Otis & Peanut Find a Way, written by Naseem Hrab and illustrated by Kelly Collier. Owlkids, 2025. $22,95 ages 6 and up

 

"What if we practice going
on a trip? 

Practice going somewhere 
without going anywhere? 

Yes, we can practice going 
nowhere! 
I haven't visited there in 
a while." 

If you been reading this blog for some time, you will know that I have a special place in my heart for Otis and Peanut. They have the kind of friendship any one of us would want to maintain and nurture. They share the ups and downs of life, and do so with kindness and attention to the other's feelings at all times. 

There are three stories in their new book: The Trip, The Stone and The Visit. In the first, Otis leaves his house for a walk along the road. Closing his eyes, he tries to imagine taking a trip. Peanut stops him, asking what Otis is doing. When Otis responds, Peanut explains that he loves trips and being away. Perhaps he could help his uncertain friend with a plan. Otis has a lot of questions, and Peanut has the answers. In the end, they decide to practice taking a trip to see how it goes. There is a lot to consider. After a tiring practice and a lot of what-ifs, they decide to put the trip off to another time. 

In The Stone, the two find that looking for perfect stones reminds them of their friend Pearl and their many memories of time spent together. Otis realizes he is begining to forget some of the important things he loved about Pearl. Peanut listens carefully to his words and tries to help Otis understand that over time it is important to let go of a perfect stone, in the same way that he will let go of some of his memories of his dear friend. 

Finally, in The Visit, Otis and Peanut are hurrying to the train station to meet Marion, Otis's sister. They will only have twenty-two minutes together; Otis does not want to miss a moment. Arriving ahead of time, Otis shares an agenda he has made for the visit. Together, he and Peanut make some important changes. The agenda blows away on the wind before Marion arrives. What will they do now? Time passes quickly and too soon it's time for Marion to board the train that will take her home. Her gift to Otis and Peanut is quite a surprise and encourages even more practice about trip-taking. Otis's discovery about himself is heartwarming and empowering. Bravo, friends!