhelmed by the ample magic of her visuals. The simplicity of Otto’s tale illuminates the quiet wisdom of the message: Storytelling nurtures us all in powerful ways.

An ideal book to add to your child’s collection and one they will ask for time and again so you can both enjoy its many charms.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeously illustrated picture book that reads like a fable showing the value of our elders. It can be hard for all of us, especially young children, to understand the immense lives lived before us and this book helps us see the life behind a curmudgeonly character. As a tree grows from seed to branches big enough to support many life forms, the wisdom of our seniors can cradle and comfort us as we travel our own life's journey. LOVE LOVE LOVE

[YSBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

A misanthropic old bird comes back to life after telling stories of his remarkable past to a tiny seed. When we first meet Otto, he’s cranky, rarely takes a bath, and lives in a dusty house that no one ever visits: “ ‘Ack! What’s the point?’ he said as his tail feathers trailed across the grimy floor.” Skulking through his neglected home and surrounded by debris, he spots the seed and begins telling it a fantastic tale. Then we get to see a large picture spread across the next two wordless pages: Otto’s jaunty hot air balloon neatly escaping bolts of lightning and pouring rain.  More exciting (wordless) stories follow as Otto hides from an evil queen, ventures into a dark forest, and travels to outer space. Did these events really happen? Or are they figments of a fervid imagination? Mildenberger’s muted mixed media illustrations employ soft smudged watercolor and pencil to convey the initial ennui of Otto’s unsatisfactory life. But as the seed grows, the stories begin to connect him with new friends, including birds, a giant frog, a squirrel, a spider, and other animals, who come to perch in the tree “hoping to catch one of Otto’s thrilling tales.”  Meanwhile, the ominous endpapers that opened the book with a series of “No trespassing” signs and an arched, hissing black feline give way by the back of the book to a wall of green covering up the angry missives while a relaxed and bright-eyed cat now peers out at readers. This picture book celebrates the power of stories to connect even the most isolated with an appreciative, larger community. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

What an interesting story. I finally found my current self in a book. I'm this grumpy old bird. "Ack, What's the point?" Otto always ask that. Sounds like me sometimes. I get weary and I give in. I used to always make my bed and now my attitude is "Ack, what's the point". I've become a character.

Otto is old and has done everything and he's just given up. His home has no light and he doesn't bathe (I bathe, thank you). One night at dinner he drops a seed and he says, "Ack, what's the point?"

The seed grows and Otto tells this tree all his exciting story until one day it burst through the ceiling and let in light and moisture. Then animals begin listening to Otto's stories. He lived quite the life.

See, he should write them all down. That's what I do, I write my stories down. I spend all my time writing.

I didn't care for the artwork. It was mixed media. It's fine though. Otto is still cute. You don't often see a stork so that's fun. I think the artwork is sloppy, but some like that.

Kids who love animal tales will like this.

[Kiera Beddes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Otto is an old grumpy bird who lives alone in his house in the dust and dark because he doesn’t see the point in living otherwise. One day, an extraneous seed from one of his meals starts to take root and he begins to tell fantastical stories. Eventually, it grows into a magnificent tree that soon is home to dozens of creatures that love listening to his stories and Otto is no longer alone in the dust and dark.

I didn’t fully connect with the story, and I think young readers will also struggle. Otto isn’t a very likable character. The only interesting part of the book was when Otto would start each one of his stories at night, but you only get a snippet of the story before it moves on. The illustrations are vague and muddy, not adding much to the story. This is one that I would probably pass on purchasing.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Otto the bird doesn't care about day-to-day necessities such as housekeeping and bathing. When a seed falls out of his dinner bowl one night, Otto chooses to leave it on the floor. When he sat in his chair that night he looked at the seed on the ground and told the seed about some of the wild things he'd seen in his day. Day after day, Otto continues to tell tales of his life to the now tiny tree growing out of the floor in his home. It's as if the tree is feeding off of Otto's tales. Eventually the tree grows through the roof and other animals set up homes in the upper branches and beg for Otto's tales each night. He could patch the holes in the roof that the tree created. But he thinks "Ack! What's the point?"

Darling, beautiful story. Recommended for storytime.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Otto is a grumpy lonely bird who doesn't see much of a point in doing anything, including bathing, opening the windows, mopping or dusting. "Ack! What's the point?" He sees a seed on the floor. He can't be bothered to remove it and instead begins talking to it about the things he has seen. The next day, Otto notices that the seed has sprouted. The plant continues to grow and Otto continues talking to it. Eventually, the plant is a tree and it gets so big that it bursts through the ceiling. Otto wakes up "to sunlight on his face." As the tree grows, animals are attracted to it and also to Otto's stories. An evocative picture book about loneliness, community, and the benefits of sharing stories.

"Oh, my friends, if only you knew . . . I've seen some marvelous things in my day . . . "

[Shanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute little book about the power of stories. Otto lives by himself and it is made clear he likes it that way. His house is not particularly in order and he doesn’t keep himself very clean, but he also does not care about that. One day, while eating his food, a seed drops on the floor of his home. He notices it. That night, he talks to the seed, telling it of all his adventures until he falls asleep. Each night after that, he tells more stories and the seed slowly grows. What will happen when it grows too big for his house?

Stories can unite us and empower us to be better beings. They connect us to one another and help us grow. I am thankful for this story.

Mia’s 2nd Year of Books: Day 357

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Otto has given up on cleaning up his home or himself. He is content to just live as he is. Then one evening, he accidentally drops a seed from his dinner. It sits there on the floor. He is inspired to share a story from his past. Soon, he is doing so every evening and the seed sprouts and grows. Readers watch the seed become a tree and open up the darkness inside Otto's home and his heart. Soon, all sorts of animals gather to hear Otto's nightly stories. Readers see the way he is illustrated get lighter and lighter as he shares. The artwork captures the environment and the magic in the stories.

[Read Ribbet · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cranky old bird named Otto never does much to change his circumstances because as he says repeatedly "What's the point?" Then one day a planted seed begins to spout in his house. He realizes that the stories he is telling seem to foster growth in the plant. When the tree breaks through the roof, it provides a place for other animals to listen in. It leads to a series of events that changes the cantankerous old bird. Mildenberger also illustrates the book is soft beautiful tones encouraging the reader to look closely at the details happening in the background.

[Clarissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Otto is old and tired of life, all he can say is "What's the point?" One day a seed falls to his floor and every night he tells it the story of his past adventures and it grows a little more until it becomes a tall tree. Otto has certainly had some wonderful adventures in his time, my favorite is the one where he battles an evil queen with only a spoon and his trusty tambourine. The illustrations are lovely too.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

How did Otto get from being such an adventurer to being a crank? Or if the stories are from his imagination, why is someone so creative so depressed? Young me would not have liked this. Neither she nor I care for the art, either. The theme is fine. And it's cute how the tree grows so fast because, apparently, it thrives on stories. But otherwise I'd say skip it.

Read for 'tree houses, forts, and playhouses' theme in Children's Books.

[☀️CJ☀️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gorgeous illustration! I am a sucker for mixed media, and I think Mildenberger knows how to use each medium so effectively. There’s such great texture and line in each scene, and I love the color palette of this book. The use of negative space to create parts of the character’s forms is really interesting to me. The story itself is also very sweet, but I can imagine this would have been a book I spent a lot of time looking at as a child, not necessarily reading.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Otto the grumpy old stork with an unkept appearance and an unkept house begins telling his life stories to a seed growing in his filthy floor boards.

This story is a reminder of how people can become isolated and depressed as they age, and it demonstrates the restorative effects of reconnecting with others.

The illustrations were done in mixed media.

[Holly Wagner · Rating 2 out of 5]

I prefer not to give 2 stars. Although the ark of the story is toward redemption, I didn’t find enough there to explain why. The illustrations seemed equally unclear. Otto is cranky and disengaged with the world. Story telling appears to help somewhat. The answer to the ever present question, ‘what’s the point’ is elusive.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ack! What’s the point of anything when you’re living solely for yourself with only memories of your once-adventurous life to comfort you? Well, a little seed has boughs of answers. Whimsical illustrations show how a seed planted in the imagination can work all kinds of magic, even in the mind of the most curmudgeonly skeptic.

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though the author/illustrator has won awards for her artwork, her style of mixed media art did not particularly appeal to me. The story was sweet. Otto certainly had an imagination and was very good at storytelling, and gradually his outlook changed over time. And the artwork did extend and expand on the text. Simply not my cup of tea.

[Emma Brackett]

This one feels very video game-like for me and I can't quite explain why. Maybe its the repeating of Otto going “fuck it”, telling a story, then the tree growing. It's like a sidequest where you have to keep going back to the NPC and listen to them tell this elaborate story. It's also got a very cool style, no black lines and everything is mainly shapes.

[Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A co-worker suggested I might like this book and I thought she was just saying she thought I was cranky like the main character. But after a few pages and realizing it wasn't a subtle attack on my character (however true it may be), I really enjoyed it. I do like it when a book shows how stories can change our lives for the better- even when we don't know how or when it's happening.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! Otto is a grumpy old bird who has had some incredible adventures. He slowly nurtures a small seed with his tales and creates a lovely community. Beautiful art and a great message, I look forward to purchasing this book for friends.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is Otto just making shit up? Regardless, this struck me as a great readaloud for a seniors/students type of event ... stories connect us, and while I'd be concerned about the roof, I loved that the other creatures wanted Otto to keep telling them.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed media illustrations accompany a story about the power of story and how it can change someone's world. There will be many readers who will relate to this story and smile at how everything turns out.

[Shari (Shira) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Otto was a cranky bird. Whenever he is faced with a task, he says, “What’s the use?” His life and attitude changes when an unexpected being comes into his life. This book is good for read aloud because the children will love to chime in with”What’s the use?”

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Endearing tale of the power of story, respecting the value of our elders and how a small change can bring new life to someone set in their ways. Kids could take one of Otto's beginnings of a story and write what they think happened in the adventure...

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is fabulous—- sehr gut!!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute ending. Whimsical, not child centered.

[Cathy Mealey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for fans of Pamela Zagarenski, the uber-cranky Otto stars in this story, but the cast of animals in excellent sartorial choices makes this one fun to pore over!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found in L4L Volume 167.