How to Save an Otter

Ivy and Ezra are “critter couriers” whose family volunteers to transport injured and orphaned animals to their local wildlife hospital.

When they discover a baby river otter with a hurt leg, Ivy worries about the little otter being separated from its family – a feeling she knows all too well. She’s struggled to make new friends since her twin cousin BFFs moved away. 

Taking on a big project for the wildlife hospital keeps her busy, but can she find the confidence she needs to make it a success, build new friendships, and help the otter heal enough to return to the wild? 

Many readers will instantly connect with Ivy, who is struggling to adjust to her cousins moving away. Their absence makes Ivy question her place in their friend group: “Gemma and Sara were more her cousins’ friends than hers. Sometimes it seems like they only included Ivy because they felt stuck with her.” When the three girls are assigned a group project for Earth Day, though, it helps bring them closer together. As part of the project, they collect towels for the wildlife rescue center, and by the end of the story, sharing the otter’s story with others has given Ivy a stronger bond with Gemma and Sara and a newfound confidence in using her own voice. 

When Ivy finds the injured otter, another girl tries to feed it a granola bar. To help her understand why she shouldn’t, Ezra says, “If you got hit by a car and were in lots of pain, you wouldn’t want somebody shoving a hamburger in your face, right?” This and other examples make it easy for readers to understand how to help an animal in need. Ivy and her family have limited interaction with the otter after they take it to the wildlife rescue center, but it doesn’t disappear from the story. The book acknowledges that some animals brought to the center don’t survive, though the otter Ivy finds is ultimately released back into the wild. 

How to Save an Otter educates readers on the different ways kids can help injured animals. For example, it explains what to do if you find a baby animal alone: “Some animals, like deer, leave their babies alone for a long period of time. That’s why it’s important to call the wildlife hospital for advice if you found a baby animal on its own.” While the information is aimed at younger children, the book juggles several plotlines, making it best suited for independent readers. Still, it includes elements that will appeal to younger readers, too, such as short chapters, easy vocabulary, and full-page black-and-white illustrations — many featuring otters — appearing every three to seven pages. The back of the book also offers simple ways kids can help wildlife, like picking up litter and supervising pets. 

How to Save an Otter will have wide appeal thanks to its lovable otter and Ivy’s relatable conflicts. Ivy often compares the otter’s feelings to her own, helping readers understand how an injured animal might feel, and she models exactly the kind of behavior readers can emulate by using her voice to help the rescue center. The combination of a cute otter and genuine life lessons makes the Wildlife Rescue Series worth reading. Readers who finish this one are likely to come away curious about other animals in need of rescue and eager to see what the series covers next. It’s a gentle, encouraging introduction to conservation that never talks down to its audience. Readers who love otters should also read Odder, The Disappearing Otters and Otters Love to Play. 

Sexual Content  

• None 

Violence  

• The otter is injured when an animal attacks it.   

Drugs and Alcohol  

• The injured otter is given pain medicine and an antibiotic.  

Language  

• None 

Supernatural 

• None 

Spiritual Content  

• At church, Ivy asks her father if it was okay to pray for an animal. She asks the congregation: “Please keep our otter in your prayers this week, too.”