Otter Moon Book

In the land of the otters, Flibberty lay in his secret place, watching the moon rise and daydreaming instead of catching fish. So the King of the River sets him a seemingly impossible task: to find and serve him a great fish on a silver dish before daybreak.

With the help of his friend the heron, Flibberty sets off downriver—far, far away from home. But will he ever fulfill the King’s demands?

Tudor Humphries’s breathtaking artwork captures the young otter’s unforgettable journey—the magical night, deep blue waters, and new day, dawning bright.

Publishers Weekly

Humphries's (Hiding) splendid watercolors follow an otter's all-night journey (“Night was Day for him, and Day was Night”) in this story about two friends on a curious quest. “Catch me a fish,” the King of the River commands Flibbertigibbet the otter, “and it had better be on a silver dish.” Distracted and discouraged, Flibbertigibbet searches through the night with no success. His friend, Heron, standing on the riverbank, urges him on: “Use your eyes; use your wits.” In the end, an unexpected source serves as the dish, the Heron helps Flibbertigibbet with the fish and all's well. Humphries writes with skill, striking a balance between lyric touches and a sturdy narrative, but it's his limpid paintings of night on the river—the lavenders of sunset, deep midnight blues, the pinks and oranges of dawn—that make the work stand out. He paints a magical world that is part of this one, yet independent of it (no humans appear). Readers whose imaginations are fired by the secret lives of wild creatures will treasure the otter's story. Ages 3–6. (Sept.)