Pup the Sea Otter

Description

New in Jonathan London collection of natural science baby animals books which includes: The Seasons of Little Wolf, Honey Paw and Lightfoot, Little Puffin's First Flight (2015 NSTA Notable), The Eyes of Gray Wolf - each of which is valuable in Common Core education. Luminous, realistic depictions of Pup's adventure. A perfect pick to support school reports on otters and marine life, endangered species, or the environment. Includes an author's note with fascinating natural history information. For instance, otters can dive more than 300 feet, they spend almost all their lives in water, they are kept warm only by fur not by blubber, and they have to eat 1/3 of their body weight daily. "Sea Otter Awareness Week" is held in aquariums across America at the end of September. With their playful characters and expressive faces, sea otters are a popular bucket list "wildlife to see" species for coastal tourists and locals alike. Sea otters are a keystone species in their ecosystem, because of their great importance to the marine environment. Includes contact information for Marine Education Centers.

Jonathan London has written more than one hundred picture books for children, many of them about wildlife. He is also the author of the popular Froggy series. He lives with his wife in northern California. www.jonathan-london.net. Sean London received a BFA from CalArts in Character Animation and has done animation for Disney. He has also collaborated with his father on the Aaron's Wilderness series: Desolation Canyon, Bella Bella, and Grizzly Peak.

"This appealing picture book follows a young sea otter growing up. Newborn Pup rests on his mother's belly as she floats in the sea, nursing and grooming him until they both fall asleep. When she needs to forage underwater, she wraps him in kelp that anchors him bobbing on the water's surface until her return. Little by little, he learns to eat solid food and, later, to find it himself. When a hungry shark approaches, his mother shows him how to escape. And when he's ready, Pup becomes independent at last. The writer of the popular Froggy series as well as nature-themed picture books such as Otters Love to Play (2016), London knows how to tell a story. In this case, he conveys plenty of intriguing facts about sea otters, along with a bit of drama to hold children's attentions. Fluid, colorful illustrations clarify points in the text while portraying the characters with soft-edged realism. An appended author's note commenting on sea otters of the North Pacific coastal region rounds out this informative picture book." - Booklist "A sea otter pup grows up. Jonathan London, whose Otters Love to Play, illustrated by Meilo So (2016), introduced North American river otters to young readers, turns his attention to sea otters of the North Pacific Ocean. This gentle story tells how a pup born off the California coast is nurtured by its mother for 8 months until he is able to eat on his own and can join a raft of other young male sea otter pups. (What happens to the females is a logical but unanswered question.) The author describes how Mama nurses, grooms, and feeds her baby, how she wraps him in kelp to secure him while she's foraging, stores her food in a convenient arm pocket and uses a stone as a tool to crack a shell, and how she teaches him to forage. There's one encounter with a predator: a near miss with a shark. The lyrical text is presented in short sections of three or four lines, often followed by an onomatopoeic word or phrase set in display type. Painted images by Sean London, the author's son, illustrate the story realistically and faithfully, concentrating on mother and pup, emphasizing their bond. The water, with its changing colors, acts as a pleasing background. An author's note supplies further information, but there is no index. Aimed at a slightly younger audience than author London's river otter book, this provides an agreeable introduction. (Informational picture book. 2-6)" - Kirkus "This fun, narrative-driven title covers the first eight months of Pup's (a sea otter) life. Readers watch how Pup's mother cares for him; how he eats, sleeps, and plays; and how he begins to grow and scavenge for his own food. Yet not all is tranquil: suspense builds when Pup is interrupted by a preying shark. Set in verse, peppered with onomatopoeia ("munch crunch munch!") and dramatic sounds ("Eeeeeeeee!"), this is a fine selection for read-alouds. The occasional use of large, swirly fonts, though attractive, will likely render the text unreadable by the intended audience. The soft, gentle illustrations focus on Pup and his mother; the background is largely sparse, so readers' eyes will naturally be drawn to the animals. London does not cite resources or suggestions for further study, but a page-long author's note offers some statistics about the creature. It also mentions that almost half of the sea otter pup population die every year, mostly from oil spills or pollution, issues that are not discussed in Pup's tale. VERDICT Consider for educational storytimes or as a bridge from picture books to light nonfiction." -School Library Journal, Elissa Cooper, Helen Plum Memorial Library, Lombard, IL "(Nature, Baby Animals, Growing-Up) From the instant of his birth until the moment he is grown enough to leave his mother, Pup the Sea Otter's life is filled with love, excitement, and new experiences. Although at first he is dependent on his mother's protection and her milk for survival, Pup soon learns more: what to eat and how to dive for food, when to watch out for predators, and how to play with the other Pups. Following Pup's life story, young readers learn that it is ok to look for help from time to time, and that however frightening growing-up may be, life is one big, exciting adventure. Pup the Sea Otter is a non-fiction book told in a narrative style that is engaging and captivating. Sensory language invites the reader to empathize with Pup's experiences, while Sean London's colorful and life-like illustrations draw the reader in to Pup's watery world. Particularly intriguing about this narrative is the dual perspective from which it is told: rather than focusing exclusively on the perspective of the Pup, the story begins with a perspective split between Pup and his mother, and only gradually shifts to being exclusively from Pup's perspective. Mimicking the increasing awareness and independence of a child as he or she grows up, this subtle approach not only teaches the child about this fascinating animals, but also invites him or her to consider the relationship between animals and humans, and how similar we really are. Overall, this is a beautiful book, combining natural history education with literacy support and empathy development. Fun as well as educational, it is a good choice for home or school." - The Children's Book Review "In 'Pup The Sea Otter', children ages 4 to 8 will watch Pup grow from his birth to first dive and from rambunctious play with other pups to a frightening encounter with a predator. Pup's story is told by author Jonathan London in a sparse, poetic text with vivid vocabulary which is enhanced with the backdrop of luminous illustrations by Sean London. Together the narrative and the artwork effectively combine to bring the adorable Pup and his loving mother to life within the swirling sea around them. Of special notice is the author's note at the end shares fascinating facts about this popular keystone species. 'Pup The Sea Otter' is certain to be an enduringly popular and beloved addition to family, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections." - Midwest Book Review "This delightful book, the work of a father and son team, is about a ball of fur called Pup. Jonathan London tells the story of a newly born sea otter, while his son Sean, a gifted illustrator, provides color and form to the story with his tender and eye-catching paintings. Pup grows and learns how to forage for food, all under the watchful eye of his mom. Children will love the dialog: slurp, slurp, slurp; munch, crunch, munch. There's even some danger and excitement when a shark appears, but it all turns out fine when-you guessed it-mom comes to the rescue. For ages 4-8." - National Outdoor Book Award