Otter Loves Halloween!

by Sam Garton, Sam Garton (Illustrator)

Overview

Get in the Halloween spirit with Otter—the irrepressible picture book character from I Am Otter and Otter in Space, sure to be adored by fans of Llama Llama.

Halloween is Otter's favorite holiday. It's also a very busy time for her and Teddy. With so much to do, it's a good thing she's a Halloween expert!

With Otter's winning voice and Sam Garton's classic yet fresh artwork, Otter Loves Halloween! is sure to be a holiday favorite.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062366665
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	07/21/2015
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	243,354
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	AD580L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Sam Garton began writing and illustrating stories about Otter and her world on the blog I Am Otter: The Unheard Ramblings of a Modern Day Domestic Otter in 2009. He lives in London. He met a real otter once. It bit him.

You can visit Otter at www.iamotter.co.uk.

Sam Garton began writing and illustrating stories about Otter and her world on the blog I Am Otter: The Unheard Ramblings of a Modern Day Domestic Otter in 2009. He lives in London. He met a real otter once. It bit him.

You can visit Otter at www.iamotter.co.uk.

Editorial Reviews

07/27/2015
What happens when the frightener becomes the frightened? That’s the problem confronting the star of I Am Otter and Otter in Space when the trick-or-treaters who show up prove to be “very scary—almost too scary!” (And this, even when Otter is herself dressed up as a “superscary witch!”) Otter remains a master of deflection: racing under the bed to hide, “I took Pig with me too. He was really scared.” Luckily, her human Otter Keeper is there to offer both comfort and a costume tweak: a cardboard box mask with a monster’s face drawn on it. “Things are much less scary when you can’t really see them,” notes a much-happier Otter. The joyful chaos of everyday life with a child (or otter) permeates Garton’s cartoons and should keep kids laughing from start to finish. Ages 4–8. Agent: Brooks Sherman, Bent Agency. (July)

Publishers Weekly

The joyful chaos of everyday life with a child (or otter) permeates Garton’s cartoons and should keep kids laughing from start to finish.” — Publishers Weekly

“Another wonderful outing with Otter, this latest is also a great way to encourage youngsters who are nervous about celebrating Halloween to get excited about the holiday.” — School Library Journal

From the Publisher

09/01/2015
PreS-Gr 1—Otter throws herself into preparing for Halloween with the same zest with which she approached starting her own restaurant and blasting off into space. Stuffed toys in tow, she helps Otter Keeper pick out a pumpkin, decorates the house, and designs costumes for herself and her plush pals. Everyone's all set to pass out candy to trick-or-treaters, but the visitors' costumes prove a little overwhelming for Otter, who takes shelter under the bed. Otter Keeper soothes the intrepid heroine, and all is well in the end. The first-person narration of the endearingly self-assured Otter, as she delegates responsibilities to Otter Keeper and takes it upon herself to put everything in order for Halloween (with predictably messy results), is as hilarious as ever. With a bright but gentle palette and soft, rounded shapes, Garton's digitally created cartoon images are a winning mixture of humor and tenderness. Otter is a rambunctious and comical character, and parents and kids alike will giggle at the know-it-all animal's exploits, but they'll also sympathize with her fear—and smile knowingly at her insistence that it's not her but her stuffed toy Pig who's in fact afraid. The Otter tales are simple, yet through the adorable antics and fun, Garton demonstrates a deep understanding of how children think and feel. VERDICT Another wonderful outing with Otter, this latest is also a great way to encourage youngsters who are nervous about celebrating Halloween to get excited about the holiday.—Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

School Library Journal

2015-07-15
Halloween is coming, and Otter is taking the holiday quite seriously, picking out the best pumpkin, choosing an appropriately scary costume, and thoroughly decorating the house—but when trick-or-treaters come, she is in for an unexpected surprise. Fans of Otter's previous titles will certainly celebrate her autumn return (Otter in Space, 2015, etc.). Just like any young tyke who is excited about Halloween, Otter marks the date on the calendar, enlists her (stuffed animal) friends to help her prepare, and often takes things a bit far due to her abundant enthusiasm. In one humorous series of vignettes, she decorates everything she can reach with cobwebs, including Otter Keeper's leg, and dumps a whole container of glitter on her magical broomstick. Even when things don't turn out the way she would like, her innovative resolve inspires, as when Giraffe wants to dress up like a fairy. "He wasn't really taking Halloween seriously. Everyone knows fairies aren't scary. So I added some teeth." After practicing at being scary with Pig, Otter and her cuddly buddies, Giraffe and Teddy, seem ready—until the doorbell rings. The costumed kids at the door prove a bit too scary for dear Otter. But wise (adult human) Otter Keeper chats with her and Pig, and they come up with a crafty solution. Garton pairs his charming story with funny details in the bright digital illustrations that only make a great book even better. This one's a real treat. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews