Utterly Otterly Day Book

Little Otter likes to play in a carefree, unabashed, utterly otterly way.

Mom warns Little Otter, "Be careful!"

Dad says, "Stay close!"

But does Little Otter listen? Oh, no! No. No. No. Little Otter thinks he's a big otter now, big enough to take care of himself. But watch out, Little Otter, because no matter how big you get, it's good to have loved ones looking out for you.

Children's Literature

Little Otter feels that he is a big otter now. Despite warnings from Papa, Mama, and the seagulls, he is off on his own, cracking clams, swimming with the fish. Beaver cautions him as a tree falls nearby. He dives down and just misses Turtle's mouth. He steals a fisherman's bait and runs happily away. But suddenly a cougar menaces. Mama and Papa shout a warning; Little Otter luckily tumbles safely out of reach. The family is soon back in the den. A wiser Little Otter realizes, "He needs his family." The text is a terse accompaniment to the visual action, with an occasional rhyme, the repetition of "He's a big otter now," and many accompanying noisy sounds like "whippidy, slippidy," or "Milky, silky, swish!" Hoyt's energetic pen-and-ink and transparent watercolor illustrations portray the appealing young otter in his watery environment, beginning with the end pages of the happy place where fish and frogs enjoy gentle wavelets. The otters and associated characters are muscular and sculptured, particularly the slinky cougar whose determined features appear in the staring eyes of Little Otter. His look of defeat almost makes us sorry for him. The final scene of family togetherness with contented smiles shows the other side of the emotional divide. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz