We have been reading and enjoying Otter’s stories and musings on her blog for a while and we were very excited when we heard that (with Sam Garton’s help!) she has written a picture book, I Am Otter, which also includes her best friend Teddy and a patchwork Giraffe.
The Story: Otter Keeper finds Otter in a box on his doorstep. At the weekends they have lots of fun but Otter isn’t happy on Mondays when Otter Keeper has to go to work. Otter decides she wants to work too so (with Teddy’s help) she opens a toast restaurant. The day doesn’t go well! Teddy forgets to make reservations and gets orders wrong so Otter fires him and employs Giraffe instead. When Otter Keeper gets home Otter blames Teddy for the mess and chaos but Teddy is nowhere to be found. After searching all night they find Teddy and Otter is happy again.
Otter is a very loveable protagonist but she is very reluctant to take the blame when anything goes wrong, preferring to shift it to Teddy (or Giraffe). Opening her own business shows her entrepreneurial spirit and her preparation includes reading recipe books and training Teddy to make perfect toast (we love the signs that she makes to show him the difference between ‘perfekt’ and ‘wrong’ toast!). On opening day a long queue of toys is waiting but they don’t have any money. There are so many wonderful details in the pictures which show the ensuing chaos (including toys who have complained being thrown out of the window!). My daughter finds Teddy’s interpretation of the orders very funny and spends ages looking at all the details on the double spread which shows a wonderfully messy kitchen.
Otter tells her story in a very easy to read text. I love the way that her surroundings and experiences are familiar to children but the inclusion of a toast restaurant gives the familiarity a humorous twist. The illustrations are beautiful splashes of colour with lots of white space, there is so much to laugh at that it is impossible to choose a favourite picture and Sam Garton has captured a range of expressions on Otter’s face (we love her frown!). My daughter’s favourite picture shows Otter and Teddy doing a show (Otter Keeper doesn’t look too impressed by Otter’s singing!) and I love the pictures of Otter reading (she often holds her books upside down!). We also like the signs that she writes (but she does need to practise her spelling!).
I Am Otter is an amusing, beautifully illustrated story which is perfect to read at bedtime.
Age Range: 3 +
Author / Illustrator: Sam Garton / Otter’s Blog
by Sam Garton [Balzer + Bray]
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$9.85
Thank you to author / illustrator Sam Garton for sending us a review copy of the book. We look forward to reading more of Otter’s adventures.
I think I would find myself laughing whilst reading this. thanks for linking up with #ReadWithMe I have tweeted n pinned this post x
There are so many funny little details in the pictures and in the way that Otter tells her story 🙂
Like Chantelle, I think I would giggle reading this as well. And the idea of a toast restaurant is awesome 😉
Laura x x x
A toast restaurant is such an original and child friendly idea 🙂
I like the idea of this book, and I’m sure if they had it my children would want to open a toast restaurant of their own!
It’s a great idea and we hope that there will be more books from Sam and Otter 🙂
This sounds like a delightful picture book. Humour and lots of details in the illustrations is a great way of capturing children’s imaginations.
It is a very imaginative idea and the illustrations are beautiful 🙂
Sounds like a delightful story. I know several children, including some in my own home, who are reluctant to take the blame. Maybe this story would be good for my teens! 🙂
It’s always easy to blame a sibling, an only child has no chance of passing it on 🙂
This sounds like such a great story! Thanks for linking up to KLBH.
You’re welcome. You can get more of a flavour of Otter’s humour by reading her blogposts.
Love that she opened a toast restaurant! Sounds like a lovely and fun picture book. Thanks so much for sharing at the Kid Lit Blog Hop!
A toast restaurant is such an original idea isn’t it? 🙂
Love any book that shows entrepreneurial spirit, especially in a woman and wow an otter!.
Otter is a very amusing portrayal of a female in business, she’s just not a very successful one 🙂