Through Otis" Eyes - A Not-What-You-Think Book Review
The hard work of a Labrador Retriever puppy growing up for a special purpose is beautifully told in the book, Through Otis' Eyes - Lessons From A Guide Dog Puppy, by Patricia Burlin Kennedy and Robert Chase.
The words and illustrations tell the story follow one year in the life of a black, Labrador Retriever puppy named Otis.
Otis has been bred to become the guide dog for a blind person.
His story is told in 15 sentences, each starting with the phrase: "Through Otis' eyes I see...
".
Don't think that this is a picture book for just children.
Look closely, and you'll find it is a book for everyone.
The illustrations are masterpieces that deftly record the passing of time.
The first four illustrations present the seven week old puppy: the blue-black sheen of his coat, the promise of good bone and muscle still to come are expertly captured on the flat surface of paper.
The gleam in those brown puppy eyes pulls the reader into the story.
Look carefully at the first two illustrations and you might discern a slight hesitation mixed with excitement on Otis' face.
Nose-to-nose with a boy, in the third picture, Otis finally looks content.
It is Robert Chase's talent as the illustrator to pay attention to these nuances of expression in all 43 illustrations that truly brings Otis to life.
The words themselves are deceptively simple.
They gain immeasurable power because they are set in the pattern of a prose poem that leaves the reader to bring his or her personal reflections about dogs and life into the story.
As we watch Otis grow from an inquisitive puppy into a confident, canine partner, we read about the truths that his caretaker rediscovers, and, we see that a puppy's world is a mirror of our own.
A chewed up baseball mitt is relatively unimportant in the broader scheme of nurturing an emotionally stable puppy.
Sometimes, it's hard to be patient, and, sometimes, we need stand our ground and speak out.
Sometimes, we need to make hard decisions instead of taking an easier way.
Interestingly enough, the lessons are easy to learn when Otis is a puppy.
As Otis matures, the lessons, no less valuable, are harder to act on - harder.
And, perhaps, the lessons to be learned are more difficult for the humans than they are for Otis.
Otis grows into his adulthood with the innate gift that is bestowed upon animals: "...
to love unconditionally, to forgive without question, to live in the present moment, to give of one's time without hesitation or regret.
" (p.
9) This universal truths combined with the talents of both Kennedy and Chase offer timeless lessons.
For this reason, this is a book for all of us, regardless of how old we are, because we all need to be reminded through Otis' eyes.
The words and illustrations tell the story follow one year in the life of a black, Labrador Retriever puppy named Otis.
Otis has been bred to become the guide dog for a blind person.
His story is told in 15 sentences, each starting with the phrase: "Through Otis' eyes I see...
".
Don't think that this is a picture book for just children.
Look closely, and you'll find it is a book for everyone.
The illustrations are masterpieces that deftly record the passing of time.
The first four illustrations present the seven week old puppy: the blue-black sheen of his coat, the promise of good bone and muscle still to come are expertly captured on the flat surface of paper.
The gleam in those brown puppy eyes pulls the reader into the story.
Look carefully at the first two illustrations and you might discern a slight hesitation mixed with excitement on Otis' face.
Nose-to-nose with a boy, in the third picture, Otis finally looks content.
It is Robert Chase's talent as the illustrator to pay attention to these nuances of expression in all 43 illustrations that truly brings Otis to life.
The words themselves are deceptively simple.
They gain immeasurable power because they are set in the pattern of a prose poem that leaves the reader to bring his or her personal reflections about dogs and life into the story.
As we watch Otis grow from an inquisitive puppy into a confident, canine partner, we read about the truths that his caretaker rediscovers, and, we see that a puppy's world is a mirror of our own.
A chewed up baseball mitt is relatively unimportant in the broader scheme of nurturing an emotionally stable puppy.
Sometimes, it's hard to be patient, and, sometimes, we need stand our ground and speak out.
Sometimes, we need to make hard decisions instead of taking an easier way.
Interestingly enough, the lessons are easy to learn when Otis is a puppy.
As Otis matures, the lessons, no less valuable, are harder to act on - harder.
And, perhaps, the lessons to be learned are more difficult for the humans than they are for Otis.
Otis grows into his adulthood with the innate gift that is bestowed upon animals: "...
to love unconditionally, to forgive without question, to live in the present moment, to give of one's time without hesitation or regret.
" (p.
9) This universal truths combined with the talents of both Kennedy and Chase offer timeless lessons.
For this reason, this is a book for all of us, regardless of how old we are, because we all need to be reminded through Otis' eyes.
