grooms

PreSchool-Grade 1–A baby sea otter is born and cared for by her mother, who grooms her, hunts for food, feeds her, and saves her from a hungry eagle. Mother and pup spend most of their time in a group of other female otters and their young called a raft. The pup later learns how to dive and hunt, and eventually is left to swim on her own as her mother goes off to hunt. At one point the baby is kidnapped by a male sea otter, but the mother rescues her by giving up the food she has collected. At six months of age, the young sea otter is able to find her own food. And when she is three years old, she is ready to mate. After a five-month gestation period, the cycle begins anew, with a new baby pup ready to learn and grow. The clear, simple paragraphs of text, interspersed with the drama that the otters face daily, will keep young readers interested. Paley's lush blue- and aqua-toned collages add texture and richness. The picture-book format will make this book more suitable for browsing and pleasure reading rather than reports, and the topic will appeal to a wide audience.–DeAnn Tabuchi, San Anselmo Public Library, CA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.