Fern and Otto: A Picture Book Story about Two Best Friends

Fern, a large brown bear, draws a quiet story about having lunch and a nap, but Otto, a small, adventure-loving tabby, finds it wanting, so the two set off into the forest in search of story fodder. Otto dismisses a race between a tortoise and a hare ("That doesn't seem very fun to me"), and he's not interested in the girl who offers them porridge ("Why were there so many bear things in that house?"). Every creature they meet, readers will quickly realize, is a character from a fairy tale, and the satisfaction of identifying them contributes to the story's pleasure, if not to Otto's literary sensibilities. Soon, Fern and Otto encounter a more intimidating fairy tale habitué (her gingerbread house is a giveaway), and Otto decides he's had enough adventure for one day. A palette of soft greens and browns signals coziness and safety, and the forest brims with unexpected charms. Graegin (Little Fox in the Forest) uses delicate lines and soft colors to fill the spreads with domestic details, gently leading readers to the idea that contemplative, homey friends are wonderful to have around when the going gets rough. Ages 3-7. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Sept.)

PreS-Gr 2--The creator of Little Fox in the Forest introduces friends Fern and Otto in this beautiful book about appreciating the little things in life. Fern, a large anthropomorphised bear, is creating a book for her best friend (and housemate) Otto, a tiger-striped cat. Otto decides the story is boring, so the friends go in search of adventure. They come across a tortoise and a hare in a race, a girl eating porridge in a house full of bear pictures, a red-cloaked girl and a wolf, and, ultimately, a witch with an edible house, who invites them in. At that, they quickly head home, where Otto goes to bed, and Fern completes her story about their everyday adventures, which Otto predictably loves. Graegin's text is concise, effectively flipping between third-person narration and speech bubbles to tell the story. The digitally colored pencil illustrations are quaint and full of details, with an old-fashioned feel. The animals have a cuddly, stuffed-animal appearance. Fern's own book is depicted in its entirety, and drawn with a softer, perhaps more childlike look. Graegin seeds the story with visual references to fairy tales and Mother Goose rhymes, and even has cameos from her own Little Fox; the gentle moral is so subtly embedded that child readers will likely agree without ever realizing it is there. VERDICT The whole work is deceptively simple yet visually complex, encouraging close inspection and multiple rereads. Libraries will want to find a place on their shelves for this delightful friendship story. --Amy Lilien-Harper, Wilton Lib., CT