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Otto: the Autobiography of a Teddy Bear

by Tomi Ungerer

4.05 of 5 stars 4.05 · rating details · 212 ratings · 39 reviews

This is an autobiographical tale of a teddy bear named Otto. Otto is a German-born teddy bear. His first memories are of being stitched together and being given to David, a Jewish boy living in Germany before WWII. David and his best-friend Oskar always play with Otto, using him for pranks, games and even teaching him to type on a typewriter. Life is a lot of fun for the O This is an autobiographical tale of a teddy bear named Otto. Otto is a German-born teddy bear. His first memories are of being stitched together and being given to David, a Jewish boy living in Germany before WWII. David and his best-friend Oskar always play with Otto, using him for pranks, games and even teaching him to type on a typewriter. Life is a lot of fun for the Otto. However, one day, David starts to wear a yellow star on his jacket. He and his parents are soon carted away by men in leather coats and uniforms. David decides to give his dear teddy bear to Oskar. Many lonely days pass for Oskar and Otto. But even gloomier days soon arrive when Osakar's father is drafted into the army and the bombings start. One day, a sudden explosion sends Otto flying through the air and into the middle a raging battle-field. The teddy bear is spotted by a soldier, but the moment the soldier picks Otto up, they are both shot through the chest. Otto and the soldier, an American G.I., are taken away to a hospital. In hospital, the soldier keeps Otto by his side. When he recovers, he pins a medal on Otto's chest, saying that Otto saved his life, taking the brunt of the bullet. The story makes papers and Otto becomes a mascot of the soldier's regiment. The teddy bear is then taken to America and is given to a sweet girl called Jasmin, the soldier's daughter. But Otto's new home and happiness is once again brutally ended when he is snatched away by mean and violent street urchins, who hit and trample on him and throw him into a bin. Otto is then picked up by an antiques dealer and taken to his shop. Years and years go by, until one rainy evening, when a bulky man stops and carefully examines the shop window. The man recognizes the bear instantly buys him. It is Oskar, Otto's old friend. The story of Oskar, a German tourist and survivor of the war finding his teddy bear in America soon makes the papers. And the day after Otto's picture appears in the paper, Oskar's telephone rings: it is his old friend David. And so, the three friends finally reunite, sharing the sorrows and pains of war and living a peaceful and happy life together. Otto now keeps himself busy, typing the story of his life on David's typewriter. Children will become attached to this loving, innocent protagonist, and will naturally be interested in his life story. Tomi Ungerer deals with one of the darkest chapters of history and pulls off the challenge admirably. This tale will prompt reflection and important questions without causing undue fear. ...more

Hardcover , 36 pages

Published October 20th 2010 by Phaidon Press (first published 1999)

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Lists with This Book

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Best Children's Books about World War II (1939-1945)

75th out of 191 books — 263 voters

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Novels Set in Germany

211th out of 265 books — 116 voters

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Jan 05, 2013 Manny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children , well-i-think-its-funny , why-not-call-it-poetry , french

A little corner of the Holocaust, seen through the eyes of a teddy bear - very nicely done, with just the right amount of Ungerer's inimitable ironic humor. I think younger children will find it too distressing, but it should be suitable for 6-7 year olds and upwards. We had the French edition lying on our coffee table for several months, and nearly everyone who visited picked it up and read it.

The basic story: Otto belongs to David, a Jewish kid in 1930's Germany. His best friend is Oskar, a Ge A little corner of the Holocaust, seen through the eyes of a teddy bear - very nicely done, with just the right amount of Ungerer's inimitable ironic humor. I think younger children will find it too distressing, but it should be suitable for 6-7 year olds and upwards. We had the French edition lying on our coffee table for several months, and nearly everyone who visited picked it up and read it.

The basic story: Otto belongs to David, a Jewish kid in 1930's Germany. His best friend is Oskar, a Gentile. One day, the SS arrive, and take away David and his family. Just before they hustle him into the truck, David gives Otto to his friend.

The bear goes through various harrowing adventures. He's blown up by an Allied bomb, then found in the rubble by a black GI and taken to the US. He ends up in the window of a junk shop, and is miraculously spotted one day by Oskar, now an old man. He recognizes Otto by the distinctive ink stain on his face, resulting from an accident 60 years earlier, and immediately buys him.

The story is so remarkable that the media get hold of it. That evening, a second miracle happens: there is a phone call from David. Against all the odds, he survived Auschwitz. He saw a newspaper story, and managed to track Oskar down.

At the end, the two childhood friends, both bachelors, have moved in together. The final picture is typical Ungerer. They're sitting together happily in David's rather upmarket apartment. Although David is confined to a wheelchair (Auschwitz has apparently left its mark), that hasn't interfered with his ability to appreciate female beauty. The walls are covered with tasteful but extremely racy nude studies.

It's just occurred to me that this isn't in fact gratuitous. Without the nudes, many adult readers would ask themselves whether Oskar and David are supposed to be gay. As it is, you can at once see that David, at least, is definitely hetero. Ungerer's clever.
_______________________________________

I was shocked and disappointed to find that the English-language edition has censored the illustration on the last page: the sexy nudes have been replaced by anodyne landscapes. All too typical, alas.

...more

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Dec 17, 2012 notgettingenough rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens , pairs

Camp Concentration by Disch and Otto by Tom Ungerer

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

A pair made in a sort of hell, I guess, birthday books read back to back.

I don’t understand why Otto is badly written, when the author is obviously capable of writing good text in English. If you want to write some sort of nightmare for children – even worse, a nightmare that really happened – one has to be very careful, I imagine and this isn’t. It uses badly cliched English that is inappropriate for any Camp Concentration by Disch and Otto by Tom Ungerer

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

A pair made in a sort of hell, I guess, birthday books read back to back.

I don’t understand why Otto is badly written, when the author is obviously capable of writing good text in English. If you want to write some sort of nightmare for children – even worse, a nightmare that really happened – one has to be very careful, I imagine and this isn’t. It uses badly cliched English that is inappropriate for any readership, let alone kids. He describes the bombing of his German town thus: ‘Among the ruins and the fires lay innocent victims.’ What on earth does that mean? That some of the civilians bombed in German towns weren’t innocent victims? Does he mean anybody killed by these bombs were innocent victims? One could conceive of an argument along the lines of all the innocent victims being in concentrations camps, after all – two words ignored by this children’s book. Then there is the general dilemma of writing about such a topic for children: I am uneasy about his treatment, really uneasy about picking such a theme and coming up with a happy ending. Finally, the language is stilted, quite unattractive to read. I don’t understand why a child would want to read it.

Nor, as an adult, would I consider giving it to a child. ‘Mummy why did Oskar let those men take his friend away? Why didn’t his mother help? Why didn’t….If somebody wanted to take my friend away, would you stop them, Mummy?’ ‘Well, no, I wouldn’t, Oskar. It’s better just to watch when that happens and be glad it isn’t happening to you’. Honestly. The more I think about this book, the more I am really unhappy about it.

The pictures are nice.

Unfortunately Camp Concentration has no pictures. It does, however, avoid avoiding the words concentration camp. One can only assume, knowing that Disch considers himself too clever for words – no, not too clever for words, his books are full of his cleverness, little jokes for his friends and so on, exactly the sort of thing I object to when reading clever dicks – one can only assume that moving the word order is a play on his own camp ways as they are expressed in this book, much as it may have other rationales as well. It was explained to me after I finished reading this – and I must confess that my reading became cursory after a while – that I had missed all the clues. Was I supposed to know there were clues and that I was reading a mystery book? If I was supposed to realise this, it was badly communicated to me. If I wasn’t supposed to realise it, we are left with a denouement which is rather like one of those who-dun-its where the author cheats.

There are always flashes of good writing in Disch’s work, but the point is, SO WHAT? There are probably a thousand people on goodreads, and tens of thousands of bloggers out there who produce such flashes, or, amazingly, keep it up. I think Disch is lazy, but because he has such tickets on his cleverness, he doesn’t think that matters. I beg to differ. But then, to be fair, I don’t think cleverness is nearly sufficient to produce a good piece of writing. Not nearly.

It is interesting to consider that we have here two examples of genre writing, both of which consistently fall down in the writing department. Picture books need good pictures and good text is only ever ‘nice if you can get it’. Science fiction is full of examples of authors who have great ideas but who can’t write. Six year olds probably don’t care and nor do science fiction buffs. Unfortunately I am neither.
...more

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Feb 05, 2011 Christiane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: picture-books

This is one of those beautiful, sad picture books that really, really isn't. This would be a great book to use with kids in a classroom, not so great a book for your four year old to pull off the shelf and demand you read to them. It's the story of a teddy bear as he goes from German toy workshop, through World War II where he watches his (Jewish) family taken away, to surviving bombings (one upsetting illustration shows dead and wounded soldiers and burning buildings) and going home with an Ame ...more

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Mar 16, 2011 Krista the Krazy Kataloguer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-childrens-books

A teddy bear describes how he got from his first owner in Nazi Germany to his last owner in New York City. Otto's first owner is a Jewish boy, who gives the bear to his best friend Oskar when he is sent to the concentration camps. Oskar loses Otto during a bombing attack on his city. An American soldier finds the bear and takes it home for his daughter. From there the bear has other adventures until... well, it's a surprise ending, and I don't want to spoil it. Nothing in the book indicates that ...more

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Nov 17, 2014 Sue Lyle rated it 4 of 5 stars

A simple story of the Second World War through the eyes of a German teddy bear who suffers much but ends up happy. Perfect for Key Stage 2 studying Second World War.

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Feb 15, 2012 Zornitsa rated it 5 of 5 stars

"Разбрах, че съм стар, когато ме сложиха на витрината на антикварен магазин".
През безсмъртието на плюша Унгерер разказва проста история за Втората световна война; за жълтите звезди и депортацията, за бомбардировките и руините, за расизма. Последното не го очаквах, очаквах краят на войната да е край на сюжета за насилието, както е обикновено дори в книгите и филмите за възрастни. Радвам се, че не е.
И все пак. Трудно е да дадеш тази книга на детето си, да му покажеш в какъв свят всъщност си го ро "Разбрах, че съм стар, когато ме сложиха на витрината на антикварен магазин".
През безсмъртието на плюша Унгерер разказва проста история за Втората световна война; за жълтите звезди и депортацията, за бомбардировките и руините, за расизма. Последното не го очаквах, очаквах краят на войната да е край на сюжета за насилието, както е обикновено дори в книгите и филмите за възрастни. Радвам се, че не е.
И все пак. Трудно е да дадеш тази книга на детето си, да му покажеш в какъв свят всъщност си го родил, да го направиш съпричастно към страха и вината. Само че без съзнание за войната едва ли ще има усилие за отстояване на мира. Между отделните хора, не само между държавите.
Книгата е хубава, защото, макар за деца, не посочва един лош и един добър, не използва сантименталния си потенциал, за да сочи и така да ражда омраза с обратен знак. Тя не национализира злото - и затова може да се използва като отправна точка за други разговори, които така и не сме провели - например за етническата омраза у нас, за преименуването, за расистките нападения, за които слушаме по новините. ...more

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Jul 16, 2013 Kenny rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: classics , childrens , young-adult

Otto is a teddy bear that begins his life as a gift for David, a young German Jewish boy; Otto becomes a trusted friend of David and his best friend, Oskar and a willing participant in their childhood pranks. Soon, David and his family are sent away to a concentration camp, and Otto is entrusted to Oskar’s care. The war takes its toll on Oskar’s city and family, and soon Otto is lost. Otto finds himself with a new companion, a U.S. soldier. Otto travels to America, experiencing many different ad ...more

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May 23, 2012 Tami rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction , picture-books

I think the idea behind this book is wonderful. I do not, however, feel it was accomplished in the text.

The idea of relating historical events through the eyes of a teddy bear who is first gifted to a young German Jewish boy during the Holocaust, then to his friend when he is taken away by the Nazis, then taken by an American soldier to the United States where he ends up in an antique store is rife with possibilities for teaching compassion and tolerance and the consequences when we turn our bac I think the idea behind this book is wonderful. I do not, however, feel it was accomplished in the text.

The idea of relating historical events through the eyes of a teddy bear who is first gifted to a young German Jewish boy during the Holocaust, then to his friend when he is taken away by the Nazis, then taken by an American soldier to the United States where he ends up in an antique store is rife with possibilities for teaching compassion and tolerance and the consequences when we turn our backs on that ideal.

I do not think it is a bad thing to read a picture book about the Holocaust with a 4-year-old. I think it is important for children to know that the evil from fairy tales and fiction can exist and even MORE important for them to know that the good in those fictional stories ALSO exists. It is the way in which they learn to be compassionate, caring, contributing members of the world and human existence.

That said, it needs to be done in an age-appropriate way. My issue with the book is not its content. It is the fact that there is little to no character development in the teddy bear character or any of the others who come in and out of the story. The author has told an important, gripping story in a way that bored me completely.

If the book is directed at young children it has missed its mark. They will not sit through a story that has so much bland narration and almost no dialogue to engage the reader.

I could see it being used in middle or high school just as different way to introduce the idea of the Holocaust, but I do not believe those students are going to be pulled in by the narrative. It would have to be supported with other reading materials and media.

I WANTED to love this book. I am disappointed in its execution. ...more

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Nov 15, 2014 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 520ya

This book is told from the perspective of a teddy bear named Otto. His first owner was a Jewish boy named David. When David and his family were taken to a concentration camp, David gave Otto to his best friend Oskar. After Oskar's father left for war, the bombings started and Otto was sent flying in a cloud of smoke. A soldier found him and they were both shot. Later in the story Otto is sitting in an antique shop when an old man spots him. The man said that he was his childhood teddy bear and h ...more

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Dec 14, 2010 Robert Marsh rated it 5 of 5 stars

The third in Philomel's reissues of Tomi Ungerer's picture books. Anything by Ungerer is worth your time, but this book is particularly poignant. It would make an excellent book for teachers in middle school, high school or college seeking to incorporate picture/texts into their lessons.

I've read some reviews that think the story is too grim for kids. I disagree. I think it looks honestly at history and the human condition and shows the power of love and friendship. Highly recommended.

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Jan 17, 2012 Shanshad Whelan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens , mg , picture-book , historical-fiction

Tomi Ungerer is always a curious author to read. His books are . . . unusual and often unexpected. This tale of a teddy bear's life as he goes from belonging a boy in Germany at the time of WWII to experiences of the war and finally coming full circle is not for the young reader, but more appropriate for a middle grade audience learning about that time in history.

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Jul 31, 2011 Maria rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children , historical-fiction , picture-books

Otto is a German teddy bear who has seen innocence, laughter, war and tragedy. This is a powerful story of hope and friendship.

Why I started it: I was expecting something completely different from the title and the cover. Tea parties and a grape juice.

Why I finished it: The illustrations are simple but the story is extraordinary.

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Mar 02, 2011 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: picture-books

This book is for older children because of some of the themes (halocaust, war, bullies) but, the story is touching and of course made me all weepy.

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Mar 16, 2015 Kyra Harwell rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this story, but it did have one big error. Hitler was not killing Jews for their religious beliefs, it was because of their race.

www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/.../NonJ... ...
Jewish Virtual Library
Why Did Hitler Kill 11 Million People? ... Even though Jews are defined by religion, Hitler saw the Jewish people as a race that he believed ...

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Aug 20, 2014 Amber rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-books

I first saw this book at the Holocaust museum in Washington DC gift show. I wanted to page thew it but just wrote the title down. I checked it out from the library. I think it a perfect way to introduce that part of history to very young kids. It has a sweet tone to it and it isn't too sad. I;m glad that I took the time to write the title down.

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Jul 08, 2014 Eleanor rated it 5 of 5 stars

I taught this book to French children during my teacher training. They were 7-8 year olds and always engaged with the lessons. An excellent text if you want to introduce children to both literature and history. My daughter found it on my bookshelf and now wants me to read it to her all the time.

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Sep 30, 2015 Orla Barry rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read this as a child ( I believe it was banned for years ) and love reading it now to my children - they don't yet understand the underlying obvious references to the holocaust but they know it's a book about friendship. A book to hold on tight to.

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Sep 21, 2014 Molly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: picture-books

Still not that great, but I would have actually liked this as a kid- I would have felt so smart for understanding what WWII was.

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Sep 29, 2015 Edipa Gaviriaorlando rated it 5 of 5 stars

buscando que libros comprarle he descubierto que hay mucho mucho de donde escoger esta es la primera joya que encontré

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Jul 31, 2014 Laura rated it 1 of 5 stars

Not a children's book. Imagine explaining to a child why that soldier is holding a bear over his bullet wound.

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Jul 19, 2015 Maggie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 3rd-grade , 4th-grade , 5th-grade , ais-library , building-character , children-s-books , historical-fiction , holocaust , picture-books , read-alouds , war

A sad but not-too-scary holocaust story reminiscent of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

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Jun 30, 2014 Sam rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a beautiful, soulful book for children. Shows loss on all sides through the eyes of a teddy bear.

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Jun 27, 2014 Almita rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: littérature-jeunesse

Great story to talk about world war two and the shoah with children.

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Oct 10, 2014 Phoenix rated it 3 of 5 stars

Good book but don't appropriate for a 4 year old just yet.

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Jun 29, 2015 T Crockett rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: picture-books

I love the opening line "I knew I was old when I found myself on display in the window of an antique store". From there the story goes back to the bear's creation and follows his life story. Otto has great adventures, a bit like Forrest Gump he ends up in the middle of historical events. However here the events are WWII, which the author grew up amidst in occupied France. The story has the deportation of the jews, battle scenes, death and some happy surprises too. It's not the typical kids' book ...more

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Jul 17, 2014 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: picture-books , war , catastrophe , historical-fiction

Otto the bear lives through World War II.

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May 01, 2015 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ellie , jacob , mom

Wonderful way to introduce kids to the effects of friendship and WWII through the biography of a bear. My kids loved this book!

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May 16, 2013 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-pic-books

I came across this during weeding and thought it looked pitiful, poor Otto the teddy bear. Yet, it's a clever way to tell the horrors of the Holocaust without being gruesome, bringing the story to the level of a young person. The paper is nice and heavy with soft and muted artwork that saturates the page. It turns out Otto brings Hope to the world.

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Apr 29, 2015 Fragmentage rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kids-collection , 2015readingchallenge

Hm.. I have mixed feelings about this one.. I've been looking for a book to use to address the Holocaust with my 7 year old and will give this a try although I'm not sure it's ideal. It definite leaves a lot of room for questions and for parents to fill with explanations and answers.

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Jan 01, 2014 Jami Sweeney rated it 5 of 5 stars

One of those rare children's books that is possibly more impactful to the adult reading the book aloud.

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About Tomi Ungerer

Jean-Thomas "Tomi" Ungerer is a French illustrator best known for his erotic and political illustrations as well as children's books.

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