Publisher's Weekly Review
When a baby otter is separated from his mother on a stormy day and washes ashore, rescuers take him to an aquarium, where he lives in a pool with "his new mom." Following her example, he learns to search for food at the bottom of the pool and to break open shells on rocks. Finally, he is ready to go back to the wild. "That night, surrounded by new friends, he wrapped himself in seaweed and went to sleep. And so the little otter returned home to the rolling sea." Van Zyle sets the furry, expressive otter against a light-infused, impressionistic landscape as he adapts to his changing surroundings. Both text and illustrations strike a graceful balance between naturalism and anthropomorphism. Ages 4-8. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
(Picture book. 4-8)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
A storm separates a baby sea otter from his nurturing mother and strands him on a sandy beach. Rescued, he is taken to an aquarium, where someone feeds him from a bottle. When he's a little older, a sea otter surrogate mom adopts him, teaching him how to dive for food in their salt-water pool and how to open shellfish. Finally, he is released into the ocean, where he joins a group of sea otters and feels at home once more. Double-page acrylic paintings beautifully depict the otters and their watery habitats. Levine, whose books include Darkness over Denmark (2000) and Henry's Freedom Box (2007), tells the story clearly, in short sentences that read aloud well. An author's note describes the Monterey Bay Aquarium's program for rescuing sea otter pups, and lists of books and websites are appended as well. An appealing choice for children intrigued by animal-rescue stories.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist