Sea otters are social creatures, sometimes found by the hundreds resting together on their backs. This is called a raft of otters! Otters sometimes tangle themselves in kelp to keep from drifting apart! Young readers will love learning more about how otters live and grow together. With photographs of otters enjoying their watery home, this volume introduces young readers to how baby otters are born and cared for. Approachable text aids in leaving lasting lessons for young scientists ready to jump into animal discovery.
Sea otters are social creatures, sometimes found by the hundreds resting together on their backs. This is called a raft of otters! Otters sometimes tangle themselves in kelp to keep from drifting apart! Young readers will love learning more about how otters live and grow together. With photographs of otters enjoying their watery home, this volume introduces young readers to how baby otters are born and cared for. Approachable text aids in leaving lasting lessons for young scientists ready to jump into animal discovery.
Hollie Porter is the chairwoman of Generation Disillusioned. At 25, she’s saddled with a job she hates, a boyfriend who’s all wrong for her, and a vexing inability to say no. She’s already near her breaking point, so when one caller too many kicks the bucket during Hollie’s 911 shift, she cashes in the Sweethearts’ Spa & Stay gift certificate from her dad and heads to Revelation Cove, British Columbia. One caveat: she’s going solo. Any sweethearts will have to be found on site. Hollie hopes to find her beloved otters in the wilds of the Great White North, but instead she’s providing comic relief for staff and guests alike. Even Concierge Ryan, a former NHL star with bad knees and broken dreams, can’t stop her from stumbling from one (mis)adventure to another. Just when Hollie starts to think that a change of venue doesn’t mean a change in circumstances, the island works its charm and she starts to think she might have found the rejuvenation she so desperately desires. But then an uninvited guest crashes the party, forcing her to step out of the discomfort zone where she dwells and save the day ... and maybe even herself in the process.
When the sea otters disappear, why does their kelp forest habitat disappear, too? On the Pacific Coast of North America, sea otters play, dive, and hunt for sea urchins, crabs, abalone, and fish in the lush kelp forests beneath the waves. But there was a time when people hunted the otters almost to extinction. Without sea otters to eat them, an army of hungry sea urchins grew and destroyed entire kelp forests. Fish and other animals that depended on the kelp were lost, too. But when people protected the sea otters with new laws, their numbers began to recover, and so did the kelp forests. Susannah Buhrman-Deever offers a beautifully written account of a trophic cascade, which happens when the removal of a single element affects an entire habitat. Asides that dig deeper are woven throughout Matthew Trueman’s dynamic illustrations, starring a raft of charismatic sea otters. Back matter includes more information about sea otters and kelp forests, including their importance and current status, the effects of the international fur trade on indigenous peoples, and a list of books and websites for readers who wish to continue to explore.
"Captivating. . . . a full portrait of this adorable and ecologically important animal." —Publishers Weekly A science journalist travels the Pacific Coast in search of sea otters in this entertaining and inspiring book on the importance and history of this charismatic endangered species Sea otters—the adorable, furry marine mammals often seen floating on their backs holding hands—reveal the health of the coastal ecosystem along the Pacific Ocean. Once hunted for their prized fur in the 18th and 19th centuries, these animals nearly went extinct. Only now, nearly a century after hunting ceased, are populations showing stable growth in some places. Sea otters are a keystone species in coastal areas, feeding on sea urchins, clams, crab, and other crustaceans. When they are present, kelp beds are thick and healthy, providing homes for an array of sea life. When otters disappear, sea urchins take over, and the kelp disappears along with all the creatures that live in the beds. Now, thanks to their protected status, sea otters are making a comeback in California, Washington, and Alaska. In this hopeful book, science writer Todd McLeish embarks on an epic journey along the Pacific Coast—traveling from California to Alaska—to track the status, health, habits, personality, and viability of sea otters, and reveals how conservationists brought them back from the brink of extinction.
“Sherlock and Watson come through again. The [corgis] are so cute!” – 5 star review, Amazon It starts out as a fun road trip to Monterey, California, for Zack, Jillian and the two corgis, but when a dead SCUBA diver washes up on the beach where they are walking, well, the group senses a mystery unfolding. Zack, Jillian, Sherlock and Watson, become embroiled in a race to discover what the diver had been doing, all alone in the bay, when he died. Compounding their investigation is the presence of a group of playful otters, who just so happen to be using what appears to be gold coins as tools to open shellfish. Are the two events related? Could the deceased diver have located a sunken treasure ship off the coast of Monterey? Readers are loving this cozy mystery series with its two indomitable dog sleuths. Zack, Jillian and the corgis, Sherlock and Watson, are at it again in this delightful series that pulls you right in. Praise for Jeffrey Poole and the Corgi Case files: “I can't wait for the next book. I love mysteries and animals, so these books are perfect reading for me. Sherlock is a small furry Jessica Fletcher.” – H. Dudley, 5 stars online review “A great introduction to the characters in the Corgi Case Files mystery series. Sherlock is brilliant!” J.D. – 5 stars on Amazon (on Case of the One-Eyed Tiger) “The best thing--this guy loves the corgis, as I do, and he describes their behavior very well. Looking forward to future stories.” – 5 stars, Amazon “An intriguing story with a wonderful cast of characters. The plot was excellent and filled with twists and turns it kept my interest to the very end!” – 5 stars on Amazon “I absolutely love this series. If you like a good story, great characters and seriously smart and lovable canines, you’ll love this book. Start with the first book and work your way through the Corgi Case Files. They just keep getting better.” – K. Underwood, 5 stars online review
