Otis & Peanut

Sometimes little things can feel like big things, and a good friend can help you see things differently. Whether Otis, a long-haired guinea pig, is worried a haircut it too much change, feeling sad because he misses a friend, or is struggling to make a new house feel like a home, Peanut, a naked mole rat with a flair for drama, is there to offer solutions and cheer Otis on. Even when they don’t agree, like when Peanut is adamant Otis should have planted potatoes instead of lilacs because potatoes are delicious and ‘lilacs aren’t very tasty. Even with butter’, they stay the best of friends.

With a palette of pink, yellow and blue a splash of green, the simple but expressive drawings are visually attractive while staying focused on the expressions and feelings of Peanut and Otis.

The pair’s lighthearted approach to topics that can be emotionally challenging, like change, death, and moving houses, will entertain while building empathy for others who may be going through something they find difficult. Like many great children’s books, Otis and Peanut is written for younger readers but can be enjoyed by readers of all ages.