Otto Has a Birthday Party

April 1, 2004
The lovable pup stars in two paper-over-board titles by Todd Parr: Otto Has a Birthday Party and Otto Goes to Camp. In the first, Otto tests his culinary skills, making a cake for his party (using shoes, bones and a hot dog, among other ingredients), while the second finds the canine packing his favorite bone, stick and cherry pie for a trip to the wilderness.

October 1, 2004
PreS -Otto the dog decides to make a cake for his birthday. He puts in "a cup of flour, two shoes, three bones, some pepperoni, a cootie bug, and a hot dog." He tops it off with mud frosting and puts it in the oven to bake. One by one, the canine's friends arrive for the party. After playing games and opening his gifts, Otto opens the oven door only to have the cake explode into a stinky mess. An ice-cream truck with a special delivery for the birthday dog and guests saves the event. On the final page, the author dispenses some cheerful advice: "Have fun on your Birthday, but don't put a cootie bug or a shoe in your cake!" The author's trademark bold colors and figures outlined in black are in evidence here; fans of Parr won't be disappointed.-Olga R. Kuharets, Broward County Libraries, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2004
In "Camp", guileless dog Otto has a hard time doing things rightuntil, on a hike, he befriends a scary bear. In "Birthday", Otto nearly ruins his own party with his exploding homemade cake. Both stories lose steam, but an important be-yourself message undergirds the absurd scenarios. The flat, thickly outlined illustrations are like Otto: cheering and unpretentious.

(Copyright 2004 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)