Big Star Otto

Big Star Otto is the conclusion to Elephants Never Forget, the graphic novel trilogy created by Millbrook illustrator Bill Slavin. It’s an immensely entertaining adventure story, with fantastic artwork that’s detailed, energetic, and packed with visual humor throughout. It’s a perfect fit for emerging and reluctant readers looking for a strong visual narrative to help them through a book.

Published by Kids Can Press in March 2015, Big Star Otto is intended for children aged 8 to 11.

In Big Star Otto, big-hearted hero Otto and his parrot pal Crackers have landed in Hollywood, the final stop in their journey across America in search of their good friend Georgie the chimpanzee. They’ve been hot on Georgie’s trail since he was abducted from Africa by the sinister Man with the Wooden Nose, and now they’re sure they’ve finally found his location.

Reaching him is going to be tough, however, with a dishonest acting agent, a shadowy villain, disgruntled wannabe animal actors and some elephant-rights activists, among others, regularly thwarting their plans. It seems that greed and the quest for fame “can do awful things to folk” here in Tinseltown, as a wise old elephant tells Otto. Can true friendship possibly win in the end?

The hilarious storyline offers lots of sly, clever jokes driven by high-velocity action and a heartwarming and lovable main character. Through all of the misadventures that get in his way, Otto’s good nature and generosity remain constant, and his commitment to finding his friend never wavers — providing wonderful character education lessons on friendship, perseverance and teamwork.

You can buy Big Star Otto and Bill’s other books at major bookstores as well as at Bear Essentials (12 King St E, Millbrook, 705-932-2850) and online at Amazon and Chapters Indigo.

For more information about Bill, visit www.billslavin.com. You can find out more about his Elephants Never Forget graphic novel trilogy on Facebook or by visiting his blog at bigcityotto.blogspot.ca, where he has chronicled the creation of his trilogy.

Bill Slavin draws Otto

During the launch at Little Island Comics in Toronto of Big Top Otto (the second book in the Elephants Never Forget series) in 2013, Bill was videoed drawing Otto for the crowd.

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Bill Slavin has illustrated over 100 children’s books, both fiction and nonfiction, including Stanley’s Party by Linda Bailey, which won the 2004 Blue Spruce Award, the Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize, and the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator’s Award.

He also co-wrote and illustrated Transformed: How Everyday Things Are Made, which won the Norma Fleck Award as well as the Children’s Literature Roundtables of Canada Information Book Award in 2006.

In 2014, he completed his Elephants Never Forget graphic novel trilogy — Big City Otto, Big Top Otto, and Big Star Otto — fulfilling a lifetime desire to return to the world of comic books that he had inhabited in his youth.

Bill lives in the village of Millbrook with his wife, Esperança Melo, who is also an artist and the co-illustrator of Drumheller Dinosaur Dance, winner of the 2005 Blue Spruce Award.