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My Otter Half
Homeward Bound meets Finding Nemo in this heartfelt story about a brave sea otter and a rambunctious puppy who team up to find their way home.
Oliver is a sea otter determined to prove that he’s not a momma otter’s boy. In an effort to show his bravery, he swims into Puget Sound where all the ships and humans are. That’s when disaster strikes: An oil spill threatens the local wildlife -- and it traps Oliver in the harbor!
Franklin, an excitable dachshund puppy, is also lost. He's been separated from his owner, Lucy, and he has no idea how to get back to her. Now Oliver and Franklin must journey through the Pacific Northwest wilderness in search of their families.
Along the way, they’ll discover exciting adventures and meet new friends—but will they be able to find their way home?
Oliver is a sea otter determined to prove that he’s not a momma otter’s boy. In an effort to show his bravery, he swims into Puget Sound where all the ships and humans are. That’s when disaster strikes: An oil spill threatens the local wildlife -- and it traps Oliver in the harbor!
Franklin, an excitable dachshund puppy, is also lost. He's been separated from his owner, Lucy, and he has no idea how to get back to her. Now Oliver and Franklin must journey through the Pacific Northwest wilderness in search of their families.
Along the way, they’ll discover exciting adventures and meet new friends—but will they be able to find their way home?
240 pages, Paperback
Published January 4, 2022
45 people are currently reading
358 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Schusterman
22 books159 followersMichelle Schusterman is the alleged author of less than one hundred books for kids and teens, most of which are not published under a secret pseudonym, and all of which include various characters. She lives on a steamboat with her pet crawfish, unless she's lying, in which case she lives among the spiders beneath the stage at the Metropolitan Opera, unless that's another lie, in which case she lives in an apartment in Queens with her chocolate lab, who can talk.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
October 13, 2021
A baby sea otter and a dachshund puppy are accidental runaways-- Oliver from his momma, and Franklin from his human, Lucy. After an oil spill in Puget Sound brings them together, this unlikely duo puts their paws together, determined to help each other find their way home. A quick-paced, otter-ly adorable adventure of friendship, filled with heart and charm worthy of a Disney film.
August 5, 2025
Adorable story, with so-so writing. My 8 year old gives it 5 stars, though.
July 18, 2022
One of my favorite books of all time! Its a must!
March 22, 2023
Sweet little story about friendship!
October 19, 2023
My Otter loving 7yr. old LOVED this book and I have to say it was a pretty sweet story for his age group.
Oliver the Otter ends up trapped in an oil spill in the Puget Sound and meets Franklin the dog as a result. The plot is kept pretty simple, both animals want to return to their homes. All three main characters, Oliver, Franklin and Lucy, have relationship struggles but nothing complicated or overwhelming for a young reader to deal with. Each of them learn that sometimes love looks like over protection. The environmental aspect is not a major message or at all pushy.
Throughout the book are tucked in facts about otters and my 7yr old's interest in them expanded (if possible) even more. It's inspired him to learn more about his favorite animal and their habitats.
Oliver the Otter ends up trapped in an oil spill in the Puget Sound and meets Franklin the dog as a result. The plot is kept pretty simple, both animals want to return to their homes. All three main characters, Oliver, Franklin and Lucy, have relationship struggles but nothing complicated or overwhelming for a young reader to deal with. Each of them learn that sometimes love looks like over protection. The environmental aspect is not a major message or at all pushy.
Throughout the book are tucked in facts about otters and my 7yr old's interest in them expanded (if possible) even more. It's inspired him to learn more about his favorite animal and their habitats.
Read
August 2, 2022I probably would have adored this as a child. As an adult, I will say that it is a perfectly competent animal adventure that wraps up a little too suddenly.
September 13, 2023
I read this with my twin 8 year olds and they both seemed to really enjoy it. Very cute read and easy for younger children to understand and follow along.
September 16, 2023
My daughter (10) wanted me to read this because I love otters. It was adorable, informative, and had great perspectives! and I will read anything my kids want!
January 20, 2025
Great story about friendship and adventure.
Look forward to adding it to my classroom library.
Look forward to adding it to my classroom library.
June 13, 2022
In the name of being honest, let me tell you that I totally judged this book by its cover, and I am so glad that I did because I absolutely adored it! Michelle Schusterman's
My Otter Half
possesses the type of charm reserved for Disney movies {of which I hope it someday becomes}; while, at the same time, bringing the very real issue of oil spills and ocean pollution to the forefront in a way that educates without being overtly graphic or preachy. It's a tale of family {human, canine, and otter}, friendship, and finding your way home in the vein of both
The Incredible Journey
and
Finding Nemo
- and I, for one, feel that no heart would be untouched by the story found within these pages.
Oliver is a young sea otter faced with a difficult problem: proving to his pals that he is not a momma otter's boy, like they all believe. You see, the other young sea otters have already experienced land adventures; while Oliver has been told time and time again by his overprotective mother that the time will come for him to explore the land - for now he must remain where she can keep him safe. Tired of hearing no , Oliver takes it upon himself to create his own adventure to prove his bravery by swimming into Puget Sound alone, where humans and ships can be found by the dozens. Within a short time of arriving, however, an oil spill threatening local wildlife takes place, trapping Oliver in the harbor, and separating him from his friends and beloved momma.
Like Oliver, Franklin is lost from his family. The big diff? Franklin is a dachshund puppy with a penchant for chasing squirrels at inappropriate times - not a sea otter. Those squirrels I mentioned? Yep, the very reason why Franklin was separated from his owner, Lucy, in the first place. Franklin has absolutely no idea how to reunite with the doting Lucy; but when he meets Oliver, he's convinced that the two can help each other in finding their families as long as they work together. And so the two four-legged fellas embark on a quest through the Pacific Northwest wildnerness to do precisely that.
Told in alternating chapters from the POV of Franklin, Oliver, and Lucy, My Otter Half is a story that really puts you in your feels. Though the adventures of the incredibly mischevious Oliver and Franklin are oftentimes humorous, there are moments where your heart breaks for these two sweet creatures and their plight. Chapters told in Lucy's perspective are slightly different from those shared by Franklin and Oliver. Through Lucy, we see quite a bit of time searching for Franklin, but also struggling with family issues involving a rift between her mother and older brother, Zach. Most interesting about Lucy's chapters, however, are the details regarding the oil spill itself, and the animal rescues and clean-ups completed by her mother, who appears to be a marine biologist {though it is never specified} - this alone will intrigue young animal lovers and aspiring veterinarians , while aiding in a classroom study about oil spills.
As a new teacher and animal lover, who gravitates frequently to oil spill studies and the ramifications on wildlife, this is a tale that I would love to incorporate into my future classroom, tying it into science, ELA, and even social studies {using Google Maps to track the adventures of Franklin and Oliver}. Highly recommended!
Oliver is a young sea otter faced with a difficult problem: proving to his pals that he is not a momma otter's boy, like they all believe. You see, the other young sea otters have already experienced land adventures; while Oliver has been told time and time again by his overprotective mother that the time will come for him to explore the land - for now he must remain where she can keep him safe. Tired of hearing no , Oliver takes it upon himself to create his own adventure to prove his bravery by swimming into Puget Sound alone, where humans and ships can be found by the dozens. Within a short time of arriving, however, an oil spill threatening local wildlife takes place, trapping Oliver in the harbor, and separating him from his friends and beloved momma.
Like Oliver, Franklin is lost from his family. The big diff? Franklin is a dachshund puppy with a penchant for chasing squirrels at inappropriate times - not a sea otter. Those squirrels I mentioned? Yep, the very reason why Franklin was separated from his owner, Lucy, in the first place. Franklin has absolutely no idea how to reunite with the doting Lucy; but when he meets Oliver, he's convinced that the two can help each other in finding their families as long as they work together. And so the two four-legged fellas embark on a quest through the Pacific Northwest wildnerness to do precisely that.
Told in alternating chapters from the POV of Franklin, Oliver, and Lucy, My Otter Half is a story that really puts you in your feels. Though the adventures of the incredibly mischevious Oliver and Franklin are oftentimes humorous, there are moments where your heart breaks for these two sweet creatures and their plight. Chapters told in Lucy's perspective are slightly different from those shared by Franklin and Oliver. Through Lucy, we see quite a bit of time searching for Franklin, but also struggling with family issues involving a rift between her mother and older brother, Zach. Most interesting about Lucy's chapters, however, are the details regarding the oil spill itself, and the animal rescues and clean-ups completed by her mother, who appears to be a marine biologist {though it is never specified} - this alone will intrigue young animal lovers and aspiring veterinarians , while aiding in a classroom study about oil spills.
As a new teacher and animal lover, who gravitates frequently to oil spill studies and the ramifications on wildlife, this is a tale that I would love to incorporate into my future classroom, tying it into science, ELA, and even social studies {using Google Maps to track the adventures of Franklin and Oliver}. Highly recommended!
September 16, 2025
A cute animal adventure featuring a young dachshund and a baby sea otter.
Oliver is a sea otter that wants to prove that he is just as brave as his friends. Despite his mother's warnings, Oliver is convinced that he is ready for an adventure on land. When an oil tanker leaks in the Pugent Sound, Oliver is caught up in the mess and separated from his mother. Once on land, he meets a young dachshund by the name of Franklin. The two embark on an unforgettable journey in the hopes of reuniting with their loved ones again.
This was such a cute middle grade book! I wasn't expecting much from it, but it ended up being a really sweet read about a young otter trying to return to his mother and a pup trying to find his owner. "Homeward Bound" meets "Finding Nemo" is truly a great way to describe this book.
This book does a great job of talking about ocean conservation for a young audience. It stresses how important it is to take care of our oceans and just how hurtful human interactions such as oil spills can be to the ocean's natural ecosystem and wildlife.
I was also surprised that I learned something about sea otters in this one. Once upon a time I may have known about the arm pockets that sea otters have in which they store their special rocks, but I didn't remember this fact. It is so cool that sea otters will choose a rock to break open shells with as a young otter and keep it with them their entire lives. Us humans tend to lose things all the time, so I found it inspiring that these otters can hold on to one thing for their entire lifespan.
The bond between Oliver and Franklin is an unlikely one that wouldn't probably form in the real world, but weirder things have happened. It was fun to see the two learn about each other, and I feel Schusterman did such a stellar job getting into the headspace of these two animals. Franklin's PoV truly screams young dog with few thoughts in head and Oliver's reads like a juvenile sea critter that is truly in love with the sea but wants more from life.
Overall, "My Otter Half" was a quick middle grade read that explores ocean conservation in a quirky story that follows a sea otter and a dachshund. This book truly outdid my expectations. I don't think this is one I'll hold onto, but it's definitely a sweet story that young children can also learn a lesson from.
Oliver is a sea otter that wants to prove that he is just as brave as his friends. Despite his mother's warnings, Oliver is convinced that he is ready for an adventure on land. When an oil tanker leaks in the Pugent Sound, Oliver is caught up in the mess and separated from his mother. Once on land, he meets a young dachshund by the name of Franklin. The two embark on an unforgettable journey in the hopes of reuniting with their loved ones again.
This was such a cute middle grade book! I wasn't expecting much from it, but it ended up being a really sweet read about a young otter trying to return to his mother and a pup trying to find his owner. "Homeward Bound" meets "Finding Nemo" is truly a great way to describe this book.
This book does a great job of talking about ocean conservation for a young audience. It stresses how important it is to take care of our oceans and just how hurtful human interactions such as oil spills can be to the ocean's natural ecosystem and wildlife.
I was also surprised that I learned something about sea otters in this one. Once upon a time I may have known about the arm pockets that sea otters have in which they store their special rocks, but I didn't remember this fact. It is so cool that sea otters will choose a rock to break open shells with as a young otter and keep it with them their entire lives. Us humans tend to lose things all the time, so I found it inspiring that these otters can hold on to one thing for their entire lifespan.
The bond between Oliver and Franklin is an unlikely one that wouldn't probably form in the real world, but weirder things have happened. It was fun to see the two learn about each other, and I feel Schusterman did such a stellar job getting into the headspace of these two animals. Franklin's PoV truly screams young dog with few thoughts in head and Oliver's reads like a juvenile sea critter that is truly in love with the sea but wants more from life.
Overall, "My Otter Half" was a quick middle grade read that explores ocean conservation in a quirky story that follows a sea otter and a dachshund. This book truly outdid my expectations. I don't think this is one I'll hold onto, but it's definitely a sweet story that young children can also learn a lesson from.
December 9, 2021
This book was a perfect combination of all those books where a pet is missing and making a journey home, with a little extra thrown in. The little extra something is that the human’s were able to follow along on their pets adventures. If you ever watched those videos where you watch someone react to a movie or TV show you will appreciate this part of the book.
The characters, Oliver the Otter, and Franklin the Dachshund, are written to appeal to children. They are silly and sometimes make mistakes that will have a young reader feeling proud of themselves thinking, “I would’ve known better.”
I was afraid when I read the first chapter from Lucy’s perspective. I thought this would turn into an “issue” book. You know the kind where the characters deal with a major life issue which overshadows everything else in the book. Personally those are not the kind of books for me. But it happily didn’t. There were things she was dealing with that matched well with the theme of the book - but happily her problems and the theme didn’t overpower the fun animal adventure.
Between the information about otters, dealing with oil spills and helping animals this would be a perfect book for animal lovers and aspiring veterinarians.
I do wish that a map of the area would have been included. If I lived in or near the area I know my kids would have loved tracking the adventures on a map. I’m sure many schools in the area will end up doing just that thing.
So I’ll only give the book 4.5 stars - but I suppose I’ll round that up to 5 stars.
The characters, Oliver the Otter, and Franklin the Dachshund, are written to appeal to children. They are silly and sometimes make mistakes that will have a young reader feeling proud of themselves thinking, “I would’ve known better.”
I was afraid when I read the first chapter from Lucy’s perspective. I thought this would turn into an “issue” book. You know the kind where the characters deal with a major life issue which overshadows everything else in the book. Personally those are not the kind of books for me. But it happily didn’t. There were things she was dealing with that matched well with the theme of the book - but happily her problems and the theme didn’t overpower the fun animal adventure.
Between the information about otters, dealing with oil spills and helping animals this would be a perfect book for animal lovers and aspiring veterinarians.
I do wish that a map of the area would have been included. If I lived in or near the area I know my kids would have loved tracking the adventures on a map. I’m sure many schools in the area will end up doing just that thing.
So I’ll only give the book 4.5 stars - but I suppose I’ll round that up to 5 stars.
May 28, 2024
Set in real places in and around the Puget Sound (Kingston's farmer's market, Whidbey Island, Dabob Bay, Olympic National Park, Neah Bay) and told from alternating points of view (otter, dachshund, and Lucy who is about 13).
I love otters and my daughter loves dogs so I read this aloud and was surprisingly impressed. I don't usually go for really modern storylines complete with cell phone videos and talking about how many views YouTube videos are getting but thankfully those are minor in this story and the focus is on the animals, the area, and the tense relationship between Lucy's mom and older brother. I felt it navigated the issues well without making it uncomfortable. I really liked the parallel between Oliver (the otter) and his mom and Zach (Lucy's brother) and his mom.
As to plausibility of a dog and otter hanging out, traversing as far as they did, etc maybe not but the cuteness made up for it. We chuckled out loud more than once.
CCs takes the Lord's name in vain on page 206
I love otters and my daughter loves dogs so I read this aloud and was surprisingly impressed. I don't usually go for really modern storylines complete with cell phone videos and talking about how many views YouTube videos are getting but thankfully those are minor in this story and the focus is on the animals, the area, and the tense relationship between Lucy's mom and older brother. I felt it navigated the issues well without making it uncomfortable. I really liked the parallel between Oliver (the otter) and his mom and Zach (Lucy's brother) and his mom.
As to plausibility of a dog and otter hanging out, traversing as far as they did, etc maybe not but the cuteness made up for it. We chuckled out loud more than once.
CCs takes the Lord's name in vain on page 206
December 9, 2021
E ARC provided by Edelweiss+
This book reminded me a lot of “The Incredible Journey” and “Tales of the Green Forest”.
This is a cute book that takes place from 3 viewpoints:
* An Otter, Oliver, who gets separated from his mother due to an oil spill.
* A Dachshund, Franklin, who accidentally runs away from his human while chasing a squirrel.
* The Dachshund's human, Lucy, who tries to find her dachshund while dealing with her own family troubles.
One thing I loved is how the humans, in a very plausible way, got to learn about the adventures the animals were having.
This book is the perfect length for true middle grade students. (So many middle grade books are way too long for their intended audience)
I appreciated how the oil spill was handled since it raised awareness of the problem with oil spills without the incident overshadowing the whole book.
This book reminded me a lot of “The Incredible Journey” and “Tales of the Green Forest”.
This is a cute book that takes place from 3 viewpoints:
* An Otter, Oliver, who gets separated from his mother due to an oil spill.
* A Dachshund, Franklin, who accidentally runs away from his human while chasing a squirrel.
* The Dachshund's human, Lucy, who tries to find her dachshund while dealing with her own family troubles.
One thing I loved is how the humans, in a very plausible way, got to learn about the adventures the animals were having.
This book is the perfect length for true middle grade students. (So many middle grade books are way too long for their intended audience)
I appreciated how the oil spill was handled since it raised awareness of the problem with oil spills without the incident overshadowing the whole book.
April 21, 2023
Pretty adorable, honestly. I mean...I'm not sure how a story about a dog and an otter becoming accidental friends and going on adventures to try and get home could be anything else, really. Lots of cool facts about otters explored (THEY JUGGLE?!), as well as the threats and dangers of oil spills (though I thought this was downplayed a little too much).
There are some realistic human elements that readers will will relate with, as well--like complicated family dynamics--but the focus here is really on the The Incredible Journey-like story of Oliver and Franklin.
Definitely aimed at upper-elementary readers with great appeal for animal lovers, adventurers, and reluctant readers.
There are some realistic human elements that readers will will relate with, as well--like complicated family dynamics--but the focus here is really on the The Incredible Journey-like story of Oliver and Franklin.
Definitely aimed at upper-elementary readers with great appeal for animal lovers, adventurers, and reluctant readers.
December 21, 2022
I read this out loud with my 11 year old daughter. She really loved it. I thought the friendship between the otter and dachshund was cute but not terribly believable. I liked the lesson taught about through the relationship between the otter and his mother being separated and trying to find their way back to each other and the way it mirrored the relationship between the main character's brother and their mom.
November 22, 2024
What an absolutely sweet story! I borrowed this from my school’s library. Even though I teach PE, all of my students know I love to read. I like to check out books I can recommend to them. This is my number one book to recommend to them for the year. Very well written. Asa past Dachshund mom this is so representative of how they behave. Really cute tale of the adventures of the dog and the otter trying to find their family.
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July 13, 2022Such a sweet book. My girl bought it for me at her school book fair because she knows I love otters. Then she was embarrassed to give it to me because she thought I wouldn't want to read a kid book. It was a great bonding chance for me to read and talk about it with her. It made her excited to see we could read the same things. It was a great "Impossible Journey" type of story!
September 12, 2023
I finished reading this in a few hours. I could not put it down. Not only is it engrossing with compelling characters, it is also really funny in its choice of antagonists - such as a squirrel that isn't really there - and the theme of balancing safety and freedom was brought really well through multiple characters and their relationships with one another.
January 10, 2025
This book has a deep dive into the live of a otter and dash hound and a family who are in a big fight. this book changes perspective of the Oliver the otter, Franklin the dash hound and Franklins owner Lucy. overall this book makes you feel in the book and I stayed up late to read as much as I could.
March 27, 2022
This book was so cute. I really love how it really expressed the thoughts of all three main characters. I got it from the book fair because Mrs.Susan said that it made her think about me.Overall it was a very cute book.🦦🐾
July 10, 2022
This book was cute and fun for a short read. I loved Lucy, Franklin, and Oliver. This book has some cheesy writing and is not the best but it was enjoyable. I don't think adults should read this book its definitely for 10-13. I am sticking on what I give it as a three star.
November 6, 2022
My daughter bought me this book from her school book fair. It was just what I needed to kickstart me back into reading more books. Such a great book! Very cute story! Love the characters. As I read, the author’s descriptions really took me to where the characters were. I absolutely loved it!
March 15, 2023
This is the first real chapter book Shi and I have made it through together (me reading). Sweet story, but certainly could have been shorter. It got a bit repetitive. But maybe that’s what children prefer! Great for elementary students.
April 22, 2023
A 5 star read for the age group that it is aimed for as well as the enjoyment I had reading it. It gave me great imagery and also made me feel all the wonderful emotions of happiness, adventures, hope and sad moments but knowing there was a happy ending to come.
July 31, 2023
It was very boring for the first half but it just kept on getting better from there. I loved the ending. It warmed my heart. ❤ overall this book was pretty good. If you are bored with the beginning, do not dnf it because it gets better at the end.
August 30, 2023
Such an adorable and fluffy read definitely recommend! Absolutely loved it! It has the best friendship between animals I have ever seen and it’s just so sweet!! it makes my heart all warm and fuzzy 🥰
January 16, 2024
Oliver and Franklin went on a very long, scary, but exciting journey. Some of their adventures included a waterfall and an oil spill. For a 7 year old, it was a very scary book but I still liked it a lot.
December 17, 2024
Cute animal story
Such a cute story. I love otters and dogs so when I saw this I knew I had to read it. Engaging story told from multiple points of view that I wanted to find out what would happen next.
Such a cute story. I love otters and dogs so when I saw this I knew I had to read it. Engaging story told from multiple points of view that I wanted to find out what would happen next.
July 14, 2025
It’s a cute book with triple point of view of a girl, a dachshund, and a sea otter. It’s very similar to Unlikely Friendships but takes place in Washington State during an oil spill and is a fictional story
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews