Oscar and Otis is the story of 2 kids trying to help one of their fathers fight the fat!. The charachters are all animated as animals, Oscar and Otis being cats. This book was written to reach kids on their own level. My hope is to help children learn about healthy lifestyle choices that are easy and can make a big difference.
Oscar and Otis - Fat Fighters is the story of 2 friends learning about health & fitness to help one of their fathers fight the fat! The story is both laughable and learnable. Children can identify with the characters and enjoy the lesson of making better choices everyday to help out ones we love and ourselves.
Excerpt
“Ok, this is important. I’m coming over.”
My mom drove me to Otis’s house. It’s
only a couple of blocks away, but she
always drives me.
“Okay, listen. My dad, is... well, you
know... umm, he’s got a big gut. And now
the doctor says he might get sick. I don’t
want him to get a sick heart. And what
if we get big bellies, or big butts, or
become like those people with the skin
that swings under their arms even when
they stop waving? You know, like
Mrs. Duncan.”
Professional Reviews
Book looks at physical fitness/weight for kids!
Oscar & Otis is a new fun book by Alicia Kirschenheiter. Maciej Zajac beautifully illustrates it in a way that adds emphasis to the storyline! The children's book is written to encourage physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle; however, individuals of all ages may find it a challenging reminder!
Oscar and Otis are best friends who have a story to tell. By the way, Oscar and Otis are cats! How cool is that!
Oscar overheard his mom talking to their doctor about her husband being overweight. He had called to discuss how his weight puts him at a higher risk for many health problems. Oscar immediately became concerned since he doesn't want his dad to be sick!
Though Oscar talked to his mom and she told him not to worry, Oscar does--enough to call his best friend, Otis. After thinking about his dad, he realized that he also could become sick. When Otis answered, Oscar asked what he knew about being fat. Otis mumbled a reply because he just happened to be having a snack! Oscar invited himself over to Otis's house to talk about it more. He realized that his dad had a big belly and that it could lead to a sick heart.
In fact, if he kept eating like he did, he could get a belly just like his Dad!
Oscar and Otis talked about what they could do. Otis mentioned that he'd seen television commercials for a gym--and a guy called King Phineus! They got on the computer and learned more about the Fitness Center and decided to go see him--right after Otis' mom made them a snack: chocolate sundaes with whipped cream!
(You get the feeling that Oscar and Otis might need to change their eating habits too?)
When they got to the gym, they saw people with big bellies, some small, old people and even girls! This doesn't seem right, they thought. They met Phineus then and explained their concern about Oscar's dad and that they wanted to get something to help him get skinny. So Phineus showed them around and even let them try some of the equipment.
Finally Oscar knew what to do, he would send his dad there one day to play on the machines and get healthy. But King Phineus told them that it would take longer than one day, but with the right program, diet and determination, anyone could lose weight!
When Oscar got home, he found his dad in the kitchen having a snack. He decided right then was the time to talk to him--and so he did! And his dad listened and, encouraged, decided to not only help himself, but also his son.
And soon both families began different types of exercises and diet programs. Oscar and Otis found that they had more energy and became involved with playing sports and activities with other kids.
The author is an American Council on Exercise Certified Personal Trainer and Weight and Lifestyle Management consultant. She notes that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has pointed out that over the past three decades the childhood obesity rate has more than doubled for preschool children and adolescents. It has more than tripled for children aged 6-11 (back cover).
Parents, grandparents, concerned adults--if you know of a child, or children, who is already beginning, or has a weight problem, please consider this book a must-read!
DIY Book Festival Review
Oscar and Otis Fat Fighters tackles a growing and delicate subject, the obesity crisis, in a light-hearted and targeted way that will encourage families to get off the couch and begin to move.
Author Alicia Kirschenheiter and illustrator Maciej Zajac use some colorful and anthropomorphic cats to tell their tale, which is sure to hit home and prompt many families to work together on exercise plans.
The story begins with Oscar’s father learning that he has to reduce on advice from his physician. This prompts Oscar and his friend, Otis, to ponder how they, too, have habits that might make them susceptible to becoming overweight, bringing on health problems.
So they decide to visit a local television icon at the King Phineus Fitness center to explore whether the advertisements for the gym are true – can you look and feel better if you exercise? After seeing some workouts, Oscar and Otis are advised by King Phineus on ways they can become fit, even without joining a gym.
When Oscar relays his findings to his father, a light bulb goes off. Father and son begin exercising together, and mom makes healthier snacks and even joins in on the joys of movement, leaving a child with the sense that the family that exercises together is happier as well as healthier.
Would that getting people off the couch were that simple. But every journey starts with a first step, and the Oscar and Otis book provides a non-judgmental way to initiate the conversation about the importance of exercise in our video gaming-crazed society.
Get Moving!
Oscar discovers that his overweight father is headed for health problems, if he doesn't change his lifestyle. Oscar and his friend Otis try to get help for his father. In the process, they find out important ways to make their own bodies healthy.
I read Oscar and Otis with my nine-year-old granddaughter. Autumn is an active child who attends a twice weekly Karate class. After class, she enjoys running around the track and having me time her. On the way to the car, she does several cart wheels across the parking lot before hopping into the car.
After taking turns reading Oscar and Otis, Fat Fighters--Autumn wrote down the following comments: "I think this book is too cool, because I think a lot of kids are overweight. It is so cool that you made a book about it, to help people.
"I think the pictures are awesome! I really like the picture where the dad is so fat, then where the dad gets healthy."
Grandma's Comments: I enjoyed the story and the artwork. In the story, the author tells the difference between healthy and unhealthy snacks. I also think it's important to know that people don't have to go to the gym to get fit. All they need to do is get up and get moving.
Jill Ammon Vanderwood, author
Through the Rug
Through The Rug: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
Stowaway: The San Francisco Adventures of Sara, the Pineapple Cat
Re-Release! No longer back-listed. Return to the Olde Ways. The hustle and bustle of modern day life has brought many of us to a quick fix attitude.This book is for those of you who are fed up; have looked at your life and your loved ones and realize
