WITH YOUR PAW IN MINE

Paw in paw, two otter pups keep each other safe from a dangerous ocean storm.

When Mama goes hunting, she leaves her pup, Miki, alone to float safely on her back in a bed of seaweed. Waiting, Miki spots another “furry bundle” and paddles over to meet Amak, a pup who is also waiting for his mother. Recognizing that “waiting is lonely,” Miki offers to hold Amak’s paws until their grown-ups return. From that day forward, the two are inseparable—and the two mothers and two pups even snuggle up together at night. When a storm comes, the pups are again separated from their mothers, but, paw in paw, they keep each other safe. Whether taken literally or metaphorically, the book’s message resonates: “We all need someone’s paw to hold when the big waves come.” Though the story of friendship and community is timeless and endearing, Chapman’s signature acrylic artwork truly stands out as something special. The artist’s cool palette and spare, maritime scenery focus the art tightly on the characters and their small piece of the ocean. The lack of white space echoes the expansiveness of the sea.

Immersive, fluffy, and tailor-made for one-on-one storytime with caregivers and friends.