Ka-splash! Head to the river, where a frolicsome bunch of otters plays all year round in a nonfiction story sprinkled with facts — and loaded with fun.
It’s spring, and a litter of baby river otters emerges from a den . . . to play! Follow the otters through the seasons as they chase one another, slide down a mudbank, jump in a pile of leaves, and learn to swim. Even while catching fish for their dinner or grooming themselves in the snow, otters love to play — and Jonathan London’s lively text and Meilo So’s fluid watercolors invite you to share in the joy.
AWARD
| 2016 School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Fun and informative, this beautifully illustrated, strong narrative belongs in every collection. —School Library Journal (starred review)
Otters love to play, and so do children. Perhaps that is why so many children love otters, "one of the most playful creatures of all wildlife," which London highlights in this engaging text featuring irresistible illustrations by So...Both playful and beguiling, just like its subjects. —Kirkus Reviews
London, the author of 100-plus picture books and best known for his ever-growing Froggy series, combines family adventure and facts to create a frolicsome, informative tale...So’s whimsical art—aptly conceived in flowing watercolors—adds mischievous charm to all that beckoning play. —Booklist
A clutch of river otter pups grows and develops through the four seasons of their North American habitat...Lively illustrations capture the kinetic movements of otters, their slinky, flexible bodies, and the irresistible cuteness of their stocky paws and whiskered faces. —The Horn Book
Kids who enjoyed London’s introduction to those poop-flinging heavyweight hippos (Hippos Are Huge, BCCB 5/15) will be delighted with this return engagement on North American river otters...So’s watercolor illustrations are as supple and sinuous as their subject; dark hatching and dashes of delicate outlining give the otters a solidity that contrasts well with their translucently rendered surroundings. —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
London's sprightly narrative teams with So's naturalistic watercolors to follow pups' progress from birth in the spring through the end of their first year. —San Francisco Chronicle
The beautiful watercolor illustrations are neatly done...This is a nonfiction adventure book filled with facts that children will love to read and to look at the pictures of the otters playing chase, tag, and racing with one another. —School Library Connection
Jonathan London is an award-winning author of dozens of children’s books, including the popular Froggy series illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. He is well known for his compassion for — and commitment to — wildlife, and many of his books are about animals. Jonathan London lives in northern California.
Meilo So was born in Hong Kong but grew up in England. She is the illustrator of many children’s books, including Pale Male by Janet Schulman and Water Sings Blue by Kate Coombs. Meilo So lives in Scotland.
Ka-splash! Head to the river, where a frolicsome bunch of otters plays all year round in a nonfiction story sprinkled with facts — and loaded with fun.
It’s spring, and a litter of baby river otters emerges from a den . . . to play! Follow the otters through the seasons as they chase one another, slide down a mudbank, jump in a pile of leaves, and learn to swim. Even while catching fish for their dinner or grooming themselves in the snow, otters love to play — and Jonathan London’s lively text and Meilo So’s fluid watercolors invite you to share in the joy.
Awards
AWARD
| 2016 School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Praise
Fun and informative, this beautifully illustrated, strong narrative belongs in every collection. —School Library Journal (starred review)
Otters love to play, and so do children. Perhaps that is why so many children love otters, "one of the most playful creatures of all wildlife," which London highlights in this engaging text featuring irresistible illustrations by So...Both playful and beguiling, just like its subjects. —Kirkus Reviews
London, the author of 100-plus picture books and best known for his ever-growing Froggy series, combines family adventure and facts to create a frolicsome, informative tale...So’s whimsical art—aptly conceived in flowing watercolors—adds mischievous charm to all that beckoning play. —Booklist
A clutch of river otter pups grows and develops through the four seasons of their North American habitat...Lively illustrations capture the kinetic movements of otters, their slinky, flexible bodies, and the irresistible cuteness of their stocky paws and whiskered faces. —The Horn Book
Kids who enjoyed London’s introduction to those poop-flinging heavyweight hippos (Hippos Are Huge, BCCB 5/15) will be delighted with this return engagement on North American river otters...So’s watercolor illustrations are as supple and sinuous as their subject; dark hatching and dashes of delicate outlining give the otters a solidity that contrasts well with their translucently rendered surroundings. —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
London's sprightly narrative teams with So's naturalistic watercolors to follow pups' progress from birth in the spring through the end of their first year. —San Francisco Chronicle
The beautiful watercolor illustrations are neatly done...This is a nonfiction adventure book filled with facts that children will love to read and to look at the pictures of the otters playing chase, tag, and racing with one another. —School Library Connection
Author
Jonathan London is an award-winning author of dozens of children’s books, including the popular Froggy series illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. He is well known for his compassion for — and commitment to — wildlife, and many of his books are about animals. Jonathan London lives in northern California.
Meilo So was born in Hong Kong but grew up in England. She is the illustrator of many children’s books, including Pale Male by Janet Schulman and Water Sings Blue by Kate Coombs. Meilo So lives in Scotland.
