I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm still not sure how I feel about this book. The pictures were cute, but also sort of strange. The message was cute and the story was cute.

A sweet story, if a bit meandering. Art style reminiscent of Esme Shaprio, who is a favorite of mine.

This is not your typical picture book. For all it's weirdness it's a sweet story though. Otto is the epitome of the modern adult. Thus, Pio represents anything unexpected, those things that interrupt the status quo.

Otto the squirrel happily lives alone in the biggest tree a very old forest. One morning, he discovers a strange green ball outside his door. He steps over it and ignores it, but later the ball cracks open and a very furry creature emerges. The creature calls Otto “Mommy” and Otto decides to continue to leave the creature outside as night falls. But then later, he reconsiders and invites the small creature in. The creature says “Pio!” so that becomes his name. Pio begins to grow, doubling in size every night while he sleeps. Otto tries in vain to find Pio’s mother, but none of his neighbors know anything. Pio continues to grow as Otto tries different ways to find his mother: posters and visiting other trees. Pio takes care of the house while he is gone, making soup, sweeping and decorating. When Pio is too big to stay in Otto’s house anymore, Otto knows something must be done. So once again he heads out to try to find a solution. He is so distracted, he puts himself in danger. Perhaps one huge furry monster could be a help?

First published in Canada in French, this picture book is another charmer from Dubuc. She has a way of capturing changing deep emotions and emerging friendships that is gentle and filled with empathy. Here, Otto is often frustrated with being burdened with Pio, though Pio works hard to make life good for both of them. As Otto tries to get rid of Pio, his anger grows but then is refreshingly resolved when he understands what a loss Pio would be. The book builds to that new understanding, steadily increasing the pressure on the small squirrel.

Dubuc’s illustrations are very effective. She creates a grand tree for the pair to live in, huge and leafy. The prickly green ball that Pio emerges from is completely alien, and Pio himself looks rather like a very small abominable snowman with his white fur and rosy cheeks. Otto himself is busy and rushing, often avoiding really thinking about how he feels.

Another great read from Dubuc, this one is all about unlikely friendships and family members. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Like Marianne Dubuc’s other books, Otto and Pio is translated from French (originally published in 2016 as Je Ne Suis Pas Ta Maman). Otto and Pio takes place in a very Dubuc-style setting, a squirrel’s apartment in “a very old tree, bigger than all the others”. The plot feels very familiar, but surprises and specifics in the text make this story singular (like when Otto the squirrel, burdened and agitated by the presence of the otherworldly Pio, finally resorts to “Do you want a hazelnut before bed?”). As usual, Dubuc’s illustrations stand out as both remarkably unique in their hilarious detail and expository in their own right.

Thanks to Princeton Architectural Press and NetGalley for the advance copy of this title.

'Otto and Pio' with words and illustrations by Marianne Dubuc is a picture book about getting out of your comfort zone and making new friends, even if they are a bit strange.

Otto the squirrel likes his life. When he finds an odd creature on his doorstep, he initially wants nothing to do with it. When the creatures mother fails to appear, Otto takes in the creature (who only seems to say "Pio"). Pio grows and grows and eats all the hazelnuts, but he also makes soup and cleans. Otto keeps desperately trying to find Pio's mother, then one day, Otto realizes it might be nice to have a large friend like Pio around.

I loved this story of a squirrel set in his way and the ways a new friend stretched that out. The illustrations in this book were very nice.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Princeton Architectural Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

Soooo sweet! A little green ball/egg lands on Otto the squirrels branch. He isn't interested in and goes about his business until it hatchs one day and the little creature inside calls him "Mommy!" Otto insists he isn't, and even tho' he takes the little furry creature into his home, he begins a desperate search for it's mother. Chaos ensues in squirrel's home as the little creature begins to grow and GROW! Little will enjoy this humorous tale! Illustrations are wonderful!

Otto the squirrel is quite happy with his life, but one day an odd, green ball is outside his door. The green, spiny ball soon hatches and out pops a small, round, furry creature looking for his mother. With no mother in sight, Otto eventually brings the creature into his house. Each night the creature, Pio, grows larger, and each day Otto looks for Pio’s mother.

Pio grows into a gentle, but clumsy giant and with no sign of Pio’s mother, Otto has enough. He is beyond frustrated that his peaceful life has been intruded upon. As he storms out of his house and onto a branch, an eagle swoops down to catch him. But just as Otto realizes that he cares for Pio and that he maybe just needs a bigger house, the eagle’s talons come near, and Pio rushes to the rescue, scaring the bird away. While they never do find Pio’s mother, Otto and Pio are quite happy together.

Otto and Pio are simply charming and heartwarming in this little tale of friendship and family and home. Otto the squirrel finds Pio (an unidentifiable white furball) on his doorstep and try as he might he can't track down the creature's mother, but after Pio proves to be the most respectable houseguest, Otto accepts his role as "mommy" to the hilariously ever growing Pio. The illustrations really brought this book together, and added some more humor to the simple tale. I would love to see this pair go on more adventures together!

Otto and Pio told a very good story. Otto seemed pretty content with his life, but when a peculiar creature ends up on their doorstep they decide to help them out. It changes his life in many ways, and not always in ways he likes. Yet over time he realizes change doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. I can see kids of all ages having a great time reading this book.

I read and loved Dubuc's sweet and touching book "Up the Mountain" last year, so I went into Otto and Pio with pretty high (possibly too high) expectations. This one did not zing my heart in the same way.

That said, it's a fun little story about accepting change in life and making new friends. that I think many children will really enjoy. The illustrations aren't my favourite, but they're cute enough!

4 stars for Otto and Pio.

Thank you to NetGalley and Princeton Architectural Press for providing me with a DRC of this book.

I love Marianne Dubuc so much--her narratives, her illustrations, they're just something to behold.  They're so homely, all about creating friends and families under unlikely circumstances, and Otto and Pio is no exception.  When Otto the squirrel finds a creature unlike any other, he adopts him, but only until the mother is found!  However, as Pio gets bigger and bigger, Otto isn't so sure he can just keep taking care of him...  Overall, this is just a great, homey and comfortable book that illuminates the beauty of found families and how two is better than one.  Great for grades K-3.

I read Otto and Pio with our six year old who found it to be completely engaging. He loved how the creature kept growing and growing and how their relationship grew and changed at the same time. I thought it had a great message about connecting with others, even if they might look and act a little differently than you.

It was certainly a little bit of an odd story but it really worked for us. We also couldn't help growing so fond of the creature who we were thinking might be a yeti? The illustrations were beautifully done and we especially liked the pullbacks where you could see the whole tree. A big thank you to NetGalley and Princeton Architectural Press for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this one, and it'll be a nice storytime read. Not a lot of new ground covered, but I enjoyed the illustrations. Ending is a little abrupt.

This is a sweet story of an unlikely friendship between a squirrel and a furry creature who doubles in size daily. While there wasn’t a deep meaning, it was a cute and entertaining storyline with great illustrations. Would recommend for k-2 classrooms.

This is a strange little story. Otto is a squirrel who lives alone in a pretty fancy home in a big tree. One morning, he finds a strange green pod on his doorstep. He tries to ignore it, but out of that pod hatches a furry white creature that says, "Pio!" Otto invites him in, but each day he heads off to try and find his mother. Everytime Otto returns home, Pio has grown until it seems he will either eat Otto out of house and home, or perhaps destroy the house. It turns out Pio is a pretty handy creature to have around.

The illustrations are cute and fun to look at. The characters are the main focus of the illustrations and are well drawn, showing expressions and feelings. We do not find out what kind of creature Pio is, but I am going with a yeti, when you read this book, let me know if you agree. I think part of the fun for children will be trying to figure out what he is, but it doesn't really matter. For me the idea of acceptance, sharing, helping another creature and friendship are the things that really matter in this book. Overall, I enjoyed this book, the story and illustrations are solid. The ending was not what I was expecting (I thought Squirrel would find his mother), but it was a good one that fit the story. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon my request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

This is a strange little story. But it's also quite cute. Otto is a squirrel who lives in a pretty fancy home in a big tree. One morning, he finds a strange green pod on his doorstep. Out of that pod hatches a furry white creature that says, "Pio!" It seems to grow in its sleep, and Otto sets out to find its mother before it can eat him out of house and home... or destroy his house (whichever comes first). But Pio is actually a pretty cool houseguest, making soup, cleaning up, and eventually saving his new friend from a very scary situation.

The illustrations are charming, and are quite fun to look at. I wondered if Pio was a baby yeti or something (he kind of looks like it), but I think part of the fun is not knowing exactly what he's supposed to be. It doesn't really matter, in any case, because he turns out to be a great friend. I liked seeing the different parts of the story--like Otto making his posters and plastering them everywhere--played out in the illustrations. Pio's decorating project was also pretty cute.

The writing was just okay for me. There were a few spots where it wasn't technically correct, which always bugs me in children's books. But the story is fairly solid.

Overall, I quite enjoyed this one. The story is good, and the illustrations are strong. Although we might not get the ending we thought we were going to, the one we do get is still nice. This book celebrates the power of friendships. Even unexpected ones.

A small furry creature in a green pod is left at the door of a squirrel named Otto. This creature is named Pio and every night he doubles in size. Can Otto and Pio find a happily ever after? This story isn’t bad but I really don’t like how Otto seems to be more concerned about his broken things, or the inconveniences in his life. Yes he actively looks for Pio’s parents, but he doesn’t seem to appreciate what Pio does until there is a near disaster. It may be close to life, but I think the message is too much of a downer for me to use in any activity.

Aw. This was a cute story with a sweet message about what makes a family. The illustrations were very engaging and vivid.

Cute kids book relatively similar to the Mother Bruce story. Nice illustrations. Would read for a preschool ST.