Remember how I mentioned in my last post that Laurie Keller is punny...well, she's done it again. When my class Skyped with her last week, she told us that she had wanted to write a book about manners for years, but couldn't think of how to make it engaging. All of a sudden, the phrase "Do unto 'otters' "(instead of 'others', for the not so pun inclined) popped into her head. And so her silly book about manners began. Here's a quick clip from Weston Woods...
The premise this time is that Mr. Rabbit gets some new neighbors, the Otters. While they seem nice enough, he is worried about whether or not they will get along. He realizes (with help from an owl friend) that he should remember the golden rule: "Do unto otters what you would have otters do unto you." But how would Mr. Rabbit like the otters to treat him? Keller spends the rest of the book exploring all of the kind ways to treat one another.
As with Artie the Doughnut (though not quite as busy on each page), Keller's humorous characters inhabit every corner in small vignettes, this time illustrating examples of good manners. The cheerful palette of greens, blues, and yellows create an outdoor setting where talking rabbits, owls, and otters live. Her whimsical illustrations are made with acrylic paint. (I especially like when you can see the brushstrokes in her backgrounds-- it gives the page such great texture.) And her cartoon-style characters so easily express their emotion with the raise of an eyebrow. Though there are hidden gems on each page that necessitate a few rereadings, it is never too much. I could see kids wanting this in their hands to explore the nooks and crannies of each page. In fact, it wasn't until my third time reading it that I noticed some hilarity on the publishing page-- she even stuck with her theme of manners there.
"No teasing took place during the making of this book...There was an uncomfortable hair-pulling incident that took place toward the end of this project, but everyone involved promptly APOLOGIZED and have since FORGIVEN each other."
Do Unto Otters (2007) is very simple. In a nutshell, it is a funny way of explaining the golden rule to children...the great thing about the book is that it never gets preachy. Though didactic, it feels fresh on every page. That is because Keller is a master at the creative layout. Her text blocking on each page always keeps you guessing-- the typeface, size and color changing to evoke expression. In addition, the switch from frames to vignettes to full page spreads makes the reader want to turn the page...I especially loved the added bonus that you can learn how to say some words in 5 languages (Pig Latin included).
I will definitely use this book at the beginning of the school year with my kiddos. Though I like for us to come up with our classroom expectations together, this book could either be a jumping off point for some brainstormin or a wrap-up to see the rules in action. Either way, I know my students will love it...and it will subtly and humorously reinforce the values I want to make sure stay in my classroom (play nice, be respectful, etc.) After all, who can disagree with the golden rule?
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