Customer Reviews

Otto Goes to the Beach

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Even for adults, reaching out and making friends can be daunting. Turns out the same is true for dogs. Who knew? Otto goes to the beach and can't seem to find a friend with the same interests as him. But his persistence ultimately pays off, and he eventually finds a friend who loves the same things that he does.

Yes, his shorts fall off while surfing and a cat laughs at his misfortune (something a child might find terribly hurtful). However, anyone who has a remotely prurient response to a cartoon dog losing his shorts - aside from being seriously troubled and a possible threat to society - has missed the point entirely. Fortunately, the point of each of the Otto books is spelled out in no uncertain terms on the last page.

The drawings are very simple and the color palette limited to primary and secondary colors, which is completely appropriate when designing for children at this stage of their development.

My daughter has a ton of books to choose from, yet asks for this one every night at bedtime. In fact, the reason I even came to this page is because it's time to buy a new copy. Todd Parr's books are a delight and address issues that we may have forgotten made us anxious when we were kids, and they're written with genuine affection for his readers. What more could you want from a children's book?

Ok, perhaps not perfect to an adult, but the child...he loves it! A few years ago I obtained two Otto books (one on clearance at the bookstore, the other I can't recall) which my two year old son devoured! One night, he was looking at the back cover of the book and told me he wanted this title, and another Otto book pictured on the back. I then searched online and found every Otto title but this one. He was heartbroken and constantly begged for the beach book. I FINALLY found it and gave it to him right before our beach vacation. He was so excited! The Otto stories are very simplistic, and the artwork the same, which I think is why it appeals to preschoolers. My 18 month old frequently pulls the Otto books off the shelf himself and peruses the pages at his own leisure.

I dropped it a star, from a parent's perspective, because I agree with another reviewer that being laughed at for your pants falling down is an odd thing to put in a child's book, and I am trying to teach my 4 year old not to make fun of others. I also think that that children need to learn compromise, and in this book Otto basically doesn't want to be friends with anyone who doesn't like to do what he likes. However, I guess these are good teaching points for preschoolers.

That being said, I know my 4 year old would give it 10 stars if he could, and this is a preschool book, so the child's opinion is what matters.

Otto Goes to the Beach is a great book for small childern. Yes the character development is limited, the writing simplist, and the color choices and drawings primative - prefect for a small child. I would highly recommend this book for parent with childern under 5. Tood Parr has developed a highly loveable character and his books have great messages. Also check out Otto goes to school.

Our 20 month old daughter loves her Otto books. They are filled with cute illustrations and easy to follow stories, with good messages.

This book is so colorful that our baby can't take her eyes off of it. She smiles from ear to ear when we read about Otto. We can't get a similar reaction from any other book. We love Otto!

An engaging book about an oddball dog who has trouble finding a friend but finally makes a buddy. A nice change from a lot of the "cutesy" kids books. We also like "Do's and Don'ts of Underwear" by Todd Parr.

This book is poorly written and is not suitable for children.

The premise of the book is that the main character, Otto the dog, can't have fun unless he finds a friend and the friend plays with him exactly as Otto would like. The premise is not plausible and not compelling. There is no reason to care about Otto or whether he succeeds. Otto is a one-dimensional excuse for Todd Parr to draw simplistic childish pictures (the book's illustrations).

The Otto the dog character is never developed in any detail, and the character isn't even recognizably dog-like. The writing almost is worthy of "honorable mention" in a second grade fiction contest. An eight year old could have written it.

Why almost worthy and not worthy? Todd Parr is so lacking in ideas for material, he injects a dirty joke into the story. Otto the dog's bathing suit falls down, and a cat laughs at Otto. The accompanying illustration of Otto, facing the reader, bathing suit down around his ankles, is gratuitous and not funny. Todd Parr needs to grow up before he writes for children. This is pathetic.

Nobody should pay ten bucks for this book. I don't care if Rosie O'Donell likes this guy and wants to cut him a break. Nudity, sexuality, and prurience are not suitable elements of a child's book.

Zero stars.