This new series is adorable! Not only did I enjoy the story, but he also learned a lot about otters from reading this book. I’m excited to share other books in the series with my children.

When Ivy and her brother Ezra discover an injured river otter along a trail, they know just what to do. With help from their mom, and their training as "critter couriers", they rush the otter to the local wildlife hospital. As Ivy anxiously waits to hear if the otter will recover, she and her classmates prepare for their Earth Day celebration. But Ivy can’t stop thinking about the little otter, separated from his family and likely feeling scared and alone. She knows those feelings all too well, having recently said goodbye to her cousins and best friends who moved away.

Will Ivy—and the otter—be able to find healing and a new sense of belonging? Read How to Save an Otter by Kate Messner to find out.

This charming new early chapter book is sure to become a favorite among young readers. Both informative and heartwarming, it introduces children to wildlife rescue in a realistic and accessible way, offering empowering ideas for how they can make a difference. Ivy’s emotional journey parallels the otter’s in a relatable, touching way, showing the importance of resilience, compassion, and friendship. With no magic or fantasy elements, the story is grounded in real-life experiences, making it a wonderful and meaningful addition to any early reader collection.

Ivy, her mother, and her younger brother Ezra are biking on trails through a swamp near their Florida home where they find an injured otter pup. Her mother, a science teacher who rescues a lot of animals, and Ivy, who has taken a wildlife rescue class, know that they need to keep the animal warm, and in a dark and quiet place while they get it to the vet. They are well acquainted with Doc, Dr. Martha Tate, and the local wildlife rescue, who gives the otter pain meds and antibiotics to manage the injury and infection. While Ivy is very interested in the cute animal, she knows that too much human contact can be bad for wild animals, so contents herself with watching the otters progress through a one-way window at the clinic. When her school plans Earth Day celebrations, Ivy wants to help give back to the animal hospital. She and her friends work on a plan to educate others about the importance of the facility and the services it provides, and even run a towel drive after checking that the rescue center can use towels. She even works with her pastor, who puts information about the drive in the church bulletin, and has the congregation pray for the otter’s recovery. After a month and a half, the otter has been rehabilitated, and is released back in the area where she was found, along with two other otters. Ms. Messner worked with the von Arx Wildlife Hospital on this book, and two more titles, about an owl (9/25) and a tortoise (3/26),
Strengths: Had my own children read this book, they would have spent hours searching the creek and woods near our house to see if there were any abandoned animals, so it was excellent to see practical, realistic tips on what to do in the case of finding an injured animal. I feel like a lot of middle grade books romanticize this, and always end with the main character taking the animal home and hiding it from parents while trying to take care of it. Ivy is better prepared than her contemporaries to get animals the PROPER help. There are other girls around when the otter is found, and they want to offer it a granola bar, but the comparison is made with a person in an auto accident being offered a cheeseburger. That was an excellent explanation for why this is a bad idea! It’s also good to see that while Ivy is interested in the animal’s progression, and she does get a chance to help feed the otter at one point, she doesn’t interact too much with her. Bricking’s illustrations add a lot of extra appeal. There are good tips at the end of the book about what kids can do to help out local wildlife rescue efforts.
Weaknesses:I would definitely purchase this for an elementary library, but this was a little young for middle school. With budget cuts, I won’t be adding as much to some sections of my library, like books for emerging readers or nonfiction, which have increased over the last couple of years. This book is roughly the same length and has a similar level of text complexity to Messner's Ranger in Time series.
What I really think: Readers who love animals and who have enjoyed Miles’ Puppy Place books, the Animal Rescue Friends series, Johnson’s Rescue at Lake Wild, or Peter’s Jasmine Green stories will get lots of practical information from this book, and will perhaps be motivated to check with their own local wildlife sanctuary to see how they can help.

How to Save an Otter by Kate Messner was a very heartwarming and educational story, It reminded me of books I enjoyed readying around 7-11 (upper elementary) years old, but with more science/facts which I loved. This book could inspire children and their parents to get involved with animal rescue in many ways. It had a nice pace and read very easily and smoothly. The illustrations added a nice touch. (Again, they reminded me of books like this from my childhood, and I really enjoyed them. I enjoyed this even as an adult reader and hope there will be a series of them to read with my children as they get older. I received an eARC from Bloomsbury USA Children's Books through NetGalley. All opinions are 100% my own.

How to Save an Otter completely won me over! I’ve always had a soft spot for otters, but this book made me love them even more. Kate Messner has such a warm and engaging way of writing—every page felt like a gentle invitation to care, to learn, and to act.

The storytelling is simple but powerful, perfect for younger readers while still holding the attention of adults like me. I especially appreciated how the book strikes a balance between being educational and emotionally resonant. It gives real-world context to the challenges otters face without being overwhelming, and instead focuses on hope, action, and people making a difference.

The illustrations are gorgeous, soft and full of personality. They complement the story beautifully and made me feel even more connected to the animals and their environment. This book is a must-read for any animal lover, and it’s the kind of book I know I’ll come back to again and again. Thank you, NetGalley!

Kate Messner is a writing genius. I love all of her books. This is a great new series for young readers. I am so excited to get this on the shelf and into the hands of kids. The length is perfect and the content will speak to many readers. Excellent book!

A nice chapter book for the youngest readers. The writing style reminds me of Princess in Black - very accessible even for new readers. You can't go wrong with an animal story, and the environmental/rescue aspect will appeal to aspiring veterinarians.

Thank you for the ARC. I will purchase for my library.

I had my almost 7 year old read this with me to give his honest review. He enjoyed the story and how it flowed, and thought the cute pictures added to each chapter. He read this in four sittings. Some words were a little tough for him, most likely a good read for ages 7-10.