Otis and the Scarecrow
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- £4.99
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- £4.99
Publisher Description
FROM THE #1 BESTSELLING ILLUSTRATOR OF MATT DE LA PENA'S LOVE AND WATTY PIPER'S CLASSIC THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD
On the farm where Otis the tractor lives, the farmer has introduced someone new—a scarecrow to shoo away the pesky crows. But when Otis and the animals greet the scarecrow with friendly smiles, the scarecrow’s frown never leaves his face. So everyone leaves him alone.
Then one day, when a cold autumn rain sets in, Otis and the animals snuggle close and play Otis’s favorite game: the quiet game. Otis knows the puppy and ducks can’t sit still for long, and soon the farm friends begin to giggle and squirm, feeling warmed by one another’s friendship . . . but on this day, Otis can't seem to take his eyes off the lonely figure in the cornfield.
A deeply resonant book about subtle acts of compassion and standing up for others, featuring everyone's favorite tractor, Otis.
Praise for OTIS AND THE SCARECROW:
"Otis the tractor’s goodhearted nature continues to shine in his fifth picture book." –Publishers Weekly
“Readers will enjoy this sixth tale of an admirable leader who does the right thing with quiet confidence.” –Booklist
“Teachers will see the connection between the lonely scarecrow and the outsider in the classroom and will be able to find many uses for this volume in the curriculum. Fans will enjoy this more cerebral Otis and might build a little empathy along the way.” –Kirkus Reviews
“Loren Long creates a perfect book for the beginning of the school year with "Otis and the Scarecrow."--Examiner.com
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Otis the tractor's goodhearted nature continues to shine in his fifth picture book. The farmer has just placed a new scarecrow in the cornfield, and the "sour look" permanently stitched onto the scarecrow's burlap head says plenty about its perceived attitude. As the days pass, the silent scarecrow remains indifferent to Otis and the farm animals below. Eventually, Otis finds a way to bring the scarecrow into the fun he and the animals are having or at least to bring the fun to him. Although Otis himself is entirely animate, Long leaves the scarecrow's sentience an open-ended question. As the book comes to a close, Otis "couldn't be sure, but he thought he might have seen the scarecrow smile." Readers will have to hazard their own guesses, as the scarecrow's face is turned away from them in the final pages. Ages 5 8.
