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Otter #2
Otter in Space
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Picture Books (2015)Fans of picture book characters like Pete the Cat and Clark the Shark will love the curious, charming, and playful Otter, who made her debut in I Am Otter. In her second book, Otter in Space, she and her best friend, Teddy, set off on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure—to the moon!
Otter's utterly winning voice and Sam Garton's classic yet fresh artwork combine to create a truly hilarious and unforgettable friendship story, with a classroom hook. Otter in Space is all about creativity, problem solving, and the power of imagination.
Otter's utterly winning voice and Sam Garton's classic yet fresh artwork combine to create a truly hilarious and unforgettable friendship story, with a classroom hook. Otter in Space is all about creativity, problem solving, and the power of imagination.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2015
4 people are currently reading
905 people want to read
About the author
Sam Garton
14 books161 followersI’m Sam, I’m 33 and I live in Wokingham! I have a degree in illustration and I spend most of my time drawing Otters whilst generally making a mess and thinking about why I still haven’t bought a kitten. I like putting inappropriate sweets in the freezer (Jelly tots) and my favourite film is Homeward bound. I wish I looked cool wearing headbands but I don’t. Oh and I’m rubbish at looking after house plants.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
November 13, 2015
The whole family is reading all these Goodreads Children's Illustrated book nominees for 2015 and rating all of them. This is #17 of 20 for us.
This is one of those books where there is a pretty clear discrepancy between my view as an adult reader and two of my kids's views. I am not a fan of this artwork. I think Otter is just okay. A lot of people really liked this, and it has his highest rating, but I just think it is good, not great. Forgettable. Probably I could have rated it lower, but I jumped it up because everyone in my family liked it better than me, and that has to count for something', Sam.
Dave 3 stars
Tara 3.5 stars
Harry (10) 4.5 stars
Henry (9) 5 ("What, Dad?! I loved it! It's really good!" "NO, it is not!" "Yes, it is!" "Okay!")
Lyra (8) 3.5 stars
This is one of those books where there is a pretty clear discrepancy between my view as an adult reader and two of my kids's views. I am not a fan of this artwork. I think Otter is just okay. A lot of people really liked this, and it has his highest rating, but I just think it is good, not great. Forgettable. Probably I could have rated it lower, but I jumped it up because everyone in my family liked it better than me, and that has to count for something', Sam.
Dave 3 stars
Tara 3.5 stars
Harry (10) 4.5 stars
Henry (9) 5 ("What, Dad?! I loved it! It's really good!" "NO, it is not!" "Yes, it is!" "Okay!")
Lyra (8) 3.5 stars
July 19, 2018
Favorite line: "Giraffe offered to drive. But I don't think he really knows how." (I'm slightly obsessed with this bug-eyed giraffe...he looks shifty).
This is very cute. Well done, Sam...since I know you'll see this review. :)
This is very cute. Well done, Sam...since I know you'll see this review. :)
October 31, 2015
I love Otter in Space! The very imaginative way Otter finds to go into space will appeal to every kid (no matter how old!)
This is the second Otter book and I love it even more than the first.
This is the second Otter book and I love it even more than the first.
November 16, 2018
That imaginative and mischief-making otter, whose story began in British author/artist Sam Garton's
I Am Otter
, returns in this second entertaining picture-book romp. When the Otter Keeper takes Otter and her best friend Teddy to the museum, the little lutrine trouble-maker is intrigued by the displays devoted to outer space. The next day, while playing with Teddy, Otter decides that in order to get the moon rock they (clearly) need, they will have to travel to the source...
Like its predecessor, Otter in Space pairs an amusing tale with bright, colorful illustrations. Otter is an endearing little heroine, and her imaginative play, and penchant for making an utter mess, are sure to strike a chord with many young readers/listeners. I appreciated her wild imagination, and found the addition of "digging up moon rocks" to the list of no-nos posted on the family refrigerator, quite amusing. Recommended to all young otter lovers, and to anyone who read and enjoyed the first story about Otter.
Like its predecessor, Otter in Space pairs an amusing tale with bright, colorful illustrations. Otter is an endearing little heroine, and her imaginative play, and penchant for making an utter mess, are sure to strike a chord with many young readers/listeners. I appreciated her wild imagination, and found the addition of "digging up moon rocks" to the list of no-nos posted on the family refrigerator, quite amusing. Recommended to all young otter lovers, and to anyone who read and enjoyed the first story about Otter.
May 27, 2015
Adorable! I look forward to reading this in storytime. The illustrations are very sweet - I especially love the page with Otter showing how serious she was about keeping the moon rock, by keeping her space suit on. Of course, I do have a thing for artfully drawn eyebrows... The humor is excellent as well, just like the first book!
September 21, 2018
Great fun. My first Otter book.
July 14, 2015
So adorable!
March 24, 2018
Otter is pretty naughty.
April 24, 2024
After taking a trip to the museum, Otter and his stuffed bear, Teddy, decide they must have a moon rock of their own. Well, the best way to get a moon rock, obviously, is to go to the moon. So, they build their own spaceship and adventures commence. A decent group read aloud for story time, although I do feel like I'm missing something by not having read the first book in the series, "I Am Otter," so I've requested it from the library.
March 4, 2017
This was very cute. The book talks about museums and about being creative. Otter wants a moon rock so he creates a space suit and space ship and pretends to launch to the moon and returns with a big rock from the garden. I will definitely be adding this to my space storytime.
March 27, 2018
Yet another home run from Sam Garton, who has become one of my favorite children's book author-illustrators, up there with Sandra Boynton, Mo Willems, Carter Goodrich, and Molly Idle.
Otter is so expressive, and all the illustrations are dynamic: a lot is going on in both overt and implied movement, which deftly conveys the story. The art has a chubby-cute quality reminiscent of Play-Doh that renders the characters — especially Otter and Giraffe — immanently squishable. The vibe is cute but never cutesy, and it suits the story well.
Garton must have had so much fun writing all the lists scattered about the two-page spread — I sure enjoyed turning the book this way and that to read lists such as "Jobs – Very Important," "Things to Take," "Plan 14," and "List of Very Important Things 2." I appreciated the notes on the fridge, too; there's even a postcard from Kate! All the little nuances in the illustrations are delightful, really, such as the subtle foreshadowing on the first page, the desired toys in the gift shop, and the items used to construct the spaceship and Teddy's "space soot."
Otter's narrative voice is just perfect, and her logic and the way she approaches problems are quintessentially childlike in the best ways possible. And the ending? It made me laugh aloud. It alone is worth the price of the book and then some. It's the perfect conclusion — in both senses of the word, because it's just the way a child would erroneously connect dots between events. Such inferences are always droll — one of the highlights of living with children and, in this case, otters.
Otter is so expressive, and all the illustrations are dynamic: a lot is going on in both overt and implied movement, which deftly conveys the story. The art has a chubby-cute quality reminiscent of Play-Doh that renders the characters — especially Otter and Giraffe — immanently squishable. The vibe is cute but never cutesy, and it suits the story well.
Garton must have had so much fun writing all the lists scattered about the two-page spread — I sure enjoyed turning the book this way and that to read lists such as "Jobs – Very Important," "Things to Take," "Plan 14," and "List of Very Important Things 2." I appreciated the notes on the fridge, too; there's even a postcard from Kate! All the little nuances in the illustrations are delightful, really, such as the subtle foreshadowing on the first page, the desired toys in the gift shop, and the items used to construct the spaceship and Teddy's "space soot."
Otter's narrative voice is just perfect, and her logic and the way she approaches problems are quintessentially childlike in the best ways possible. And the ending? It made me laugh aloud. It alone is worth the price of the book and then some. It's the perfect conclusion — in both senses of the word, because it's just the way a child would erroneously connect dots between events. Such inferences are always droll — one of the highlights of living with children and, in this case, otters.
September 14, 2015
Originally posted on Creative Madness Mama.
Love I Am Otter! I Am Otter in Space is also adorable (it’s that word again…) and sooo imaginative! I Am Otter is now a favorite character of mine. He is definitely fit to amuse fans of Paddington, Curious George, Marley, and Alvin and the Chimpmunks. At the time we read this for the first time, we were planning a trip to the U.S. Space Center, thus I Am Otter in Space was perfectly appropriate for us. It would make a great addition to any space or moon unit for fun.
As a parent and teacher I am so highly amused by Otter than I hope more children will appreciate her as much. Imagination and creativity abound!
This review was originally posted on Creative Madness Mama.
October 6, 2015
Sam Garton's Otter books are whimsical and just plain fun to read. The illustrations are vibrant, captivating, and beautiful. Otter in Space, like the other Otter books, truly capture childlike innocence and imagination. This is a wonderful book!
December 10, 2016
Again, the art is wonderful. Otter, crossed, is a sight to behold.
There is an amusing disconnect between Otter's calm description of not getting all the toys she wants and the look on her face.
She is also a force to be reckoned with, executing her plan to obtain her moon rock and never even considering giving it up. Good for you, Otter!
(Our librarian has ordered more Otter! and there is another that hasn't been in when I looked. Good for us!)
There is an amusing disconnect between Otter's calm description of not getting all the toys she wants and the look on her face.
She is also a force to be reckoned with, executing her plan to obtain her moon rock and never even considering giving it up. Good for you, Otter!
(Our librarian has ordered more Otter! and there is another that hasn't been in when I looked. Good for us!)
June 1, 2015
Seriously, you otter buy this one and "I am Otter". For the preschool-3rd grade crowd, this time Otter visits a museum and follows up with a hunt for a moon rock of her own. Her sidekicks, Teddy and Giraffe, suit up and train for the adventure with hysterical outfits, activities, and outcomes. LOVED IT!
May 14, 2015
Very enjoyable. Love the vivid illustrations and frankly I get a kick out of otters. Great job!
May 22, 2015
A very clever and amusing story that celebrates the imagination. I can't get enough of Otter and Teddy!
June 4, 2015
Yay for more Otter!
November 13, 2015
Pay close attention to the illustration where she calls everyone to help her build a spaceship. Spoiler alert: it's a hot mess, but still PERFECT!
August 29, 2016
A bit long for storytime but great to share one on one.
May 17, 2018
OMG! I came across I am Otter at the circulation desk of our library. THAT art work OMG - I had to read it. Then I shared it with some library friends who also LOVED IT! Then we found MORE Otter books. I am in love. The personality of this animal, and expressions. IT IS SO SWEET! FANTASTIC!
Got to get your MOON ROCK! IMAGINATION IS THE BEST!
Got to get your MOON ROCK! IMAGINATION IS THE BEST!
April 25, 2020
These are just seriously adorable and my son loves them so much. Every time we get a new one he is eager to see what new adventure's the Otter will get into next.
May 8, 2022
Fun kid; glad I don't live with him
March 30, 2017
Cute and curious Otter is on a quest for a moon rock.
May 20, 2018
Cute story about an otter and his journey to find a "moon rock." Adorable and simple.
May 17, 2018
There simply are not enough Otter books out there.
October 19, 2017
Otter visits the museum and loves the part about outer space. When Otter is back home, she decides to travel to the moon to get a moon rock.
A cute book. Otter creates an adventure to the moon and back with wonderful imagination and creativity.
A cute book. Otter creates an adventure to the moon and back with wonderful imagination and creativity.
Read
November 25, 2018My toddler giggles and hunts for giraffe. I laugh and shake my head. Then I laugh harder when she makes her own space ship and says she has to have a giraffe.
May 14, 2015
Remarkably, This Second Otter Story Is Even Better Than the First
The first Otter book had to bear the burden of introducing Otter, Otter Keeper, Otter's best friend Teddy and the entire world of Otter. It was charming and imaginative, but as I say it had to cover a lot of ground. It was still marvelous. When all of the elements come together in just the right balance - as they did then - you have a real winner.
But this book. First off, Otter Keeper takes Otter and Teddy to the Museum, which is where they see a special exhibit and get the idea to travel into space. But get this. Before that happens, Otter wanders around the rest of the Museum. She makes passing observations about dinosaurs, old paintings, old stuff in general and gift shops. Each comment is a one sentence gem that captures, in full deadpan earnestness, the authentic reaction of a kid in a museum. It's funny; it's true; it's charming, unaffected and not one tiny bit false.
The whole trip to the Moon is just bonus time and it works, again, because of Otter's deadpan and guileless delivery. Nothing about these books is cutesy or twee. There are no false notes and the author never hedges his bets by introducing irony. Otter is sincere, honest, focused and totally insane as only a four year old kid can be, and Gartner just nails that weird combination of fantasy and practicality that is a little kid's head. The effect is arresting, entertaining and admirable.
It helps that the drawings here are crisp, well colored, and very expressive. Emotions like "frustration", actions like "adventuring", and feelings like "inspiration", are brutally difficult to capture and express in drawings, but Garton gets it right on every page. It is always clear what is going on with Otter, and it's possible for a little reader to make a real connection with these visuals. There is a disconnect between what one sees, (Otter in a cardboard box), and what Otter is imagining, (Otter in a spaceship), and the author gets the charm and humor of that disconnect right without at all mocking Otter's creativity or imagination.
Captions and narrative are challenging because it's so easy to get cloying or clunky. Again, Garton hits that poetic sweet spot where he writes just enough to drive the tale without overreaching.
So, Otter remains just the right combination of funny, mellow, curious, spirited, playful and appealing. She doesn't come with a lot of extra business; she isn't weighed down with any message; there isn't anything heavy handed about her story. The whole tone or feeling here is one of creative play and security and discovery. And isn't that just exactly what you want in a favorite picture book?
The first Otter book had to bear the burden of introducing Otter, Otter Keeper, Otter's best friend Teddy and the entire world of Otter. It was charming and imaginative, but as I say it had to cover a lot of ground. It was still marvelous. When all of the elements come together in just the right balance - as they did then - you have a real winner.
But this book. First off, Otter Keeper takes Otter and Teddy to the Museum, which is where they see a special exhibit and get the idea to travel into space. But get this. Before that happens, Otter wanders around the rest of the Museum. She makes passing observations about dinosaurs, old paintings, old stuff in general and gift shops. Each comment is a one sentence gem that captures, in full deadpan earnestness, the authentic reaction of a kid in a museum. It's funny; it's true; it's charming, unaffected and not one tiny bit false.
The whole trip to the Moon is just bonus time and it works, again, because of Otter's deadpan and guileless delivery. Nothing about these books is cutesy or twee. There are no false notes and the author never hedges his bets by introducing irony. Otter is sincere, honest, focused and totally insane as only a four year old kid can be, and Gartner just nails that weird combination of fantasy and practicality that is a little kid's head. The effect is arresting, entertaining and admirable.
It helps that the drawings here are crisp, well colored, and very expressive. Emotions like "frustration", actions like "adventuring", and feelings like "inspiration", are brutally difficult to capture and express in drawings, but Garton gets it right on every page. It is always clear what is going on with Otter, and it's possible for a little reader to make a real connection with these visuals. There is a disconnect between what one sees, (Otter in a cardboard box), and what Otter is imagining, (Otter in a spaceship), and the author gets the charm and humor of that disconnect right without at all mocking Otter's creativity or imagination.
Captions and narrative are challenging because it's so easy to get cloying or clunky. Again, Garton hits that poetic sweet spot where he writes just enough to drive the tale without overreaching.
So, Otter remains just the right combination of funny, mellow, curious, spirited, playful and appealing. She doesn't come with a lot of extra business; she isn't weighed down with any message; there isn't anything heavy handed about her story. The whole tone or feeling here is one of creative play and security and discovery. And isn't that just exactly what you want in a favorite picture book?
February 17, 2019
Charming as usual.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews