Oscar and Otis Fat Fighters tackles a growing and delicate subject, the obesity crisis, in a light-hearted and targeted way that will encourage families to get off the couch and begin to move.

Author Alicia Kirschenheiter and illustrator Maciej Zajac use some colorful and anthropomorphic cats to tell their tale, which is sure to hit home and prompt many families to work together on exercise plans.

The story begins with Oscar’s father learning that he has to reduce on advice from his physician. This prompts Oscar and his friend, Otis, to ponder how they, too, have habits that might make them susceptible to becoming overweight, bringing on health problems.

So they decide to visit a local television icon at the King Phineus Fitness center to explore whether the advertisements for the gym are true – can you look and feel better if you exercise? After seeing some workouts, Oscar and Otis are advised by King Phineus on ways they can become fit, even without joining a gym.

When Oscar relays his findings to his father, a light bulb goes off. Father and son begin exercising together, and mom makes healthier snacks and even joins in on the joys of movement, leaving a child with the sense that the family that exercises together is happier as well as healthier.

Would that getting people off the couch were that simple. But every journey starts with a first step, and the Oscar and Otis book provides a non-judgmental way to initiate the conversation about the importance of exercise in our video gaming-crazed society.

MARKETING:

Since the book is centered on the family, it would behoove the author to do anything and everything to get the book in front of families and create impulse buys. While retail shelf space is expensive, many independent retailers beyond booksellers are looking for ways to enhance the customer experience, and placing a shelf-talker near the cash register and offering the retailer a profit incentive on sales of the book has jump-started many publisher sales.

One way to sell this book may, in fact, be to give it away. The art of insertion is one that works well for many book publishers. Simply place a one-sheet of local fitness and nutritional business advertisementns as an insert in your book, then get retailers, grocers and other locals to give the book away to customers as a good-will gesture. Publishers have found great success by piggy-backing their book onto any number of related businesses, and a strong distribution plan, backed by a solid campaign of local advertising and appearances, often multiplies sales, particularly with books that can re-direct customers to a web site.

Another strong consideration: Oscar and Otis have the potential to be long-lived characters in the fitness war. The author should not overlook the potential of creating costumes so that live characters are available for local appearances, again redirecting people back to a web site for additional sales opportunities. There is something magical about seeing someone in costume for most children, and parents are only too glad to continue the experience at home by visiting a web site with their child, particularly if there is a strong health component to such visits.