Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners

Laurie Keller (author/illustrator) invites readers to remember the importance of manners. Based on the Golden Rule, the characters dialogue about what manners mean in Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners. Mr. Rabbit wants his new neighbors, the Otters, to be Friendly, Polite with please and thank you, and excuse me. Of course, everyone should be Honest too. Kind, Considerate, Play Fair, Cooperate, Share all make their appearances as well.

The reader gets swooped into an auditorium of play. Laurie Keller’s illustrations are whimsically rich setting the stage for deeper understanding. Words are embedded in the background to enhance the meaning of each manner. Off-side scenes are an additional reference to each manner shared.

Savorings for reading and writing for Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners:

• Great text to use for Voice Inflection and Reader’s Theater
• Models character mental conflict – reader views the thinking bubbles
• Use of the Colon
• Ellipses – slows down character thinking – “How would I …  … like otters …  … to treat me?”
• Asides – (hmmm… maybe not the treats)
• Example of a Thank You Note
• Magic of 3 – Series of examples for each manner is listed in 3 groups
• Contractions – I’d, you’d, wouldn’t
• Bantering between two characters
• Reflection
• Metacognition – thinking about his thinking
• Word Pictures
• Setting
• Scenes / Exploding the Moment

PES Life-line book (November)