8. Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners

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?

6. Arnie the Doughnut

I've read picture books with cats, dogs, birds, mice, trains, and cars that all talk (among other things)...but never a doughnut. Laurie Keller definitely created a unique character in Arnie the Doughnut (2003).


One thing you need to know about Keller is that she is creative, zany, and a little bit punny (small giggle). Of course, that is immediately apparent as soon as you open any of her books. In Arnie, every page (even the title page, copyright page, and cover) is in on the act. The characters (both main and sideline) appear everywhere...I mean absolutely everywhere...and her humor bursts from every scene. 

The illustrations are eye-catching and cover the entire book. You could spend hours (I'm not kidding) with your eye jumping from corner to corner, trying to catch all of the jokes, dialogue, and scenes she crams in. This style might not be for everyone...I know some people found it a little too busy for their tastes...but I quite enjoyed it. Keller uses acrylic paints and collage to create a feel of a textured and multi-dimensional world of doughnuts. (Some parts of the background are even cut-outs from maps or newspapers.) Her cartoonish (almost naive art) style keeps you jumping from vignette to vignette of minor characters (a cruller who speaks French and a jelly doughnut who has to make sure his brains are not coming out, among others) that inhabit Arnie's world. She creates emotion and action in her lines (often represented by falling sprinkles or Arnie's expressive eyes) that move the story forward. Her use of bold colors that fill every inch of the page creates vibrant scenes throughout.

The text is just as playful as the illustrations, with words curving this way and that...you have to turn the book to read some of them! This makes the story so interactive and fun...in a time where kids feel they need buttons and screens to interact with, Keller proves that books can do the same thing (even better, in my opinion). The text and pictures work in harmony, where your eye goes from one to the next, always learning something new.

As far as the story is concerned, it is along the same vein as The Gingerbread Man, where runaway food is the focus. It is a fantasy story where Arnie "grows up" in a doughnut factory/shop and can't wait until he is chosen. Sadly, he is unaware that being chosen means eventually being eaten. My favorite scene is where he stops himself from going into Mr. Bing's mouth and yells "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" From this moment on, Arnie tries to change his fate, and ultimately succeeds (though you must read the book to find out the silly way that Keller solves his dilemma).


I was incredibly entertained by this story, even though there was not necessarily a deep message to it. (I suppose you could say fighting for your rights or standing up for yourself.) It was simply a fun book, with quirky twists, turns, and asides along the way that keep you laughing. I could see students inspired by the full-of-life Arnie and ready to create their own stories...if a book can get kids to love to read and inspired to write, that's reason enough to add it to your collection!

As a final note, I have a tendency to feel a bond with anthropomorphized characters and see them in a different light. (After Wall-E, I felt really bad going after any cockroaches.) Thus, after reading Arnie the Doughnut I swore I would never eat one again...until my professor's themed snack for the day included...you guessed it...Arnie. Did I stand up for doughnut rights and say "no!" to the cruel mistreatment of doughnuts. No, I ate him, but at least I felt a little bit sorry...that counts, right?