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Physical & Behavioral Adaptation
Oliver's Otter Phase
What child hasn’t wondered what it would be like to be an animal, able to hop, fly, or slither with ease? After a trip to an aquarium, Oliver decides he wants to be a sea otter. Oliver tries to copy sea otter behavior at meals, while playing, during a trip to the store, and at bath time. However, during the course of the day, Oliver discovers that he just doesn’t have the same adaptations. Being an otter isn’t easy for a human. What’s an otter—we mean, a boy—to do?
32 pages, Hardcover
Published February 10, 2018
17 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 13, 2018
Oliver is going through an otter phase; everything he does and is is what an otter does and is.
A gentle fiction book that also shares lots of facts about otters.
A gentle fiction book that also shares lots of facts about otters.
February 12, 2018
After a visit to the aquarium, Oliver decides he is an otter. He tries things otters do like using his belly as a plate, chewing his food slowly and carefully, and playing in the bath. His parents are patient with his fascination, although he worries them when he tries to put hot spaghetti on his stomach! The large illustrations show what Oliver is doing, while smaller pictures resemble Polaroid snapshots and document the trip to the aquarium. Comparing the illustrations will help young readers make the connection between what Oliver saw on the trip and what he tries at home. Back matter includes information on marine mammals, a comparison of humans and otters, a matching game about otter tools, and a page on similarities and differences of sea otters and river otters.
Perfect for other aquarium visitors who come away with an appreciation of otters and their abilities.
Perfect for other aquarium visitors who come away with an appreciation of otters and their abilities.
April 28, 2018
Cute, fun story, cute illustrations, and otter facts included at the end!
January 8, 2019
Oliver’s Otter Phase by Lisa Connors with illustrations by Karen Jones follows Oliver
as he spends a day trying to live like an Otter.
But what does that mean? Otters arrange their food on their stomach. Otters secure their babies with kelp to keep them from floating away. Otters hold food in an underarm pouch. Otters hold hands when they sleep. Oliver delights in finding out what life as a pretend otter is all about. Try as he might, he also discovers that in the end, he’s more successful being a boy.
As with other books by Arbordale, this story contains a Creative Minds section that includes factual information to provide points of discussion for parents and lesson options for teachers. Marine Mammals defines the characteristics of mammals in general and the specializations of sea otters. Sea Otters and You compares and contrasts otters and humans. Sea Otter Tools provides an opportunity to test knowledge by matching otter skills with the ways in which Oliver uses tools. Sea Otters and River Otters creates a Venn diagram to examine the characteristics and behaviors of these two related species.
Recommended for home and school libraries. Great addition to STEM studies.
as he spends a day trying to live like an Otter.
But what does that mean? Otters arrange their food on their stomach. Otters secure their babies with kelp to keep them from floating away. Otters hold food in an underarm pouch. Otters hold hands when they sleep. Oliver delights in finding out what life as a pretend otter is all about. Try as he might, he also discovers that in the end, he’s more successful being a boy.
As with other books by Arbordale, this story contains a Creative Minds section that includes factual information to provide points of discussion for parents and lesson options for teachers. Marine Mammals defines the characteristics of mammals in general and the specializations of sea otters. Sea Otters and You compares and contrasts otters and humans. Sea Otter Tools provides an opportunity to test knowledge by matching otter skills with the ways in which Oliver uses tools. Sea Otters and River Otters creates a Venn diagram to examine the characteristics and behaviors of these two related species.
Recommended for home and school libraries. Great addition to STEM studies.
February 28, 2018
Oliver is delightful as he imitates otter behavior, including slapping food on his belly. Fabulous sea otter science and facts take the story beyond the loveliness of a peek into a little boy's world.
My grandson, who says he is now too old for most picture books (since he reads MG novels), not only read it once, but read it again to his parents. This inviting tale belongs in classrooms and in the hands of children.
My grandson, who says he is now too old for most picture books (since he reads MG novels), not only read it once, but read it again to his parents. This inviting tale belongs in classrooms and in the hands of children.
December 30, 2018
Hard to not make my son put food under his armpit like Oliver...
February 17, 2018
While I'm not the intended audience for this book and didn't particularly relate to all the antics described in the text, many youngsters still. After all, many of them will have wondered what it might be like to be anything other than human. After Oliver's family visits the local aquarium, he is fascinated by the sea otters and wants to behave just like them. While he pesters his parents with suggestions about how they are eating and even tries to move through the house just like a sea otter, the illustrations show those scenes but also scenes from the aquarium visit. I have to say that the young boy has been blessed with incredibly patient parents who don't become too upset when he slaps his luncheon meat onto his chest and his spaghetti onto his chest. Eventually, his excitement starts to wane, and he is ready for bed after a bath. Like all young mammals, he decides that cuddling with his mother is one activity he can emulate from the young otters he's seen. The book contains four pages of activities about marine mammals and the differences and similarities between humans and sea otters as well as exercises related to otter tools and a passage comparing sea otters and river otters. I'm betting that young readers will be enchanted by Oliver's antics and try to emulate them.
April 25, 2018
I won a print copy of this book from the author through an Amazon giveaway she recently had and the following is my honest opinion.
Reading this book allowed my inner-child to come alive again as it reminded me of the days when I loved pretending to be a big, white, fluffy cat lying on the floor in a curled-up position surrounding my favorite toy. It also reminded me of pretending to be a bird, taking tiny, tiny bites of the slice of bread I was eating.
In this sweet picture book Oliver comes home with his parents after visiting a local aquarium, and when he does, he starts to emulate the behavior of the otters he saw there at every any opportunity he could. As the day progress he slowly realizes he can’t duplicate anything he saw them doing, except one; a behavior he loves doing even before he had gone to the aquarium that day,
Enhancing this picture book’s imaginary story, not only are there wonderful illustrations; there are four pages of educational information about otters and learning activities; which is why I’ve given Ms. Connors, her illustrator Karen Jones, and his book 5 STARS.
Reading this book allowed my inner-child to come alive again as it reminded me of the days when I loved pretending to be a big, white, fluffy cat lying on the floor in a curled-up position surrounding my favorite toy. It also reminded me of pretending to be a bird, taking tiny, tiny bites of the slice of bread I was eating.
In this sweet picture book Oliver comes home with his parents after visiting a local aquarium, and when he does, he starts to emulate the behavior of the otters he saw there at every any opportunity he could. As the day progress he slowly realizes he can’t duplicate anything he saw them doing, except one; a behavior he loves doing even before he had gone to the aquarium that day,
Enhancing this picture book’s imaginary story, not only are there wonderful illustrations; there are four pages of educational information about otters and learning activities; which is why I’ve given Ms. Connors, her illustrator Karen Jones, and his book 5 STARS.
July 24, 2020
A wonderful and realistic example of just how powerful a child’s imagination is. About a young boy that goes to the aquarium and learns all about otters. He becomes so enthralled by the otters that he starts acting like an otter when he gets home. Throughout the day he mimics otter behavior and shares interesting otter facts with his family. Such a cute book and I was happy to see an interesting section in the back with loads of otter facts and activities, making it perfect for teachers 🦦
July 11, 2018
Useful combination of fiction and facts (including more info. and learning exercises about both river and sea otters in the back).
Imaginative, but could have been a little more engaging. Simple artwork focuses attention on lead character with small pictures of the live otter activity he is practicing.
Imaginative, but could have been a little more engaging. Simple artwork focuses attention on lead character with small pictures of the live otter activity he is practicing.
July 12, 2019
Like the nonfiction facts embedded in th he story; the illustrations aren’t my favorite.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews