I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was well written. The pictures were appealing. A great informative book about the otter (which has to be one of the cutest animals on the earth).

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. As an animal lover and protector, this book is hard to read but great for kids to see so that they can make a difference.

I take the opinions of my young readers very seriously, and I have come to really respect what they have to say about the books that we share with each other. This past year, because they are a little older and we were stuck in pandemic conditions and that meant no field trips to the park, we have read more nonfiction than usual, focusing mainly on books about nature. Two of our favorites were about honeybees and otters.

Sea otters are often the star of picture books about sea animals, perhaps because they are have such sweet faces and seem so playful and friendly. But the sea otter actually plays a key role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem off the Pacific coast of North America. As Susannah Buhrman-Deever explains, there large forests of kelp growing there, providing a home for abalones, clams, sea stars, octopuses and other sea creatures, among them the spiny sea urchin, the enemy and potential destroyer of the kelp forest. Luckily, the otter is a hungry hunter, diving deep into the sea to eat whatever he finds in the kelp, including the sea urchin, maintaining the delicate balance needed for the kelp to thrive. But what if the sea otter disappeared? What would happen to this important ecosystem? At one time, the sea otter was hunted for its thick fur until they almost all gone. When that happened, the spiny sea urchin ate the kelp, causing the underwater forest to collapse. Once the kelp was gone, the other sea creatures no longer had a safe place for their eggs and babies. Fortunately, in 1911, laws were passed to protect the otter from hunters. As the otter population increased, slowly new kelp forests began to grow, providing homes for sea creatures and food for the otters. Buhrman-Deever brilliantly presents this example of the negative impact the loss of one keystone animal can have on the environment in which it lives. It is written on two levels - one in large type gives the basic story, while more detailed facts are presented in smaller type. The kids I shared this book with are young so we stuck to the basic type, and I think because the otters had a happy ending, it generated lots of conversation (more than had the ending be otherwise). The mixed-media illustrations are done in various bright to darker shades of aquamarine depending on the health of the kelp forest. Back matter included more information about kelp forests and otters, a select Bibliography and a list of books and websites for further investigation. This is another excellent informative STEM book for studies on ecosystems and the environment.

I loved this book and it was beautifully illustrated!

I love natural history and have done from a very young age after I used to sit and watch wildlife documentaries with my dad, now I am a mum and have my daughter I am introducing her to the natural world and this is definitely a book I would read to her.

It is well written, the flow of the book is great and I loved the way it was told with the main detail and smaller facts to add detail. The only niggle I had was that the little facts that were added to the pages (which really helped the book in my view) were a little small for me.

It is 4.5 stars from me for this one, rounded up to 5 stars for Goodreads and Amazon - an excellent way to show the impact of people on the natural world and how we can't make the mistakes we did in the past again - very highly recommended!

First off the illustrations in this book are breathtaking. They are absolutely gorgeous. The story tells how the cycle of life changes if an element, in this case sea otters are taken away. Along with the story there are multiple factoids that are relevant and interesting. This would be a great book to talk about life cycles, hunting, and even endangered species.

This book explains the importance of otters in their ecosystem with beautiful illustrations. Would definitely purchase for young children.

I read this book with my six year old daughter, who loves otters. She loved this book, and learned some otter facts she hadn't known before. The illustrations were gorgeous. As a teacher and parent I read appreciated all the factual knowledge that was presented in this kid friendly book! Highly recommended for any nature loving child!

A really beautiful book on the otter and the role it plays in nature. The information is story like and do get some other bits in smaller text. Really nice.

A warning about the domino effect that occurs when you remove one part of an ecosystem, ‘If You Take Away the Otter’ tells the story of what happened when otters were not protected. Clearly explaining the cause and effect, this message can easily be applied to other ecosystems.

With the inclusion of plenty of facts about the otters and their habitat, I would have used this book to research a school project when I was a kid. I doubt I would have borrowed it from the library with my usual reading material as I’ve only become interested in non-fiction as an adult. For those who are seeking further information, there’s a bibliography and details of books and websites at the end of the book.

For me, Matthew Trueman’s illustrations were the star of this book. The otters are absolutely adorable and all of the other sea life pictured are equally realistic. Some younger children may find the pages that depict the people in boats coming to hunt the otters scary, although there is a happy ending.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for the opportunity to read this book.

This is one of those books about the impact humans have on the natural environment that can really open a child up to the idea of environmental stewardship. It reminds me of the work of Nicola Davies, with its nonfiction subtext running through the story, though the regular text is also largely informational. It also brought to mind the books in the If Animals Disappeared series by Lily Williams as well as some of the picture books of Jean Craighead George and Wendell Minor. In all, I don't have an unfavorable comparisons to make. This is an excellent addition to genre and I look forward to its publication as well as whatever the author has in store for us next.

Summary: Kelp forests, like any habitat, are home to a web of living creatures that keep the whole ecosystem in balance. Otters do their part by eating the fish, shellfish, and sea urchins that live in these forests. But a demand for the otters’ fur, beginning in the eighteenth century, reduced the otter population on the Pacific coast from between 150,00 and 300,000 to fewer than 2,000. Without the otters, sea urchins flourished, eating the base of the kelp and eventually destroying the forests. In 1911, laws were passed to stop the fur trade, and the otters slowly began to return. As the otter population went up, the sea urchins’ went down, until balance was restored once again. Includes additional information about kelp forests, sea otters, and people; a bibliography; and a list of additional resources. 32 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros: Another book that shows the importance of maintaining the balance of an ecosystem, how humans often mess that up, and how laws and other regulations can help to restore it. The text is simple enough for primary grades without being condescending, the watercolor illustrations of the kelp forest world are beautiful, and the sea otters are adorable.

Cons: There’s a little too much anthropomorphized good-versus-evil in the world of the kelp forest, with the sea otters being described as “the kings of these forests” without any evidence to back that claim. Meanwhile, the sea urchins, who were really just doing their thing, are portrayed as “an army”. It doesn’t help that they look a bit like a well-known virus.

This is a great children's books about balancing an ecosystem. This book shows how the hunting of sea otters in the 1800s decimated the ecosystem in the Northern Pacific. With no otters to eat the sea urchins, they ate and destroyed the kelp forests. With no kelp forest, the fish in the area disappeared, with no fish the eagles had nothing to eat, so started eating other birds etc. In 1911, several countries signed a treaty to protect the sea otter and the ecosystem has finally returned to normal. The illustrations of this book were well done, large and colourful that adds to the text. There are also facts about the various living things in this ecosystem. The back of the book as a short synopsis of the story with additional information about what sea kelp does for the world, as well as how the fur traders caused serious problems with the indigenous people. There is also a list of further resources to check out. Overall, a good book for anyone learning about endangered species, and protecting ecosystems. I recommend this book for classrooms, school and public libraries. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

The illustrations are beautiful, and the otters are so adorable. The combined text of story narrative and facts work together well. This is an excellent story to share with small children about the balancing act animals and plants in the ocean.

This is a stunningly beautiful conservation picture book for kids. It describes the world of the sea otters and all of the ocean life in their ecosystem, and how foreign hunting nearly wiped them out and destroyed the whole underwater ecosystem. There's a happy ending and lots of information about the many species depicted, along with an important message about messing with the balance of nature and how that hurts us all. The watercolor illustrations are vibrant and gorgeous. Highly recommended, for its educational value and the beautiful illustrations.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

I was so happy to read this novel with my boys. They loved the bright colors, it kept their attention. My oldest said he enjoyed how the images didn't look lile those in a baby book.

This was a fantastic read and I'll be looking to buy the book

Beautiful illustrations with a quickly-moving story about the kelp "forests", the creatures that live there and the otters that help keep everything in harmony. I loved the gentle message about how greed can change things but the results of that greed might not be noticed for a time.

Highly recommended!

In this informational picture book, the importance of otters on the Pacific Coastal environment is described; without them, kelp forests won’t grow and urchins take over the ecosystem. Hunting of otters is described along with the resurgence in the otter population after hunting was outlawed. The text is written at two levels – a simple sentence or two in a large typeface, intended to be read to groups, and a paragraph in a smaller typeface that describes facts about the interaction of these species in the biome. Unfortunately, that small font is so small even parents will have difficulty reading it and primary graders will also have a tough time, so they might only read the part in the larger font. The full color mixed media artwork resembles fluid watercolors dominated by greens and blues and are the strength of the book. The back matter is also helpful, with more facts and a detailed bibliography.

Good lesson for ecosystems and the delicate balance of living things! I would use this in my class when covering ocean ecosystems. It really illustrates how taking away one species and throw a lot of things out of whack! Fact-packed book that almost reads like a story! Absolutely stunning illustration! Realistic and whimsical at the same time.

4 Stars!

This beautiful book for early elementary aged students focuses on the role sea otters play as the keystone species in keeping kelp forests healthy. Mathew Trueman’s illustrations create a world for the readers to step into as they learn about ecosystems, keystone species and trophic cascade. The text that accompanies these illustrations is written in a simple, age appropriate style, that conveys the science, all the while taking the reader on the journey of a sea otter. Additional information is included within the illustrations to provide more specific details about the concepts being covered. The author has included a bibliography, as well as a page of additional resources including books and websites which allows students to further investigate kelp forests and sea otters. This would be a fantastic read aloud for teachers to introduce ecosystems and keystone species to their students and a great addition to any classroom or home library.

I received an electronic ARC from Candlewick Press through NetGalley.
Buhrman-Deever captures the kelp forest environment and clearly explains what happened when otters were hunted almost to extinction. She also brings readers to the current resurgence and rebirth of the kelp forest and its inhabitants. Short information blurbs are added to most pages. Lovely soft water color illustrations bring the scenes to life. Bibliography included at the end.
Relatable style to draw readers in to learn more about this portion of the earth.