Otis Spofford facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Beverly Cleary |
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| Illustrator | Louis Darling |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | William Morrow & Co. |
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Publication date
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1953 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback) |
| Pages | 191 |
| OCLC | 299530 |
Otis Spofford is a children's novel written by Beverly Cleary. It was first published in 1953. The book tells the story of a fourth-grade boy named Otis. He is very clever and always finds ways to get into mischief.
Otis lives with his mother, who teaches dance classes. Because she is often busy, Otis has to entertain himself. He likes to "stir up a little excitement." Otis is known for his special glow-in-the-dark shoelaces. One is pink and the other is green. He also keeps a rabbit's foot on his jacket zipper. Otis especially enjoys bothering his classmate, Ellen Tebbits, even though he doesn't quite know why.
Contents
The Story of Otis Spofford
Otis Spofford is a young boy who loves to cause trouble. He does not have any brothers or sisters. He lives with his mother. Otis often causes mischief because he wants to make life more exciting. Sadly, his behavior means he doesn't have many close friends. His classmates often avoid him. The book also shows how Otis bothers his classmate, Ellen Tebbits. He annoys her because she does well in school. Ellen is also a very well-behaved student. This often makes Ellen a target for Otis's pranks.
Otis's Pranks and Their Outcomes
Each chapter in the book focuses on one of Otis's pranks. These pranks often don't go as he plans. For example, in one part, Otis messes with a class science project. The project involves feeding two rats different foods. One rat gets cafeteria food, and the other gets bread and soda. The class watches how the rats grow.
Otis secretly feeds the rat that is supposed to be underfed. He hopes it will get soda pop from the cafeteria. His teacher, Mrs. Gitler, soon realizes something is wrong. She tries to find out who is responsible. Otis is surprised when Ellen steps forward. Ellen was also secretly feeding the rat. In the end, Ellen gets to take the rat home. Otis is not happy about this. However, Ellen later gives the rat to Otis. Her mother would not let her keep it.
Otis's pranks are usually harmless. He might shoot spitballs in class. But near the end of the book, he finally gets into serious trouble. His teacher, Mrs. Gitler, had often predicted this would happen.
A Prank Goes Too Far
To impress his classmates, Otis takes a dare. He cuts off a piece of Ellen's hair. Ellen had been trying very hard to grow her hair long enough for pigtails. This act makes almost the entire class turn against Otis. For the first time, Otis does not enjoy the attention his actions bring. He feels bad when Ellen starts crying. She then runs out of the classroom.
Ellen's Revenge
Ellen and her best friend Austine decide to get back at Otis. They steal Otis's shoes while he is ice skating at the pond. This forces him to walk home in his ice skates. Later, the two girls find Otis on the steps of his apartment. He looks very sad. They offer him his shoes back. But only if he apologizes to Ellen. He also has to promise to stop bothering her. Otis agrees to their terms. However, as the girls leave, he secretly shows that he had two fingers crossed behind his back the whole time.
