| "There was nothing Otis Spofford liked better than stirring up a little excitement..." (from the first line) There was nothing Otis Spofford liked better than stirring up a little excitement, particularly at school. A less resourceful teacher than Mrs. Gitler would have found him pretty hard to take. But even Mrs. Gitler did not entirely relish the bullfight at the fiesta arranged for the P.T.A. meeting. Otis was disappointed at not being the toreador, but as the front half of the bull he managed to steal the whole show, to the annoyance of his classmates and his teacher. It was then that Mrs. Gitler suggested that Otis might someday get his comeuppance. Of all Otis's acquaintances, the neat and well-behaved Ellen Tebbits was the one he most enjoyed teasing. Strangely enough, it was Ellen who at last brought about his comeuppance. But before that happens, his losing spitball battle with Mrs. Gitler, his surprising affection for the experimental baby rat, and his insect collecting on behalf of the football hero provide a feast of fun for any child or grownup. Mrs. Cleary's gifts as a writer are many, and her real understanding warms every page of this wonderful story of a "bad boy."
Annotation:
Otis Spofford just loves making trouble--like teasing his classmate Ellen Tebbits or secretly changing the results of a classroom experiment on the healthfulness of snack foods. Otis's teacher, Mrs. Gitler, says that some day Otis will get his "come-uppance," and when he finally does, it comes from a very unlikely source. The character of Otis Spofford, whom author Beverely Cleary says she modeled on a particularly "lively" elementary school classmate, also appears in the book ELLEN TEBBITS. First written in the 1950s, this book reflects a more innocent time in American history and takes place in the same Portland, Oregon neighborhood as many of Cleary's other books such as HENRY AND THE CLUBHOUSE and RAMONA THE PEST. Illustrated with B&W drawings.
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Author Bio| Beverly Cleary | | Beverly Cleary is one of the most popular and best-loved authors of children's books. Her works have sold over 75 million copies in 20 countries and have been translated into 14 languages. These figures are even more impressive with the added fact that Cleary had trouble learning to read when she was a child. Cleary has created many memorable characters including Henry Huggins and his dog Ribsy, Ellen Tebbits, and her most popular character, Ramona Quimby. In 1984, Cleary won the Newbery Medal book for DEAR MR. HENSHAW. She also received the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for her body of work. Today, fans of Beverly Cleary can visit the town of Portland, Oregon--where Cleary was raised and set many of her books--and find a wading fountain featuring statues of Henry, Ribsy, and Ramona. |
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