How to Be an Animal Hero

Hoo-ray! Kate Messner has a new chapter book series, and this one is about wildlife rescues. How to Save an Otter, along with How to Save an Owl, are the first two book that will release together this week. Perfect timing for a chapter book, too: the beginning of a school year when kids will be looking for new books to read!

How to Save an Otter (Wildlife Rescue) 

by Kate Messner 

128 pages; ages 6-9

Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2025

Ivy and her brother, Ezra are as different as two siblings can be. But they have one thing in common: they care about animals. Their family volunteers as “critter carriers” for the local wildlife hospital – that means they’re called when someone finds an injured or orphaned animal. When they arrive, they calm the animal, load it safely into a carrier, and transport it so it can receive medical care. 

When Ivy discovers a baby river otter with an injured leg, she’s worried that it will feel lonely without its family. Ivy would! Ivy helps transport the otter and, later, visits it as it recovers. Readers will enjoy the antics of the baby otter and at the same time learn what it takes to care for injured wild animals. For example: when carrying an injured critter to the hospital, leave the radio off. Too much noise is stressful!

Ivy’s visits to the wildlife hospital keep her busy, and at the same time she has friendships to build and school projects to collaborate on. I love how Kate brings everything to a satisfying conclusion so we can all take a deep breath … before diving into the next book in the series – which I have not read yet, but I understand it focuses on Ezra and the owl.

Why I like this book: The story inspired by Kate’s own experiences volunteering for a local wildlife hospital and has the voice of authenticity. I also like that she includes back matter. Her author’s note shares her experience with wildlife rehabilitation, and another section offers specific ways kids can be “wildlife heroes.”

Thanks for dropping by today. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Beach Month ~ Let's Go Otter Watching!

The Secret Life of the Sea Otter 

by Laurence Pringle; illus. by Kate Garchinsky 

32 pages; ages 6-9

Astra Young Readers, 2022 

theme: otters, nature, ocean

Lutris takes a nap. She has been busy all morning, diving underwater to hunt for food.

This book shows up-close-and-personal what the daily life of a sea otter is like – and it’s not all floating in a bed of kelp. Clams may be easy to harvest, but then Lutris has to smack them open. Fortunately she has a rock for that – and a place to tuck it away safely until she needs it again. Wait! Otters have pockets? We also watch a baby sea otter grow, learn how otters communicate with each other, and how otters use strands of kelp in their child care strategy.

What I like about this book: In addition to learning about otter pockets, we learn so many other sea otter facts. Here’s a fact: I know my otter-crazy kid would have loved this book!  There is also back matter where parents (or older readers) can learn more about sea otters.

Beyond the Books:

Check out these ocean and otter-related books: Planet Ocean: Why We All Need a Healthy Ocean and If You Take Away the Otter

Do you have an Otter Pocket? Check out this short video showing how Luna uses her pocket. You can learn more about sea otters here. 

Make a paper bag sea otter puppet. Then have your otter tell a story about life in the ocean. Instructions and downloadable template for otter parts here.

Watch Sea Otters! If you don’t live close to an aquarium or ocean, check out this live Sea Otter cam. Warning: it is very relaxing.... you might just want to stay for awhile. So grab your beach chair and thermos of lemonade.

We’ll join Perfect Picture Book Friday once they resume. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

If You Take Away the Otter

 If You Take Away the Otter
by Susannah Buhrman-Deever; illus. by Matthew Trueman
32 pages; ages 5 - 8
Candlewick, 2020

theme: ocean, animals, ecology

On the Pacific coast of North America, where the ocean meets the shore, there are forests that have no trees.

They are forests of kelp and other seaweeds, providing a home to sea stars, octopuses, fish of all kinds and, trundling along the bottom, sea urchins. The king of these forests is the sea otter. The otters dive into the deep waters and fill up on fish, clams, crabs, and prickly sea urchins.

“There is just enough seaweed, enough seaweed eaters, and enough meat eaters to help the forests thrive,” writes Susannah Buhrman-Deever. But there was a time when people took the otters away.

With the otters gone, the sea urchin population grew. They ate the kelp forests. The ocean changed…

What I like about this book: I like how Susannah uses two levels of text to tell the story of what happens when one species (people) takes too much. I like Matthew Trueman’s luscious underwater scenes and the details of the ocean animals he paints. What I really like, though, is the sense of hope: that when we take care of our part of the planet, the animals and plants can come back into balance. Back matter includes more information about kelp forests and sea otters, as well as resources for curious naturalists to explore further.

Beyond the Books:

Learn more about sea otters, kelp, and sea urchins. This video shows how otters are ecosystem superheroes. This one takes you on an underwater adventure.

You can help save sea otters, even if you don’t live anywhere near an ocean. Check out these things you can do.

Visit an otter at a zoo or aquarium. River otters live near streams and rivers across North America. Some may live near you, so anything you do to help sea otters will help river otters, too. If you can’t get to a zoo, here’s a video of a river otter at the national zoo.

Today we're joining Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. You can find out more about Susannah Buhrman-Deever at her website. Review copy provided by the publisher.