Kah-Lan: The Adventurous Sea Otter. Karen Autio. Illustrated by Sheena Lott. Winlaw, BC: Sono Nis Press, 2015. 64 pp., trade pbk. & pdf., $9.95 (pbk.) ISBN 978-1-55039-244-9 (pbk.), ISBN 978-1-55039-245-6 (pdf). Subject Heading: Sea otter-Juvenile fiction. Grades 2-4 / Ages 7-9. Review by Kaitlyn Vecchio. **** /4

excerpt:

Young sea otter Kah-Lan is hungry. He is sure there are big crabs near the point, but his mother won’t let him out of her sight. One day, he sees his chance. Soon he and his friend Yamka are swimming around the point—right into danger! Will they ever make it back home?

Kah-Lan: The Adventurous Sea Otter is a story about two sea otters, Kah-Lan and Yamka, who are brave and adventurous. After not listening to their mothers or the other sea otter elders, Kah-Lan and Yamka veer from their raft (raft is a group of sea otters), and the two young sea otters end up venturing beyond safety and become separated from the others. Once the pair realizes they are in great danger, they must find a way to persevere, get back to safety, and reunite with their family.

     Although the story is fiction, the subjects in this story are well-researched. Children will be introduced to sea otters and the true elements of their daily lives. This story provides readers with a glossary and an “about sea otters” factual notes section that provides readers with the opportunity to learn more about sea otters and their surrounding natural environment. The illustrations by Sheena Lott are very cute and appealing, and they pop up in just the right places throughout the story.

     Kah-Lan: The Adventurous Sea Otter provides a great learning experience for readers. Readers who enjoy stories about wild animals living in their natural environment will love this story!

Highly Recommended.

Kaitlyn Vecchio is a Children’s Librarian at the Prince George Public Library in Prince George, BC.

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