Book of the Day: Bob and Otto

Bob and Otto
Author: Robert O. Bruel
Illustrator: Nick Bruel
Roaring Book Press, 2007

This is a very special book.  Nick Bruel, already a famed illustrator, found this story written by his dad after his dad died.  There is a very sweet tribute to his dad on the jacket of the book and it is such a tender piece of writing.  We both loved it.

The story is about two friends—one is a worm, the other is a caterpiller.  One goes down under ground, the other goes up in the tree.  They miss each other and Otto feels sad that he has to be a boring ol' worm, (spoiler alert) but they come back together in the end, each proud of their accomplishments.  The point is, we each have to do the things that make us happy and productive and one choice isn't better than the other.

One thing Mirette really liked about this book is that you can trace the underground path with your finger and you can trace the path of the caterpiller moving up into a tree.  We read this book in the summer and whenever we were gardening, we would look for Otto's.  In fact, Mirette still thinks that worms are called Otto's and probably always will.  

I like the book because it is such an apt metaphor for me and something I think about a lot.  As I get older, I am accepting more and more my (and others') nature.  For instance, my husband is very happy when he can be at home painting, cooking, or playing guitar.  I am happiest when I am out in the world, in community.  While I love my husband's sense of home and serenity (one of the many things I adore about him), I used to push him to be more like me.  Or I would feel embarrassed that I was the only one at an event without my husband.  When I accepted his nature and my nature, there was much more harmony for me and for us!  I also see traits and temperaments in my daughter that are very different than my own and I am teaching myself to let her be her own person and discover the world in her own way.

All that in a kids' book.  Geez!

Here is the link to Nick Bruel's blog.  He writes a series called Bad Kitty, which is for 3rd/4th grade kids.  It's not a particularly toddler-friendly website/blog, but here you go anyway:

http://www.nickbruel.com/22801.html?entryId=50f3c1b68dea719f4c6b9d3cd898bb85