Description

A hugely endearing, very funny story about kindness, friendship and overcoming fears, from award-winning illustrator Maisie Paradise Shearring.

Anna and Otis the snake are great friends and they love having fun together. But Otis knows people are scared of snakes, so he usually just plays at home or in the garden. He is nervous when Anna suggests a new adventure.

At first people are afraid, and Otis feels he isn’t welcome in the town. But Anna encourages Otis not to give up, and it soon turns out that maybe snakes aren’t as scary as people thought! The hairdresser enjoys shampooing a reptile for a change, and at the skate shop Sally has a lot of fun fitting Otis with his own set of awesome wheels.

Anna and Otis is full of endless rich details to spot and Maisie’s artwork is a treat to pore over.

Publisher Review

This appealing picturebook is about a little girl and her friend, a red-spotted yellow snake, and a community that learns to accept what it fears. Inclusive illustrations are bright, busy and drawn with charming naivety. * The Sunday Times * This lovely story about friendship and tolerance is full of irreverent detail that builds a colourful and familiar world for Anna and Otis. Shearring's accomplished illustration depicts the power of friendship in a bright, modern style. A delight of a book from a new talent. * BookTrust * This is great fun to read while the illustrations, original, idiosyncratic and full of vitality, make Anna and Otis unforgettable. * LoveReading4Kids * Brimming with a gallery of quirky and colourful illustrations, this is the ideal book to reassure youngsters meeting new people or starting school and nursery, and will encourage everyone to smile and say hello! * Lancashire Evening Post * Friendship, loyalty and acceptance are at the heart of this gentle and positive story which is a delight to read and refreshingly different. * Parents In Touch *