Otter Loves Halloween!

Reviewed by: Sheila Dube - Springvale Public Library, Springvale, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 24, 2015

Review

In first person voice, Otter explains to the reader that Halloween is the best holiday. She helps Otter Keeper, the human, shop for a pumpkin, carve the huge pumpkin, decorate the house and create all the stuffed animals' scary costumes. Giraffe chooses to dress as a fairy, complete with pink wings, which isn't scary. Otter remedies the situation by taping some cardboard teeth to the end of Giraffe's nose. Otter runs into a problem when trick-or-treaters show up. Their costumes are the scariest and Otter and Teddy hide under the bed. Problem is solved when Otter Keeper makes them masks out of boxes without holes.

The digital illustrations are bright, colorful and have shelf appeal. Otter appears to be a stuffed animal as well, but maybe she is real since the Otter Keeper is an adult. It is unclear, but not necessary to the story. Young readers will be able to identify with the things that scare Otter and be reassured by how Otter solves the problem. The text is easy to read and there is lots of white space, making this useful for sharing in a group or with the younger reader. The book is a trade edition and comes without a book jacket, but the binding appears to be sewn and fairly sturdy. Useful for Halloween themed story times and inspiring creative play.

Overall Book Score: good