Otto the Ornament

by Troy Cummings (Author)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

From the author of the New York Times bestselling Can I Be Your Dog? series comes a picture book about a snazzy Christmas ornament who tries to find the tree on which he can shine the brightest.

Otto is an ornament. He's glittery, he's colorful, he's full of Christmas pizzazz! Otto wants to be at the top of the tree, not in the middle with all of the regular ornaments! Doesn't he deserve to shine at the top? Will Otto be able to find the tree he dreams of and learn about kindness and chosen family along the way? Full of Troy Cummings's clever puns, wordplay, and humor, wrapped up with a heartfelt message.

An original, comical, and festive tale from a New York Times bestselling author-illustrator that should be placed under every Christmas tree! Perfect for families, teachers, and librarians.

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$12.99

Kirkus

An Otto-rly successful modern Christmas story.

Publishers Weekly

A braggadocio Christmas ornament finds its branch in this tale of humility and holiday heart. It's December 23, and all is calm and bright for a tree trimmed with well-loved treasures. But things shift into high gear when shiny new ornament Otto bursts out of a rush-delivery box ready to "BEDECK THE HECK OUT OF YOUR TREE!" Though the established ornaments extend Otto a warm welcome, the newcomer deems their offer of a spot on a middle branch a grave insult: "But a superstar like me belongs on the top of the tree.... I'm snazzy! I'm jazzy! I'm Christmas-pizzazzy!" When the ornaments demur, Otto's quest to find a tree of his own turns into a journey of emotional generosity and literal self-reflection that leads him back to where he started--newly cracked, humbled, and smiling. Running throughout the playful prose is Cummings's thorough accounting of seasonal exclamations ("Aw, chestnuts," "O holy night"), while the digital art's stylized, retro aesthetic provides both zingy and gentle notes. Ages 3-7. (Sept.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Starred Review

PreS-Gr 5--With bright, exuberant illustrations, and an ornament named Otto as the main character--who goes from cocky to reflective over the course of a grand adventure--this story has charm, humor, delightful dialogue, and several important messages. Otto is a colorful, shiny, round ornament who believes he is so special that he deserves to be at the top of the Christmas tree. Upon his arrival, he gleefully shouts, "I'm here to bedeck the heck out of your tree!" Otto is warmly welcomed by the other ornaments and told he can hang in the middle of the tree. But he is outraged; he is a "superstar" and belongs at the top. Otto proceeds to belittle the other ornaments and stalks off to find the perfect tree for his brilliance. After trying a variety of trees in a hilarious sequence, Otto discovers an enormous, glowing tree and scrambles to the top. Once there, he realizes he is lonely. Then, he receives an electric shock and tumbles into the gutter. His beauty is destroyed. Finally, when Otto is at his lowest, he performs a heroic rescue, apologizes for his behavior, and reflects on the beauty of others. VERDICT A wonderful holiday story that highlights the importance of belonging rather than bravado.--Sally James

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

This is a well-paced, appealing tale that will make for a great preschool read-aloud....An Otto-rly successful modern Christmas story. —Kirkus Reviews
Troy Cummings
TROY CUMMINGS is the creator of the New York Times bestseller Can I Be Your Dog? and its companion picture books, I Found a Kitty! and Is This Your Class Pet? He has written and illustrated a bunch of other books, including The Eensy Weensy Spider Freaks Out! (Big-Time!), Little Red Gliding Hood (written by Tara Lazar), Those Are Not My Underpants! (written by Melissa Martin), and the chapter book series The Notebook of Doom. He lives in Greencastle, Indiana, with his messy kids and neat cats.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780593481202
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication date
September 05, 2023
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV039050 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emotions & Feelings
JUV017010 - Juvenile Fiction | Holidays & Celebrations | Christmas & Advent
Library of Congress categories
Picture books
Christmas
Christmas fiction
Christmas tree ornaments
Belonging

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