Ottoline at Sea

Riddell, Chris. Ottoline at Sea. Illustrated by Chris Riddell. Macmillan Children's Books, 2010. 176 pages. $14.99. ISBN 9781405050593.

Summary:

This is the third installment of the adventures of Ottoline who lives in Big City with Mr. Munroe, a small, hairy, Norwegian Bog Person (he looks a little like Cousin It from the Addam's Family). When Mr. Munroe disappears, Ottoline follows a string of clues that lead her to Norway. She travels by submarine, visits the Polar Bear Shoe Co. (run by polar bears in an iceberg), and meets two green-nosed trolls. When she and Mr. Munroe are reunited, he is in the company of a very unhappy, mythical creature who needs a new lease on life and Ottoline has a clever plan. The illustrations are rendered in pen and ink, often labeled with extra information, diagrams and cutaways. This volume includes a reader's pair of "bog goggles" which can be used to examine specific illustrations for clues.

Curriculum Connections:

Though mostly for fun, this book could be used with older readers to examine the ways that the illustrations support and enhance a text. There are a couple of spreads that continue the story, but without any supporting or intervening text. Is this a chapter book? Or a graphic novel? This could stimulate an interesting discussion.

Personal Reflections:

I enjoyed the first two stories of Ottoline's adventures, but the bog goggles were a gimmick and tricky to maneuver. There are several references to popular culture that would likely go over the heads of young readers and something about this episode felt a little bit forced.

Awards:

Age/Interest Range:

7-12

Genre/Themes:

Humor, Friendship, Mystery, Adventure, Fantasy

Read-Alikes:

Ottoline is a little like Eloise (Thompson) if she grown up and left the Plaza Hotel, and without Nanny to keep her in line. The illustrations even echo Hilary Knight's style: mostly black and white ink drawings, with an occasional, single color. Though it is an illustrated chapter book and humorous, it is not a read-alike to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Kinney) books or Big Nate (Peirce).