Kah-Lan and the Stink-Ink

Kah-Lan is a young sea otter preparing to leave his family raft and strike out on his own. He yearns to explore far and wide across his coastal ocean home, and he soon meets two young male sea otters, Zid and Gula, who become his new raft and his closest friends. Told from Kah-Lan’s perspective, the narrative traces the sea otters’ survival journey as they hunt for prey, survive storms, and escape from predators like orca whales. Emma Pedersen’s soft grayscale illustrations capture high energy moments of danger and excitement. Humans are “furless Elders” to Kah-Lan, while food like clams and sea urchins are called “sea-meat”. Sea otter behaviour is described in considerable detail, capturing grooming, play and sleep habits that will interest readers both new to and knowledgeable about marine biology. Kah-Lan’s greatest trial comes when he and his friends swim through a diesel spill and encounter “stink-ink” that clings to their fur and makes them very sick. Humans rescue the otters and transport them to a marine mammal rehabilitation centre where they receive constant care and attention. Despite the human’s best efforts, Gula does not survive, illustrating the severity of oil pollution and its effects on marine life. Karen Autio further explains the effects of plastic garbage, fishing equipment and parasites on sea otters in her author’s notes. Upon finishing this book, readers will appreciate the dangers faced by Kah-Lan as a result of human presence in the ocean; emphasizing the important role we all play in understanding and protecting animals like Kah-Lan.

Kah-Lan and the Stink-Ink is a marine animal adventure that should not be missed.