• Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2016 August #1
  Otis the lovable tractor is back with a new adventure. Long sets the scene in a drought, filling the illustrations with dusty grays and golds while the farmhands bale hay to store in the barn. Otis and old friends often enjoy a sociable game of tug-of-war after a long work day, but one afternoon, their relaxation time is disturbed by a cat running toward the barn. Curious about her behavior, Otis notices smoke coming out of the barn windows. Racing after her, Otis realizes her kittens are trapped inside. Otis performs a brave rescue, but before he can get out, the barn floor collapses. Otis' animal friends must help the firefighters save the day. Long's gouache-and-pencil illustrations expertly convey the action and emotion of the story. The large-scale format and carefully considered details add an exciting, cinematic quality to the pictures. For older readers, the narrative is an excellent example of foreshadowing. Otis fans won't be disappointed by this series installment. Copyright 2014 Booklist Reviews.

Loren Long has putt puff puttedy chuffed his way all over the bestseller lists. He is the author of Otis, Otis and the Tornado, Otis and the Puppy, An Otis Christmas, Otis and the Scarecrow, Little Tree, Drummer Boy, Toy Boat by Randall de Sève, and Mr. Peabody’s Apples by Madonna. He was also honored to have the opportunity to modernize the classic The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper and to illustrate Of Thee I Sing by President Barack Obama. A graduate of the American Academy of Art in Chicago, Loren lives in Ohio with his wife, Tracy, and their two sons.You can visit Loren Long at www.OtisTheTractor.com and www.LorenLong.com. Follow @lorenlong