OTTER CARRIES ON

Can Otter manage without help?

A colorful array of rocks rest on a round and reddish otter’s stomach as the little animal bobs up and down on the waves. Puffin offers to help carry the heavy load, and fellow otters express concern, but Otter retorts, “I know what I’m doing.” Suddenly a storm arrives, and Otter is blown about as lightning crashes above. The others urge Otter to let go of some rocks, but the protagonist stubbornly clutches them. Tatsukawa relies on her signature multimedia illustration style, which many will recall from Mole Is Not Alone (2023). Here, she divides most spreads into two parts: sky and water. At one point, both these aspects of Otter’s world merge as the protagonist is blown out to sea, lost and adrift. It isn’t until several whales swim by and offer assistance that Otter realizes it’s OK to ask for help. An ocean of tiny details, depicted in a soft palette of grays, blues, and greens, will reward young readers developing visual literacy skills. Though the lesson imparted is sound, the text, told entirely through dialogue, may not resonate as deeply as the art. The resolution is somewhat abrupt, and picture-book readers may have trouble understanding why Otter was so reluctant to ask for help to begin with.

Visually immersive, though the storytelling may leave young readers cold.