Otto Grows Down

by Michael B. Sussman, Scott Magoon (Illustrator)

Ever wish for something with all of your heart and not have it come true? Otto might consider you lucky. He wished his ruinous little sister was never born and it comes true when time starts going in reverse! If he doesn’t think of something fast, he’ll disappear entirely. Otto is a modern Benjamin Button who reminds us to love the ones we’re with.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Fiction, Humor, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published February 3, 2009

About the author

Abandoned by a cackle of hyenas, Michael Sussman endured the drudgery and hardships of a Moldavian orphanage until fleeing with a traveling circus at the age of twelve. A promising career as a trapeze artist was cut short by a concussion that rendered him lame and mute. Sussman wandered the world, getting by on such odd jobs as pet-food tester, cheese sculptor, human scarecrow, and professional mourner while teaching himself the art of fiction. He now lives in Tahiti with Gauguin, an African Grey parrot.

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of grown-up concepts for the picure book crowd, but an excellent story with very fun illustrations. My own Otto got a kick out of seeing the fictional Otto deal with his new baby sister, Anna.

For the record, I not only have an Otto, but he has a little sister named Annabel. Life is funny sometimes!

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not gonna lie: I picked this up because of the title, and it did not disappoint. But it's odd. But I like odd in a picture book. It's about sibling rivalry, especially the one that gets mentioned in many baby books about newborns being resented by their older siblings. So Otto uses his one sixth-birthday wish to, "wish that Anna was never born!"

And then the story kinda Benjamin Buttons its way backwards in time; the presents rewrap, his hair grows at the barber's, he gets dirty in the tub, he gets smaller and smaller, and younger, he goes back in time until he finally wishes on his first birthday that Anna were around, he's granted his request, and he begins to truly appreciate his lil sis. Yay. Clever and silly.

Do some kids really wish their newborn sibs were never born? I didn't wish this, nope, nor did we have a big problem with the newborns in this house, but I can name actual situations where sibs were close to murderous. . . it can be a serious issue, for real.

Michael Sussman is a clinical psychologist (so maybe he deals with this kind of thing?!), musician, and writer. Michael, I don't wish you had never written this book.

[Peggy Archer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Otto's baby sister spoils everything! Just as he is about to blow out the candles on his 6th birthday, Anna jangles the rattle that Otto loved when he was a baby. A birthday wish gone wrong causes his baby sister to disappear, but backfires when time starts to go backwards, taking Otto with it. Will Otto figure out the solution in time? Read and find out!

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clever. A little confusing, and I had to explain some things to my kid. The story is a bit glossed over when the concept is a bit challenging. Reading it as an adult made it easier. The lesson of learning to appreciate what you have is a good one.

[Tom Holehan · Rating 4 out of 5]

"One week before Otto's sixth birthday, his sister Anna spoiled everything by being born"...so begins this wonderful children's fable about a boy who starts time-travelling backwards. Ingenious in both its design and execution, this was one of the more surprising stories I've read recently.

[Jj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very peculiar from an adult point of view, but totally understandable from a kid's point of view... that's how I'd describe the premise of this book. It was strange and funny and I liked it.

[Diana Salazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect, genius!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Otto gets a new sister, and she's just in time to ruin Otto's sixth birthday. Otto is not happy about the new addition, which is made abundantly clear when he uses his one birthday wish to, "wish that Anna was never born!"

True to the secret power of birthday wishes made under the correct conditions, Otto gets his heart's desire. Unfortunately, when Otto rewraps and returns all of his presents, he starts to get an idea that something may have gone horribly wrong. From leaving the barber with longer hair than he started out with, to getting out of the bathtub dirty instead of clean, Otto's un-growth is producing more than a few undesirable consequences.

As Otto arrives at his fifth birthday he attempts to fix his fateful wish. No luck. Fourth birthday? No. Third? No. Otto is stuck and the situation isn't looking good as Otto's second birthday also comes and goes.

Now, its Otto's last chance; his first birthday, but what can he do, he can't even talk anymore!

Find out more by checking out this delightful, sometimes disgusting book on being careful of what you wish for and learning that maybe that new baby isn't so bad after all.

Why 4 stars instead of 5? The artwork is just not my style. A personal thing.

[Larissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sussman, Michael B., and Scott Magoon. Otto Grows down. New York: Sterling, 2009. Print. Ages 8+ Otto grows down is a great and fun book for kids who complain about having younger siblings. This book is great because it tells the story of Otto and how he wishes he was the only child because his younger sister, Anna is getting all of the attention. This, in turn makes Otto jealous, so when he turns six, and on his birthday he wishes that his sister wasn't in the picture. So, this is exactly what happens. This book is a journey of how Otto goes back in time and how he is regretting making that wish. This book I really enjoyed, but also made me sad at the same time, because of the fact that while wishing a sibling isn't the way to go, even though they are so frustrating at times, I wouldn't wish away any of my siblings. This made me really appreciate and realize how much my family means to me.

[Chanelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Otto Grows Down is a story about a boy who feels left out, because his parents have a new baby. He wanted his birthday just to be all about him and instead his little sister he thought was ruining it by crying and getting all of the attention. Otto wishes that his sister was never born. Otto thought that he would just wake up and his sister would no longer be around, but instead he begins to go back in ages. He learns that he would rather have his baby sister around than to be without her. I think you could spark a great writing activity with this book. The prompt could be, "Was there a time when you felt left out because of your baby brother or sister?" Then, after they finished writing some student could discuss about their experiences. As a wrap up activity, the students could write about their favorite time with their sister or brother.

[Heather Torgersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book in which little Otto, on his 6th birthday, wishes his baby sister Anna disappears. In wishing in her disappearance, Otto in turn grows down and starts to get younger. Everything happens to Otto backwards, and every birthday Otto wishes (or tries with his decreasing speech abilities) to wish the reversal of his original wish. This is a humorous book that gets a LOT of laughs from students, (and even has a few gross out moments they love). This would also be a great recommendation for a student that has a new addition to the family and is having a hard time coping. Maybe at the end of the book, they will love and appreciate their sibling as much as Otto loves and appreciates Anna.

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book. Otto doesn't want his baby sister, wishes her away, and starts to go backwards in time - all the way back to being in a diaper!

It might be a tad on the long side, text wise.

The climax of the book is nearly wordless, and my kids did not actually get that Otto wishes to have his sister back at first. I asked them what Otto was wishing and they said, "to be big." I had to point out that the baby sister was in the thought bubble and ask them the question again.

It may be easy for some kids to miss the key turning point of the book.

[N · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dude, it's just like Benjamin Button. Sort of.

On his sixth birthday, a boy wishes his sister was never born as he blows out the candles. And it really happens! Time starts moving backwards from then on out. They bring in the garbage, take a bath when they are clean to get dirty, etc.

It's all good, until the boy gets younger and younger, then realizes that he too will never be born soon.

[Agnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Time traveling story of a boy, who has trouble accepting his newborn sister. Strange things happen when Otto wishes his sis to never be born, when she overshadows his 6th birthday. "On Thursday, Otto's mother put their dinner in bags and delivered it to the supermarket." Going back in time Otto realizes he'd rather grow up with his sis than grow down without her. Thin black contour lines characterize the sketch-like cartoon and caricature illustration style.

[Tricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sad that I didn't like it more---I really wanted to like it. Illustrations are great. Story is Benjamin Buttonesque as time goes in reverse. Otto wishes his sister was never born...and time reverses so that not only is she returned to the hospital but he grows younger each year. Won't use for my sibling storytime. Drat. Looked promising.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Otto's sister take the attention away from him so he wishes she was never born. That makes time go backwards. This is where it gets funny. Not for parents who don't like gross. I totally laughed out loud. Ages 4+

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a great picture book I've read four nights in a row so far. The pictures are well done with terrific facial expressions and the story is clever and interesting. A lot of fun for both us and our four-year-old!

[Danie P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Otto's got a new baby sister who he isn't too fond of. When it's Otto's birthday and time to blow out the candles Otto wishes he had never been born. His wish is granted and he starts to grown down...will it ever stop?

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warning: This contains some pretty disgusting potty humor. Normally I have no appreciation for a book that has even minor potty humor. However,I found this book to be hilarious, clever, and with the right audience...a big hit.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Otto, in a fit of anger, wishes his sister had never been born and suddenly finds himself growing steadily younger. He almost immediately regrets his wish but feels incapable of reversing his reversal.

Clever and thoughtful. I cannot wait to share this with my students at school.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect book for children facing the adjustment of a new baby.

[Tina B · Rating 3 out of 5]

sibling rivalry, wishes, time going backwards

[Heather]

You must have a strong stomach for this one. Very funny. But one very disgusting image. Just image. Time goes in reverse. How does the whole bathroom thing play out?

[Jadin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful read aloud that has Otto wishing his baby sister had never been born as he blows out his birthday candles. Much to his dismay, his wish comes true.

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun story that makes you appreciate a life lived forwards.

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute story about valuing time and our lives and the people within them. Adorable!

[Mckinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dealing with the new baby is hard but wishing she isn't there has strange consequences.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable!

[Kari Percival · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written for the first-borns whose new siblings ruin everything, this story takes a frank look at their true wishes to be an only again, and follows that fantasy with results that lead down a magical, heart-stopping rabbit hole of regret. Otto uses his birthday wish to wish his sister was never born, but after he blows out the candles, his wish comes true, by time flowing backwards! He only has a few birthday wishes to figure out how to un-do his wish and make time travel the right direction again before he disappears altogether like his sister. Vivid, funny, expressive illustrations by Scott Magoon heighten the absurdity, magic, foreboding and suspense. Filled with hilariously textured details such as having the cake come out your mouth and reform on plates, Michael Sussman's story is a very satisfying read: engaging real-life premise, surprising supernatural twist, heartfelt take-away to welcome newcomers to the family as part of everything you wouldn't want to miss about your life.