Utterly Otterly Day [Hardcover]

Mary Casanova (Author), Ard Hoyt (Illustrator)

Book Description

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.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreS—Little Otter speeds through his day at breakneck pace, from the moment he wakes up and rouses his sleepy family to his spine-tingling sunset escape from a hungry cougar. In between, he eludes a falling tree, an eagle, a snapping turtle, and an angry fisherman. After each escape, he tells himself that "he's a big otter now," and swims away with typical preschooler bravado. His close call with the cougar leaves him shaken, however, and he retreats to the safety and comfort of the den. As he accepts some parental snuggles, he admits that "He needs his family—/no matter how big he grows." Alliteration and onomatopoeic phrases ("whippidy, slippiddy," "swishily swashily") combine to give a sense of the hustle and bustle of Little Otter's day. Sketchy watercolor drawings with multiple perspectives lend a feeling of constant movement, while the recurring image of a yellow butterfly ties the story together. As Little Otter falls asleep, he dreams of being carried away by a swarm of them, demonstrating that he is bold even in his sleep. Though a few of the illustrations are unclear, and the book is a bit too long to maintain its breathless pace, Little Otter is a likable hero with familiar childlike traits. Additionally, there is just enough information about otters to whet readers' appetite for further research.—Rachael Vilmar, Eastern Shore Regional Library, Salisbury, MD
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From Booklist

In this story about the fun and the perils of independence, Little Otter bounds away from his den, encounters one dangerous creature after another, and then gets back home with the help of his family. The pen-ink-and-watercolor illustrations by Hoyt (who has illustrated two of Casanova’s previous books) emphasize the quick, exciting movement of the forest’s animals, while the text hops with made-up rhyming words meant to capture Little Otter’s frantic efforts to escape from such menaces as an eagle and a giant snapping turtle. There’s some fierce fur pulling and tail biting when Little Otter’s family rescues him from very a hungry cougar, but his survival is never really in doubt. The lesson isn’t subtle (“His paws stop trembling. He tucks tail to nose. He needs his family—no matter how big he grows”), and the lack of a coherent rhyme scheme makes for a sometimes frustrating read-aloud,. Even so, the adventurous otter and his caring family prove fairly irresistible, pictured snug and cuddly in their warm den. Preschool-Grade 1. --Abby Nolan

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers (June 17, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416908684
• ISBN-13: 978-1416908685
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 10.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #300,753 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for a 5 year-old., May 27, 2011

By 

Lara Anderson "Lara" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Utterly Otterly Day (Hardcover)

My 5 year-old son LOVED this book and requested it every night for a long time. Now my 2 year-old daughter likes it too. The illustrations are beautiful and the alliterative text is lots of fun to read. Some books I dread reading as they are really boring or just dumb, this one I really enjoy, even for the 700th time. There's another one about this otter called "Little By Little" that's also very good.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Otterly Fantastic!, September 21, 2009

By 

Z Hayes (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Utterly Otterly Day (Hardcover)

Young children will find many things to appreciate in this cute story about a precocious otter. Little Otter is raring to go one morning even though the rest of his family, i.e. mom, dad, and sis are still sleeping. He wanders off on adventures, not heeding his parents' warnings to stay close to home and be careful. He gets in one scrape after another, but Little Otter always manages to escape unscathed, until a final encounter drills some good sense into him. This is a charmingly illustrated picture book that will appeal mostly to younger children, ages 3-6. Perfect for reading aloud as well as an engaging picture book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Applause from a MN Children's Librarian!, July 27, 2008

By 

Stephanie Wyman (MN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Utterly Otterly Day (Hardcover)

I just read Utterly Otterly Day, and it's adorable! What a great story, and such wonderful illustrations! I love how Mary Casanova's words fill the story with such a sense of motion--she clearly knows her otters--and Ard Hoyt's whimsical pictures fit the text perfectly! I can't wait to use this book for storytime--I just know the preschoolers will adore Little Otter and his utterly otterly day.