A Lot of Otters

by Barbara Helen Berger

As a lot of otters wrestle, roll, and cavort on the water, they make such a commotion of light that Mother Moon finds her lost child

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Family, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Barbara Helen Berger grew up loving to draw and paint. She studied Art at the University of Washington in Seattle, her home town, where she earned a BFA degree in Painting. During her five years of study, she also went to Yale Summer School of Music & Art, and to Tyler School of Art in Rome, Italy. In Italy she saw the art she had loved from childhood, seen in her father's art books at home.

For ten years after college, she worked as a painter with gallery shows in Seattle. Then beginning in 1980 she turned her focus to children's books. She says, “All along, I loved writing too. My secret wish was to bring art and words together in my own books.”

Her first was Animalia, inspired by illuminated manuscripts (Celestial Arts, 1982, re-issued by Tricycle Press, 1999). Then she went on to create the picture books she is known for, including Grandfather Twilight, considered a bedtime classic, The Donkey's Dream, and A Lot of Otters, (all from Philomel Books). She also wrote and illustrated Gwinna, a fairytale in chapters (Philomel, 1990). In All the Way to Lhasa: a Tale from Tibet, she blended her style with the influence of Tibetan art (Philomel, 2002). And in Thunder Bunny, her newest book, she blends her style with the medium of collage (Philomel, 2007).

Berger's books have won awards for both the art and writing: the Golden Kite Award for Picture-Illustration, Parents' Choice Foundation Award for Illustration, the Children's Book Award from Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association, and twice a Washington State Governor's Writers Award. Original paintings from her books have been exhibited around the country. She says, “From beginning to end, the process of creating is still my biggest joy.”

Ms. Berger lives on Bainbridge Island, in the Pacific Northwest. She received the honor of an Island Treasure Award in 2006 from the Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities Council.

Reviews

[Aneesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

People need to relax and just imagine this is a folktale if they are having trouble understanding it. You are trying too hard. If that doesn't work, just say "a lot of otters" ten times fast.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Moon Mother is looking all over for her child. She cries and cries thinking that her child is lost. She sends down shooting starts to the earth when she cries. A sea full of otters dives into ocean and brings all of the glowing stars up to the surface of the ocean to surround a child floating in the sea. The stars illuminate the child and the Moon Mother finds her little moonlet.
The illustrations for this book are beautifully painted. The otters are painted with such care and detail that the readers will immediately fall in love with their adorable faces. The ocean and other background scenery are very simple, so as not to draw attention away from the otters in the story.
This story is best suited for a one-on-one reading environment. The story and illustrations are very simple and would be very soothing to be read as a bedtime story.

[K. McDevitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn't what I expected from the cover. It reads like a lovely folktale about Mother Moon losing her child. She cries tears that become stars. Otters dive down to get the stars and use the stars to guide her to where her baby is in the ocean. It's strange but sweet. The otter reading the book confused me a little bit, but the illustrations were so incredibly soft and adorable I didn't mind. I mean, a symbolic reading otter? Too cute :-)

[Richie Partington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richie’s Picks: A LOT OF OTTERS by Barbara Helen Berger, Philomel, 1997, 32p., ISBN: 978-0-399-22910-7

“And the course of a lifetime runs
Over and over again”
-- Paul Simon “Mother and Child Reunion” (1972)

“Mother Moon was looking for her child. ‘Where is my moonlet? Where is my little one?’
She called and called. She cried and cried. With every tear that fell from her eyes,
a star fell into the sea.
A lot of otters saw the stars fall.
They dove down into the dark, down into the deep.
They carried the stars up to the top of the sea.”

A generation ago, Barbara Helen Berger was best known as the author/illustrator of GRANDFATHER TWILIGHT (1984). The woodland paintings and calming text continue to make it a naptime and bedtime classic.

But I’m a water boy, inside and out. A LOT OF OTTERS is my favorite of Berger’s books. I love the greens and blues of the seascapes, the expressive, cavorting otters, and the little boy in the floating box who is retrieved by his mother, thanks to the otters illuminating him with the glowing stars.

Stunningly beautiful paintings and soothing words make A LOT OF OTTERS one you should know.

Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com

[Seema Rao · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely fable-like story about motherhood and babies with a cast of otters.

[Willow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stunning art, but a flat storyline.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful book makes me love it all over again, even if I’ve read it aloud for the 400th time.

[Marcia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Confusing...is the boy reading about himself?

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations!

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Text is only moderately entertaining, but the illustrations are lovely and raise my overall rating to a 4.

[Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t grow up with this one, and it seemed to be lacking a little bit of the magic of the ones I did, until I read it aloud to someone I love. Illustrations are gorgeous and luminous as always.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an unusual book.

As near as I can tell, the events that we see happening in the story are the same ones that are supposed to be going on in the book the little boy and otters read. Don't think about it too hard, you'll get a headache.

Instead, focus on the loving mother moon, the fun-filled otters, the clear illustrations.

This book is just the perfect length, incidentally, for those "let's rush through bedtime" nights!

[Mary Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

1) Berger, B.H. (1997). A Lot of Otters. New York: Philomel.
(Birth to 3) The Moon is looking for her child. A boy is floating in a cardboard box. Otters are swimming and reading a book. Stars are floating in the bottom of the ocean. In the world of the very young, it is hard to tell when reality stops and the magic starts – and that is the charm of A Lot of Otters. It is an enchanting story about being found, and being safe with Mother.

[Neil Nicholson]

I love this story for the content, but most of all, for the beautiful artwork. The story is about “Mother Moon” whom loses her child. She soon finds the child safe in the sea with otters. This story can be used to explore different types of literature such as creation stories, or stories of how things came to be. For pre k teachers, it can be used to read at naptime or before naptime to transition the students. I recommend this book for pre-k and kindergarten students.

[Donna Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is poetry for you and your babe. Also, it is very hard to find stories with Asian children as the main character, and this one is a beauty. If you are the weepy type, get your hanky out. I'd recommend this one for age 4-6, depending on how soon your child is ready to sit still and listen, and stop tearing (no board books). The alliteration leads it to be a beautiful, soothing read, so it's great at bed time.

[Kennedy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was really confusing. The story is about the moon looking for her baby, and then the stars all fell to the bottom of the ocean. All of these otters then swam to get the stars and bring them back to the top of the ocean. They then caught the moons attention with the star light to show her where her baby was so she could come and get it. The illustrations were really pretty i just don't understand the story. This would be a good book to have if kids like otters or something like that.

[Sharonneika · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great bedtime story where a mother is looking for her lost child. As she cry and her tears turns into stars that fall into a lake of otters where she finds her child safe and sound. Gorgeous illustrations.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This a poetic story about a boy lost at sea with otter helping in the search for the moonlet. It demonstrates a mothers love. I could imagine using this story at nap or bedtime. I recommend this book for prek-1st grades.

[Chenoa Brown]

Mother Moon's son is stranded in the ocean and floats in a box until he comes up to a group of sea otters. They capture his attention and rescue him and take him back to his mom. Reminds me of an old folk tale.
Good reads for Pre-K and Kindergarten.

[Bee]

I did not really care for this book. I thought that it would be used great with imagination. But I did not grasp the concept of the story or how this would benefit children other than being a story.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

It might be to dreamworld like for a very practical child. Great imagination book
As a lot of otters wrestle, roll, and cavort on the water, they make such a commotion of light that Mother Moon finds her lost child.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really pretty illustrations.

[Mandy J. Hoffman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Strange doesn't even begin to cover this book.

[Jaylin Brooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mother Moon is looking for baby Moonlet. When she cries, stars fall and the otters bring them around her baby in the ocean so the mother can find her.

[Shantel · Rating 4 out of 5]

very simple, but apparently very captivating. My son loved it and could tell himself the story

[Marlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whimsical and dreamy. It is a great going to bed read.

[Shashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It's just the right mix of whimsy and off beat.

[Carly Gates · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book I would choose closer to rest time. The illustrations are very calming. It is a good book to use to transition from a high energy activity to a low energy one.

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just lovely. This would make a great read before bedtime.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sweet dear book. I love a book where a child loves books. And then there are those otters too!