Bob and Otto Book

Bob the caterpillar and Otto the earthworm were best friends. They enjoyed crawling around together, and had, at least in their early stages, a lot in common. But then Bob had the urge to climb a tree and spin a cocoon and Otto had the urge to burrow into the earth and dig. When next they met, Bob had become a beautiful butterfly, and Otto felt sad and abashed that he was still the same humble worm. In an effort to comfort his friend, Bob assured Otto that his hard work digging made his (Bob's) metamorphosis possible.

Using a story written by his father, well-known author/illustrator Nick Bruel creates a picture-book about friendship and the different paths that erstwhile companions sometimes follow in Bob and Otto. Although I think the author's heart is in the right place here, I did have mixed feelings about the messages presented in the story. On the one hand, I do appreciate the idea that the slow and steady work of earthworms, although unseen by most because it occurs underground, is vital to the health of many ecological systems, and makes many beautiful things (like butterflies!) possible. That said, I had to wonder at the choice to compare an earthworm's contributory role to a butterfly's starring one, as it subtly reinforces the notion that the best that less attractive individuals can hope for is to perform the necessary but less appreciated labor behind the scenes, while others win attention. I do not believe this is an intentional message here, but it did occur to me as a possible interpretation, while reading. Leaving that concern aside, this is a sweet story of two friends whose path in life takes them apart and then brings them together, and (if read a certain way) highlights that we each have a role to play in the larger dance of life.