Beverly Cleary, Tracy Dockray: Otis Spofford (2008, HarperCollins Publishers)
English language
Published April 30, 2008 by HarperCollins Publishers.
Otis Spofford is a 1953 children's novel by Beverly Cleary.
The story revolves around the antics of the title character, a precocious fourth-grader with a knack for getting into trouble. Otis lives with his mother, who is often absent from the household due to teaching classes at her dance school, and therefore Otis is required to entertain himself, by "stirring up a little excitement". His trademarks are his glow-in-the-dark shoelaces (one pink, one green), the rabbit's foot he keeps attached to his jacket zipper, and his particular fondness for irritating his classmate Ellen Tebbits although he never understands the reason for it.
This was our first disappointing Beverly Cleary book. Otis has serious social issues....
