BEAVER AND OTTER GET ALONG...SORT OF

An enterprising beaver establishes a home despite some neighborly interference.

When Beaver discovers a valley stream lined with aspens, alders, and pines, he begins work on his new lodge. For several weeks he cuts trees, removes branches, and weaves them across the stream to form a pond and build a lodge for himself and his new mate. Gradually, the pond attracts a diverse community of plants and animals, including Otter, who fishes in Beaver’s pond and creates a racket with his rambunctious family. While pond life quiets in winter, the otters manage to turn Beaver’s lodge into a toboggan run and repeatedly create holes in the dam that Beaver must repeatedly repair. In spring, both Beaver and Otter have new families, but the otters remain pesky. Over time, however, Beaver and Otter learn to co-exist as their environment transforms. Within this seemingly simple story of animal neighbors, the author successfully introduces facts about beavers and otters, concluding with helpful sections on how each species adapts, on beavers as engineers, and on commensal relationships. Teaching tips for reading the text aloud and prompting social-emotional learning, along with suggestions for activities and a brief bibliography of nature-awareness materials, provide a pedagogical boon. Engaging, accurate, realistic watercolor illustrations present Beaver and Otter at work and play in their natural habitats.

A visually appealing and scientifically informative introduction to beavers, otters, and their interaction.