January 2013
Prairie View Book of the
Month
Otis
Written & Illustrated by
Loren Long
“He circled and he circled, and the little calf turned and turned, never taking her eyes off of
her friend.”
Otis is the story of a steadfast but vivacious little tractor that works hard all day on the farm and then roams the rolling hills
looking for fun. One night while Otis is asleep in his stall a frightened calf is brought in to the barn. The rhythmic purr of
Otis’ engine immediately calms the little calf and puts her right to sleep. The two quickly become the best of friends and are
absolutely inseparable until the day the farmer shows up with a brand new big yellow tractor. Otis is quickly put out to
pasture behind the barn where he is overcome by weeds and sadness. It is only when his dear friend needs him, and only
him, that Otis snaps out of his funk and rushes in to the calf’s rescue.
I chose Otis as the January Book of the Month to remind us of the life changing ability that relationships can have. Time
spent in work and play can create bonds that transcend any obstacle placed before us. Just like the little calf we have
students who are “stuck in the mud” and I can guarantee you that no stranger will be able to help them break free. There’s
no “tractor” or “firechief” swooping in to pull them to safety. Frankly, no outsider is capable of anything nearly as powerful
as you and the relationships you create with the ones who need you the most. Who will save them? You will - the one who
has invested the time, the hard work and the effort into really knowing and loving every special little calf in your care.
Reading Skill: Character Analysis /Theme/Purpose
Genre: Fantasy
Point of View: 3rd person
Organization: sequence of events - to develop characters and setting with description and…
conflict/resolution – The conflict begins when Otis is put out behind the barn to rust, no longer “useful” and the little calf
cannot get him to play. After the little calf gets stuck in the mud… no one in the farm or community can get her out, except
for Otis!
Purpose: to entertain and teach the lessons of friendship and usefulness no matter the age (young or old).
Character Analysis: Otis is hard-working, playful, gentle, calm, ‘tired but happy’, motherly, friendly and “Then one day the
farmer surprised everyone with a brand-new yellow tractor,” so Otis had to move! From plot development, how did Otis’
character change? What resolved the story? How was Otis at the end?
Theme: Newer, bigger or faster may not always be better, working hard/playing, friendship and Loyalty.
Discussion Questions:
 What are some other, negative ways Otis could have responded when the calf first showed up? Based on how he
did act, what does it tell us about him?
 How do you think it made Otis feel to be replaced? Have you ever felt that way? Tell us about it.
 The calf was a good friend to Otis - give some examples of how you know that.
 What does it say about Otis that he came out of being sad and in misery to help his friend?
 How do you think the calf felt when she heard Otis coming? Why?




How did helping his friend help Otis overcome his misery?
What sorts of things/games do you like to play after school, or working hard?
Have you ever been 'tired but happy'? What did you do that day? Why is that a good feeling?
What games do you like to play with your friends? Why is balancing work and play important?
General vocabulary: unwind, skirt, leapfrog, ring-around-the-rosy, bawling, waded, startled, perked, faint, rhythmic,
puttering, purr, stumble. Determine meaning and generate synonyms, antonyms or multiple meanings for words.
Onomatopoeia: putt puff putted chuff. The author’s italicized onomatopoeia and BOLD, LARGE use of onomatopoeia later
in the text to show significance of Otis coming out from behind the barn.
Compare texts: Tractor poem- http://www.frontiernet.net/~dkrandt/c161.html
The Tractor poem - http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewPoetry.asp?id=193414
Research farm equipment and how it has changed over the years
 http://inventors.about.com/od/tstartinventions/a/farm_tractors.htm
 http://www.antiquefarming.com/history.html
Related Books:
 Best Best Friends by Margaret Chodos-Irvine
 My Best Friend by Mary Ann Rodman illustrated by E. B. Lewis
 Chester's Way by Kevin Henkes
Other titles by Long:
 Of These I Sing by Barak Obama
 Toy Boat by Randall de Seve
 The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper (new art by Long)
 Angela and the Baby Jesus by Frank McCourt
 Wind Fliers by Angela Johnson
 When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer by Walt Whitman
 Mr. Peabody's Apples by Madonna
 I Dream of Trains by Angela Johnson
 The Day the Animals Came by Frances Ward Weller
Author’s words: Loren Long describes why he wrote Otis and how he illustrated the text.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOHUFenpN5Q
Story time with Penguin Group:
http://www.us.penguingroup.com/pages/publishersoffice/screeningroom/0110/penguinstorytime/otis.html#vmix_med
ia_id=12565958
STAAR formatted Question Stems:
Even primary grades can begin to use appropriate question stems in their grade level literature to introduce students to the
format of STAAR in regards to word meaning. Grades 3-5 should regularly use these stems in both open-ended and
multiple choice formats to practice word meaning.
Character –
Which sentence from the story shows that Jason’s mother is determined?
When Jason is setting up the game, both he and Shu area)
Which words from the text support the conclusion that Julien and Caitlin are
friends?
a)
The reader
a)
b)
c)
d)
can tell that Julien is…
Creative
Bossy
Mean
Lonely
Based on the information in the letter, Paul would most likely agree with which of
these statements?
a)
Which sentence shows that Lady Bird Johnson tried to inspire others to beautify the
land?
a)
The reader can tell that Lady Bird Johnson was concerned that –
a)
The pictures in the selection show Lady Bird –
a)
How is Sugar different from Thumper and LuLu?
a)
How does Sara change at the end of the story?
a)
Graphic Sources
- Venn Diagram (compare/contrast)
Character
•Trait 1
Character •Trait 2
Character •Trait 3
trait
-
Web
?
charac
trait
trait
-
Character changes
Beginning
Middle
End
-
Story Map
Char
Setting
Problem
-Outline
Solution
Theme/Author’s Purpose–
What is the author saying to you through this text?
a)
This was written to showa)
The author probably wrote this article to –
a)
Which is an important lesson that Jason learns in this story?
a)
With which statement would the author most likely agree?
a)
What did the author hope to accomplish by writing this article?
a)
Both selections express the importance ofa)
An important idea present in both selections is –
a)
Intro
Adapted from Chet’s Creek Elementary