OTIS

Children's literature favorites Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel and Ferdinand the Bull have a new friend in Otis the tractor. When the farmer brings home a big, shiny yellow tractor and moves Otis out of his stall, it seems Otis will be obsolete and the farm's new little calf will be without his barn-mate. Chris Sorensen is an unobtrusive narrator. His quiet voice and leisurely pace let the farm drama unfold on its own. Choosing crucial moments to accentuate, Sorensen emphasizes an announcement of a calf-judging contest, slows his words as the calf sinks deeper and d-e-e-p-e-r into a pond, and proudly "puff, putts" as the calf and Otis parade through town. Young listeners will enjoy joining the two friends as they contentedly watch the farm from under the apple tree. A.R. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2010]