Otto P. Nudd
Emily Butler
Random House Children’s Books
Published December 29, 2020
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About Otto P. Nudd
Otto P. Nudd: The BEST bird in Ida Valley (at least according to him). While his buddies waste their days at the dump cracking jokes, Otto invents things with his human neighbor Old Man Bartleby in their workshop.
Marla: The Competition. This protective mama-squirrel will swipe Otto’s snacks from under his beak if it means another meal for her babies!
Pippa: The girl who loves the birds in Ida Valley, and Otto most of all. But when Bartleby’s latest contraption lands him in danger, the whole neighborhood–kids and critters alike–will have to join forces to save their oldest friend!
Emily Butler is the author of Freya & Zoose, which received a starred review from School Library Journal. In her newest novel, Emily delivers a timeless friendship tale about a brash raven, a crafty squirrel, and the neighborhood that brings them together.
Fans of The Tales of Despereaux, Pax, and Crenshaw will delight over this friendship story about a brash raven, a dutiful squirrel, and the human girl that brings them together. The perfect read for animal lovers.
My Review
I liked the quirkiness of the characters in OTTO P. NUDD. Marla is a mischievous, resourceful squirrel who speaks her mind. Pippa is a sweet, imaginative girl who leaves snacks for her friend Otto. In response, Otto leaves her shiny objects he’s found.
Otto himself is an inventor. One of the things he has made is an egg incubator to help keep his extra large egg warm. He also has a sweet relationship with Mr. Bartleby, who is also an inventor.
I kind of found myself wishing that Otto had been younger– perhaps coming of age himself– so that his journey felt more like a young bird coming of age rather than an adult bird learning some humility, though that’s still a good lesson.
Other than that, though, I enjoyed the book and especially the silly moments between friends, like the children in Pippa’s class at recess, and the conversations between Otto and Marla.
It’s easy to see that this book will appeal to readers who enjoy stories featuring animals as central characters alongside human characters. It made me think of FLORA & ULYSSES in particular.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.
Representation
Most major characters are animals.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content
None.
Spiritual Content
None.
Violent Content
A man has an accident that results in serious injuries. Reference to a squirrel that was killed by a car.
Drug Content
None.
Note: I received a free copy of OTTO P. NUDD in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog.