Hello, friends! Our book today is Little Otter Learns To Swim, written by Artie Knapp and illustrated by Guy Hobbs, the story of a little river otter’s very big day.

It’s Little Otter’s first day away from the den – that day she learns to swim. She is scared of the river, but her mother insists that it will be fine. And after a few practice splashes, she is! She finds that she loves swimming, and her mother shows her all the things she needs to know to stay safe in and around their river. After a few curious explorations and thrilling creature encounters, Mother Otter and Little Otter return to their den and curl up for a good night’s rest.

Very cute. Sticking to a simple, gentle story, the reader is introduced to the world of a river otter; primarily their environment and habitat, and the animals that share those with them. The illustrations are done in a realistic, naturalist-art style that gives a compelling look at animals both familiar and unfamiliar, such as bobcats, bumblebees, rainbow trout and more. The rhyming text takes an occasional stumble over rhythm and meter, but has an earnest sweetness that makes these awkward moments easy to forgive. The length was fine, and JJ loved looking at all the animals. Wonderful for wildlife fans, especially with the wealth of back matter on otters. We enjoyed it – Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the author in exchange for an honest review.)