Books with author Bernard Garbutt

"Ollie the Dinosaur wanted to swim. But, he had very small arms, which were not really fit for swimming. His brain was the size of a pea, but his heart was the size of a watermelon, and every bit as sweet."" One clear day, Ollie decided that he was going to jump in the water and paddle away. And he did. But then he quickly sank to the bottom. Ollie makes repeated attempts at swimming, only to feel himself sink and then come out of the water to hear the laughter of all of the other dinosaurs. They observed Ollie's every move, and loved to make fun of his awkward attempts at swimming. Tugg, the pelican observes from a distance, then finds himself being plucked for feathers, as Ollie makes yet another attempt to keep his head above water. As Tugg chastises Ollie, the young dinosaur looks at the plucked pelican, only to realize that he used his brain, but not his heart, in an effort to succeed. In the end, Ollie makes it up to Tugg, and the pelican finds a way to allow his nemesis to swim. From that day forward, the dinosaur and pelican gain a new appreciation for friendship, and how it can keep us afloat during even the toughest of times. This tale of friendship born out of adversity offers the reader a pallet of watercolors and pen and ink illustrations that connect us to a young dinosaur who wants to do something his body isn't able to accomplish. The playful interplay of water and pen and ink capture the emotions and the challenge of a quest that friendship ultimately resolves. You'll be charmed and entertained by Ollie as his yearns to swim, and you'll also see just how irate a featherless Tugg can get. The storyline and the art combine for a tale that will keep readers smiling, laughing, and looking for more.