OTTO
HEARS MANY THINGS
by Linda Hutsell-Manning
About the author:
Linda Hutsell-Manning is the author of picture books,
plays and the ongoing Wonder Horn time travel series.
www.lindahutsellmanning.ca
About the illustrator:
Steen Ulrik Tvermoes has illustrated comic strips,
books and CD covers and has animated several tv
commercials and cartoons. www.st-cartoon.com
2
Otto opened his eyes to see his mom smiling at him. She handed Otto his bright
blue hearing aids. Otto slipped it over his ear and grinned. “Good morning, mommy,”
he said. “Good morning, Otto. Time to get up.”
3
“I heard you shaving, daddy,” Otto said. “I can hear many things.”
“Do you remember getting your hearing aids?” his dad asked.
“I was very little,” Otto said.
4
“The doctor tested your hearing with a special
machine,” his mom said.
“It didn‛t hurt at all.” Otto giggled. “I was asleep when
it happened.” “What happened next?” his dad asked.
5
“I visited the doctor two more times,” Otto said.
“The first time when I heard a sound, a funny puppet danced for me.
Then the doctor put soft sticky stuff into my ears. It tickled.
The next time, he turned my hearing aids on. I could hear many things!”
6
Otto jumped down from his chair. “What am I going to do today?” he asked.
“This morning we go to the hospital. Jessica wants to check your hearing aids.”
“Then what?” Otto asked. “We‛ll have picnic lunch in the park,” Otto‛s mom said,
getting the picnic basket, “Before you go to nursery school.” “Let‛s hurry mommy,”
Otto said, running for the door. “We don‛t want to be late.”
7
“When is it my turn?” Otto asked, climbing onto a big leather chair.
“I think you know,” his mom said, smiling.
“The nurse will call me and I will hear her,” Otto said, grinning.
“Because hear many things.”
8
Most boys and girls wore hearing aids like Otto.
One little girl without a hearing aid looked worried.
“We should tell her hearing aids are fun,” Otto whispered to his mom.
9
“My goodness,” Jessica said. “I think you‛ve grown taller.”
“I can hear many things,” Otto said. “Would that make me grow?”
“It might,” Jessica said, smiling. “Here are some new sounds, Otto. Listen.”
10
Ding dong ding dong. “A bell,” Otto said.
Meow, meow. “A cat,” Otto said.
Beep, beep. “I‛m not sure,” Otto said. “Maybe it‛s car horn.”
11
“Were the sounds too loud?” Jessica asked. Otto shook his head.
“Were the sounds too soft?” she asked. “The last sound was,” Otto said.
“Just a little bit.”
12
Jessica connected Otto‛s hearing aid to the computer. Otto watched her type but,
now, he could not hear any sounds. “Thanks,” Otto said, after he put on his hearing
aids. “Now I can hear many things again.”
13
“I love picnics,” Otto said. “Look mommy, there‛s a squirrel.” The squirrel sat up and
chattered at Otto and his mom. “I know what he‛s saying,” Otto said. “He wants
some of my lunch.”
14
“I can hear a bird singing,” Otto said, looking up. “What do you think he‛s saying?”
his mom asked “He‛s singing a special song for me,” Otto said. “He‛s telling us it‛s
time to go to nursery school,” his mom replied. “Hurry.”
15
“Today we‛re going to play Days of the Week,” Miss Graham said. “I‛ll say a day and
you tell me what day comes after.” Otto sat still. He was sure he could name the
next day. “If today is Monday, tomorrow will be...?” “Tuesday,” Otto said, jumping
up. “If today is Monday, tomorrow is Tuesday.”
16
“Yes,” Miss Graham said, smiling. “Now Otto, you pick a day for the class.” Everyone
watched Otto. “If today is Wednesday, tomorrow will be...?” Otto asked his best
friend Emily. “What day will it be, Emily?” “Thursday,” she said. Otto nodded happily and sat down.
17
“Let‛s play on the climber,” Otto said to Emily. “Race you there,” Emily called,
running ahead. “If we climb to the top,” Otto said. “We might see a train go by.”
18
Bruno and Kate and Eric climbed up with them. “I see a train coming,” Emily said.
Woosh. It was there. Woosh. It was gone. “Woosh,” Otto and his friends shouted.
“Woosh goes the big train.”
19
“We have a video to watch,” Miss Graham said. “It‛s all about trains.”
In the video, a talking train engine told where he pulled his train cars. Out of the
city. Across long bridges. Over big mountains. Otto felt as if he were riding on that
train.
20
“Has anyone been on a train?” Miss Graham asked, afterward. “I have,” Bruno said.
“Me too,” Kate added. “It goes very fast.” “I want you to draw a picture of the
train,” Miss Graham said. “I love trains,” Otto said. “I‛m going to draw me riding in
my train.”
21
“Look at my picture,” Otto said. “I drew it at school today.”
“Are you the train driver?” his dad asked. “It‛s a very important job.”
Otto nodded. “I‛m a good train driver because I can hear many things.”
22
“What else did you do today?” Otto‛s dad asked. “Jessica checked my hearing aids.
Mommy and I had a picnic. And we saw a train video at school.”
“You had a busy day,” Otto‛s dad said. “You must be hungry.”
23
Otto‛s parents talked and talked and talked at supper.
What his dad did . Where his mom went. What they would do tomorrow.
Otto listened until they stopped. “Can we go on a train?” he asked.
24
“What a good idea,” Otto‛s dad said. “We could travel to the zoo.”
“Or to the seaside,” his mom added. “Or even to the mountains.”
“Can we go tomorrow?” Otto asked. “Not tomorrow,” both his parents said.
“Right now,” Otto‛s mom said, “it‛s time for your bath.”
25
Otto‛s mom turned on the taps. Otto put his boat into the tub.
“I like to hear the water,” he said. “I like to splash in it, too.”
“You have to give me your hearing aids, first,” his mom said.
“I know,” Otto said, “My hearing aids hate water.”
26
Otto pretended he was the Captain of his ship.
He splashed and made waves.
His mom‛s mouth formed a big “O” and she wiped her face with a towel.
Otto laughed and so did Otto‛s mom.
27
Otto‛s mom gave Otto his hearing aids. “Time to brush your teeth,” she said.
Otto‛s mom handed him his toothbrush as he climbed on a chair.
“This toothpaste tastes good,” Otto said. “It tastes like peppermints.”
28 “Keep brushing,” his mom said.
“Time for a story,” Otto‛s dad said.
Otto brought as many books as he could carry.
“Pick one,” Otto‛s dad said. “Pick your favourite story.”
29
Otto put all the books on the bed and climbed up beside his dad. “Which one is your
favourite story?” Otto‛s dad asked.“This one,” Otto said and picked the little engine
who said “I think I can.”
30
Otto knew all the words and said them with his dad. “I know I can... hear many
things,” Otto said after they closed the book. Otto‛s dad gave him a big hug. “Goodnight Otto,” he said. “One more important thing to do,” his mom said, at the doorway.
31
“Clean my hearing aids,” Otto said, getting under the covers. “Will you clean them
for me?” His mom nodded. “Goodnight Otto,” she replied softly. “Sweet dreams.”
“Goodnight mommy,” Otto said. He handed the hearing aids to his mom.
32
Otto watched his mom clean each of his hearing aids.
He snuggled down as she carefully put them on his dresser.
He was almost asleep when his mom blew him a goodnight kiss.
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Otto wears hearing aids. In this book you can follow him
through a day in his life. He will go to the hospital to have
his hearing aids checked, to the park for a picnic and to
nursery school with his friends. At the end of the day Otto
www.otikids.com
For ages 2 years and up
911 81 610 00 /06.06 Printed in China
will have dinner and fun with his parents at home.