Ellen Potter introduces a new story filled with quirky characters and strange events, but this new book is boy humor in the extreme. Otis Dooda and his family move from the small town of Hog's Head to a high-rise apartment building in the middle of New York City. Within minutes of their arrival, Otis makes an enemy and is cursed by a kid hiding in a potted plant. Otis also makes some friends who try to help break the curse, but their efforts lead to a series of crazy events that include burning soy wieners, fighting poodles, and flying from a human cannon into a wading pool of marshmallow fluff.
Otis Dooda: Strange But True is filled with boy craziness, but also reveals surprising lessons about friendship and understanding. The fun illustrations add to the humor and give the book a slight graphic novel feel. The reading level is best for middle elementary aged readers, but the story engaged my eleven-year-old as well as my five-year-old. The book is written with boys in mind, but my daughter read and enjoyed it also.
Recommended ages-5-10 years