See Pip Flap: Ready-to-Read Pre-Level 1

The Adventures of Otto

by David Milgrim

See Tweet fly. Fly, Tweet, fly. Pip wants to fly too—flap, flap, flap! Can Otto help Pip find a way to soar in the sky?

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Robots, Fiction, Friendship, Kids, Humor

32 pages, Paperback

First published August 28, 2018

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since even as a child I tended to consider the Dick and Jane readers that were constantly being praised and used by my ESL teachers at best annoyingly repetitive, tedious and in fact also rather personally insulting for someone who even as a beginning English language learner wanted and expected a bit more story and thematics wise from the books I was being assigned as reading materials, I really did not expect to greatly enjoy David Milgrim's See Pip Flap, as the title alone almost immediately reminded me of the former (and indeed, I actually only read See Pip Flap in the first place because it is being discussed this month in the Children's Literature Group as a 2019 Theodore Seuss Geisel Award nominee). And yes, as soon as I cracked open See Pip Flap and caught sight of David Milgrim's text, I was indeed more than justified (in my opinion) regarding my expectations that I would more than likely not in any manner like or even all that much be able to appreciate the book, for truly, the author's words as they are presented are writing style wise and how the sentences are constructed an almost exact carbon copy of the scope and feel of the Dick and Jane readers. And while I can (I guess) to a certain point understand that David Milgrim's simple narrative might work well and successfully enough for beginning readers, I definitely have not at all found See Pip Flap in any manner up my proverbial reading alley so to speak, as in particular the constant refrain of "See Pip flap" and that David Milgrim's text is (as already alluded to) so annoyingly similarly constructed to the Dick and Jane books I so very actively despised as a child (and which were kind of actively forced down my throat by my ESL teachers when we moved to Canada from Germany in 1976, when I was ten), all this has made me react very negatively to See Pip Flap. Therefore, I can and will only consider a two star ranking at best for See Pip Flap (as even David Milgrim's accompanying illustrations generally do nothing for me on an aesthetic level), but with the I believe necessary caveat that my viscerally negative response is likely (and probably even definitely) in many ways entirely personal (and based on my own negative experiences with the Dick and Jane books) and that since See Pip Flap has indeed won an award, it does seem as though many actually do very much consider this a both successful and engaging beginning reader offering.

[Scottsdale Public Library]

Pip wants to fly like his friend Tweet and that's where Otto comes in to help. This is a wonderful series for kiddos just learning to read, with simple prose and adorable illustrations that will keep them wanting more. – Jennifer K.

[Darlena Glenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked this story for one of my struggling readers, but it bored me. It was too slow and I couldn't convey enthusiasm about the storyline to my student. I may have to try this book again after I connect it to a real purpose for reading for a student. I liked that the story allowed for drawing conclusions and inferencing.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: See Tweet flap. See Tweet fly. Fly, Tweet, fly. Bye, Tweet, bye.



Premise/plot: Pip wants to flap and fly just like Tweet. Sadly Pip can't. Tweet is a bird. Pip is a mouse. Will Pip ever stop trying?!



My thoughts: How have I gone this long without discovering David Milgrim?! I think I've only read one of his previous books. This one proves you don't need many words to tell an entertaining story. The words in this one are on the simple side--it is an early reader. But the story is there and it's quite funny.

[Ruth Hansen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It had cute pictures, but it repeats the words too many times, even for a beginning phonetics book. Three pages of the same word is too much!

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wonderful for those readers just beginning. There's actually a whole little story about friendship, dreams, and problem-solving, one that's not at all twee or even babyish. Otoh, I'm not the target audience, and I have to be honest and say it's not quite rich enough, or appealing illustrated enough, for me to experience enough delight to give it more than three stars.

[Chantel Bahn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not understand the "hype" so to say over this book. I have read a few other of The Adventures of Otto, and I have to say that this was not my favorite. I suppose it is cute and literature is literature, this one, just in my opinion was unnecessary. The story was not captivating and I enjoy having an actual plot of some kind. I recommend the Adventures of Otto books for sure, but this one was not my personal favorite (or even in the top two).

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This marvelous, very simple, beginning reader is written in the style of the those decades-old beginning readers like Tip, Tip and Mitten, Jack and Janet, and the Dick and Jane books; but this book is actually funny. When one is only four or five, this is a great book to get started with on reading. And I believe the humor of a mouse trying to fly will tickle the funny bones of little ones. The solution to helping the mouse fly was genius. And the entire story was carried along with only 16 distinct words. The publisher leveled this book as "Pre-level One," for the youngest emergent readers. So I think this book well-deserved its Geisel Honor.

[Jillian Cryder · Rating 5 out of 5]

See Pip Flap was FUNNY! I actually laughed out loud while reading it. See Pip Flap has such a simple topic that it is written about, but I found it so funny! I love that the book has a robot in it because that is cute and kids love that. I also like that there was reason behind why the mouse was flapping his arms and he wasn't just flapping them just because, he was trying to fly like the bird. I will say the only thing I didn't like about it was that the robot just went away for a page and then came back with a drone for the mouse to fly, but also its a book, so anything can happen. I don't think I would use this in my classroom because it was such an easy read, but I think it would be a perfect at home book for kids to have to read to read because it repeats lots of words and each page only has a few words to it. Overall, I really liked this book!

[Mackenzie Booth · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a great book for children that are just learning to read. There are pictures to help them follow along with the book and the book is filled with ottomanopea's making so that not only can they see what is happening, but they can also read the sound on the page to give even more detail about what is happening to the characters. As a adult reading this it can seem so simple because you have already learned how to read, but when you look at this as a learning tool for children you can really see how some words can be hard to read because of how long they are, but it also makes you think about how could a child figure out how to read this word. As a teacher reading this book all you do is think about how to teach them to read this book and how this is a really good book to use to introduce them to reading.

[Meagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun easy book to read. Kids would love all the fun words in the book like flap, flop, and ho hum. The robot named Otto made a really cool gadget that helps things fly. Kids can use their imagination to share what they think might fly or won't fly. This is a great book for kids to think about if they could fly where would they go. This book is one I recommend to early readers. Great book to read.

[Liza T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Easy-to-Read- Fiction Picturebook
Awards: Geisel Award
Audience: K-2nd

A. The book is considered an easy-to-read book because the text in this book it composed of at most 4 word sentences composed of short words that are repeated throughout the duration of the book. This is designed to focus young readers in fluency and accuracy without having to worry about unpredictable diction. This book is also a picturebook because if the words were absent for the book, the story would not have been conveyed as effectively.
B. The space in the book is blank and double-spaced. The illustrator does this to focus on the colorful characters and their actions on the page, conveying important details of the storyline. This turns young readers' attention of the events that highlight the instead of solely focusing on figuring out what the words say.
C. I would use this book in small-group or one-on-one instruction, measuring the comprehension skills and book analysis skills of students. I would also use this book to assess the student's accuracy instead of fluency. Since there are only a few words on a page, accuracy is most appropriate because the child doesn't have to worry about decoding a multitude of words on a page.
D. How did Pip finally manage to fly?
"Otto made him an airplane."

[Hailey Chapman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: Picture book - Easy-to-read
Awards: Geisel Honor Book
Audience: 6-8 yrs
A: See Pip Flap is an easy-to-read picture book because, it can be read by a child independently. This book has a very limited text including very short and familiar words and sounds. This allows a child to not get stuck on words they do not know, motivating them to read more in the future. The illustrations used also mirror what is happening in the written words of the story. This helps children grasp the concepts and be engaged with the book.
B: This book focuses on perspective of Pip and Otto. The illustrator makes use of a white background to highlight their actions and make the readers eye focus on what they are doing. Perspective is used along with space, so the reader can see the size differences between each object and character in the book. This helps the child reading realize that the objects higher up on the page are flying without a traditional sky background.
C: I would use See Pip Fly one on one to determine if the child is ready for higher level books, and to check for understanding of a basic story line.
D: Who does Pip see fly that makes him want to be able to? -Tweet.

[Lagobond · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book takes proven strategies for early reading instruction, and butchers them. Whereas the Bob Books series (BOB Books Set 1: Beginning Readers) introduces letters and letter combos in a structured, logical way, See Pip Flap is a mess. There is zero reason for a book to start with words containing fairly complex vowel sounds (see, fly, bye), only to then regress to a simple CCVC short-vowel word like flap and repeat it 23 times in a row!!!. How annoying and unproductive.

The story is alright, probably better suited to 2-3 year olds than children who are actively learning to read.

You never know which book might spark a child's love for reading, so I'm hesitant to say "don't let your child read this," but I will say this: don't worry if this doesn't do the trick. There are far better learn-to-read books out there.

[Jennifer Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Fantasy
Audience:3-5 years
Awards: Geisel Honor
A. This book is animal fantasy. The mouse and the bird are personified. Students can connect to these animals.
B. The audience is expected to suspend disbelief when the robot appears. The characters are not real but the setting could be. The plot is also not real.
C. The setting is in the real world. There is not a lot of details of the setting of this book. I would say the author wants no focus to be on the setting. The setting is in the real world but the animals are more personified than in the real world. This contributes to the book being animal fantasy.
D. The theme of this book is to help other people to reach their goals. The mouse wants to fly like the bird but he cannot so the robot has to help him by building him a machine to fly on.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somewhat reminiscent of the old Dick and Jane readers, See Pip Flap was an honor book for the Theodore Geisel Award. David Milgrim has written a whole series of beginning reader books with Otto the robot as a lead character – The Adventures of Otto.

In See Pip Flap, Otto and Pip watch a bird flap its wings and fly away. That is just what Pip wants to do. Otto tries a number of things to help Pip fly in this cute story. The words in the story are very simple and repetitive, making See Pip Flap a great book for the very beginning reader. David Milgrim seems to understand they type of story line and word choice that early readers need in order to feel successful.

See Pip Flap is appropriate for my K-12 Christian School library and will find its place in my leveled reader section for kinder and first.

[Madison Swim-Hotchkiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, The Adventures of Otto: See Pip Flap, by David Milgrim, you see the simple telling of a short story. This is a picture book meant for beginning readers, as it had very simple words, and a lot of repetition. This would be a good book to use in a kindergarten class or a first grade class. It is full of pictures that will help the reader understand the story, and this would be a good assisted reading or independent read for these young students. This book, however, would not be great for a read-aloud for a whole class. These books are also great to have in the classroom because they are a series. There are multiple “The Adventures of Otto” books, so if kids have taken a liking to them, they can keep reading about the different adventures! Kids love reading series of books because they have background knowledge of the characters to continue to build on.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 5 out of 5]

See Pip Flap (The Adventures of Otto) Ready to Read Pre-Level One by David Milgrim. EARLY READER. Simon Spotlight (Simon & Schuster), 2018. $18. 9781534416369

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Tweet, a bird, and Pip, a mouse, are both trying to fly. Tweet is successful, but Pip is not. That is until Otto steps in and introduces a flying robot on which Pip can ride and thus fly.

The reading level of this book is very low and accessible to the earliest readers. This book is rewarding for a reader who will get a lot of plot out of a limited words.

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pip sees Tweet flap wings and soar into the sky.
"Fly Tweet, fly. / Bye, Tweet, bye."
Pip starts flapping and flapping but with no success. In fact, Pip is still flapping well into the night.

Otto starts to work making Pip a remote control device to fly, which suffices for a while, but isn't the same as flying. Soon Pip is back to flapping and attempting to soar into the air.

"Flap, flap, flap. / Flap, flap . . . / . . . flop."

Will Otto be able to help?

My Thoughts

What Concerned Me: Nothing

What I Liked Most: Using very few words and lots of repetition, Milgrim has created a very cute Pre-Level One book. This short story manages to include friendship, creativity, and problem-solving.

[Yissel Martinez · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fun to read and great to look at. The images in this picture book were colorful and were telling most of the story, because the book itself had very limited text. This book is a great book for beginners because, it has repetition, colorful pictures, and easy words to read. The book has limited pictures to look at so it maintains a childs attention for longer periods of time. The book also uses many shapes for the characters in the book. For example, Otto's head is square and Pip has an oval head and a round body.

[Avery A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Picture Book - Easy-to-Read
Awards: Giesel Honor Book
Audience: ages 5-8
A. See Pip Flap features short sentences, easy words, large and repetitive text, and pictures that aid in the comprehension of the story.
B. Milgram utilized bold lines to clearly outline the characters and a minimal amount of colors to uphold the simplicity of the illustrations, allowing children to focus on reading the text but also offering important picture clues.
C. I would use this book with a beginner reader to build reading skills.
D. What was Pip wanting to do? Pip wanted to fly.

[Kara Nuccio · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is really simple with its word choice and illustrations. I would recommend this book for early readers however there is no variety in the text of the book. I think it allows students early readers to practice reading and it has a small story development however it could be boring for older readers as it is a super easy story to read. The story does allow the reader to draw conclusions or predict what is going to happen which I believe is engaging and enthusiastic for young readers, however, this could be easily predicted by older readers. I would definitely use this in younger classes however I would not require it as reading for the upper grades. An adorable book overall though.

[Devin Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great book for young children just beginning reading that tells the story of a friendship and problem solving. The illustrations are beautifully drawn but at times I feel do not relate to the story being told. I rated it a 3 star book because I just did not feel it grabbed the audience well enough. Overall still a good little story for beginners. Teachers should keep this book in their library because of how easy it is to read and children can enjoy. I can remember when I first started reading and how accomplished I felt after reading a complete book.

[Zachary Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this entry in The Adventures of Otto, Pip see a bird fly away and tries to imitate its flapping. While unable to fly away, Otto toils away at a drone for Pip to fly. When Pip is not satiated, Otto takes Pip for a ride on the drone. An odd, rather silly narrative, See Pip Flap is an incredibly simple book for beginning readers to practice with. Simple art and simple text make for a simple book, one which new readers may find fun to read.

[Mikaela Powers · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a cute book, for young children. It is very simple and repetitive. I personally enjoy books with more of a plot and story line. It would be a good book for young readers who are just learning to read and or speak, or readers who are struggling. The fact it uses short words and is repetitive would help the young readers, like Pre-K and Kindergarten. I do not think I would have this in any classrooms higher than Kindergarten unless I had a reader who needed something easier.

[Nicola · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Fly, Pip, fly!"

Simple language for beginning to read and the pictures can also be 'read'. A tale of friendship and supporting friends in achieving their dreams.

Miss 5 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.

[Maria Rowe · Rating 2 out of 5]

• 2019 Geisel Honor Book •

This felt… extremely basic and super repetitive even for a basic beginning reader. The text became annoying and the illustrations were very minimalistic to the point of boredom. The ending was kind of amusing and I enjoyed seeing Otto the robot help Pip the mouse, but I just don’t understand this as a Geisel Honor Book.

Materials used: unlisted

Typeface used: unlisted

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear font, word placement almost always in the same location, lots of repetition (flap, flap) and clear illustrations that boost the text -- everything an early reader should have. Toss in the humor of little wingless Pip trying to fly and his friend Otto trying to help and this reader is sure to be a winner with kids.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pip sees Tweet fly and he wants to fly too. He flaps and flaps, but he's not having much success so Otto tries to help him out.

Some creative problem solving here for a little mouse with his head in the clouds. I like that Otto's first solution doesn't quite work and he has to revise his solution. A cute and lightly funny story that is in super easy words for kids just beginning to read.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tweet can fly, so when Pip sees tweet flap and flap and eventually fly, Pip wants to fly, too. But Pip is a mouse and mice can't fly. So Otto makes Pip a remote control flyer, but it's just not the same. Pip wants to fly! This early reader has as much, if not more story going on in the illustrations than in the text. Plenty of repeated words and sounds make this early reader a lot of fun.