Pup 681: A Sea Otter Rescue Story

by Jean Reidy, Ashley Crowley (Illustrator)

A heartwarming sea otter rescue story.

Washed ashore alone, a tiny sea otter pup needs help! Soon, a rescuer is there, to take her in and keep her warm and fed. The pup faces challenges in her new life without her sea otter family. But with the love and care of her rescuer, she flourishes in her new home. Inspired by a true story, this is a heartwarming and hopeful rescue story about family and love.

- GODWIN BOOKS -

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Science, Childrens, Nonfiction, Nature, Family

40 pages, Hardcover

Published February 26, 2019

About the author

Jean Reidy’s bestselling and award-winning picture books have earned their spots as favorites among readers and listeners of all ages and from all over the world. She is honored to be a three-time winner of the Colorado Book Award, a Parent’s Choice Gold Award Winner, a Charlotte Zolotow Honor winner and recognized on “Best of” lists by School Library Journal, the New York Times, NPR and Amazon. Jean writes from her home in Chicago where she lives just a short walk from her neighborhood library … which she visits nearly every day.

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

When an abandoned baby sea otter washes ashore after nearly drowning, she is rescued and taken to an aquarium. “Hello there, little one! / You’re Pup 681!” Sad, lonely, and homesick for her family, she eventually bonds with her rescuer who becomes her new family “with enough love to fill an ocean / and who loves YOU / to the moon and back.” Jean Reidy’s simple and lyrical text, inspired by a true story, is complemented by Ashley Crowley’s illustrations of the engaging pup throughout her recovery, rendered in colored-ink, pastel, colored-pencil, and Adobe Photoshop, in bright aquatic and muted nature tones on single and double-page spreads. Back matter includes an author’s letter to the reader and “Fun Sea Otter Facts.”

[Laura Aldridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a sweet book. A lonely lost sea otter pup who learns the meaning of true family!

I feel like this would be an amazing book for children via adoption as they come to terms with the idea of losing one family and gaining another.

[kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

underwhelmed. had a self-published vibe too

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story about a cute little abandoned sea otter. Loved! *Search for videos and other true stories about this little pup, you will fall in love with it!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on a true story, this account of how a sea otter was rescued will have readers heading online to learn more and to see the real Pup 681. Later named Luna, the little creature was somehow washed ashore in California and separated from her family. Rescuers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium took care of her from the time she was one week old and then transported her to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. The images show how lonely and confused she was and how dedicated one rescuer was to making sure she survived and thrived. I liked everything about the story except the last lines, which provide reassurance for youngsters that they, too, are loved, but that reminder took away from Luna's own story, at least in my eyes. Everything else worked well for me and made me care about this sea otter pup. It would be highly unlikely that her original rescuer would still remain with her when she moved to a new aquarium, but she's certainly be surrounded by a team of rescuers intent on surrounding her with everything she needed. I had no idea that sea otters had a little pocket under their forelegs to store things. The illustrations rely on colored inks, graphite sticks, pastels, colored pencils, and Adobe Photoshop.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pup 681: A Sea Otter Rescue Story by Jean Reidy, illustrated by Ashley Crowley. PICTURE BOOK. Henry Holt (Macmillan), 2019. $18. 9781250114501

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

A little sea lion pup is found shivering on the shore and taken to an aquarium to live. There she learns that family can be a different bond than she originally thought.

Crowley’s illustrations are just the right touch of sea-blue dreamy. The accompany story is short enough for a quick read, but only offers a taste information. A teacher or other reader needs to be prepared with links to the videos and info about the real 681’s story to flesh this out. Luckily a quick Google search will give you plenty of hits.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Bethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on actual events in which a very small abandoned sea otter is rescued in California and was rehabilitated at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. Unfortunately the book has unappealing illustrations. There is a facts page and directions to find cute videos of Pup681 from the aquarium. Can’t find any info if the pip is still alive, however.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of a sea otter pup that washes up on the California coast and rescued and transported to a rescue center. This story is based on an actual event, and the real pup now makes its home at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

This could have been SO GOOD, but it was SO BAD. Overly cheesy, bad illustrations, horrible trite writing...I cannot go on. Do yourself a favor and look up the true pup 681, Luna, and see what a REAL otter looks like. SO CUTE! ... not this dog/lump thing.

[Raven Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure I liked this poetic story of a baby otter and the adventure it takes to find their home. Based loosely on an actual situation, this book is cute, fun and even informative. Great for the animal lover or the person who likes sweet stories.

[Mother Goose Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on the true story of a sea otter rescue, this sweet story tells about sea otter pup 681 and his rescue from a beach in California to an aquarium in Chicago. Includes an author note and sea otter facts. Recommended.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Possible for a school age program on otters or animal rescue...

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fictional story based on real events about the rescue of an orphaned baby sea otter.

[Syntha Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

Baby Sea Otter, that's all you really need to know

[Ana Gutierrez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and sweet fiction story about a fictional Sea Otter based on the real life rescue of a pup by the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

[MaryLibrarianOH · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sea otter puppy is rescued and taken to an aquarium to get the care it needs. Based on a true story but the author's note show the parts of the story that she fictionalized.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a cute story about an abandoned sea otter, but I'm not sure I get the ending.

[Meredith Estes · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 6 year olds really liked this story. In the vein of Inky the Octopus, they are very interested in how animals get to be in zoos and aquariums. Sweet book with a nice story.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sea otter is rescued by a worker and learns a new life and what family really is. Cute and told from the sea otters persepective. Preschool and up

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was cute af and I definitely teared up a little.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.5)

[Angela De Groot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darling story inspired by true events. A tiny, lost sea otter pup is rescued and taken to a new home.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Pinky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pup 681 misses her home, but a caring caretaker makes her feel at home.

[Kelly]

This was a cute story about a rescued pup who now resides at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago!