What Reviewers are Saying About River Otter's Adventure


Kirkus Reviews - May 2020

The repetitive format will soothe younger children and build confidence in older ones. The introduction of exotic animals among more-familiar ones adds variety. Some readers might see the river otter’s journey as a support of identity play and self-acceptance; others can simply indulge in all the ways to act like animals. Cute and playful, like its featured critter.

Edelweiss, Goodreads, and Other Community Reviews

What a fun book about adventure and accepting to be yourself! I loved River Otter's Journey! It was so much fun! The illustrations are beyond belief beautiful and capture the story perfectly! It taught a good lesson that it's okay to be ourselves! I also really loved that there was facts about river otters at the end!
Steph Dykhouse, Reviewer

Kids Book Buzz - October 2020

The whole book is my favorite part. The story River Otter’s Adventure is about an otter who decides to be different animals, like a tiger and a slithery snake, but he learns that he likes being an otter best of all. It’s a very sweet and silly book and it’s my favorite. It’s different from other animal books because it’s about an otter being different than it actually is. I like the illustrations because they’re so detailed and most of the animals look so cute.

Midwest Book Review - December 2020

When a young river otter sneaks into a zoo, she wonders if she should be more like some of the other animals she meets. She wants a trunk like the elephant or to be loud like the gorilla! By imitating and comparing herself to these other animals she learns to appreciate herself. Educational components are woven throughout this fun, read-aloud picture book story by author Linda Stanek and illustrator Shennen Bersani to extend the learning, making it a perfect book for children

So Cal City Kids - November 2020

I love otters! River Otter’s Adventure is a fun story for ages 4-8. It’s about a young river otter who sneaks into a zoo, and she wonders if she should be more like some of the zoo animals she meets. This one is educational and a lot of fun!

Puget Sound Council for the Review of Children's and Young Adult Literature - March 2021

The text is occasionally-rhyming, and the concept is cute. There are lots of books with children pretending to be animals, but an otter? What fun! In the end she is satisfied with being herself, which is a good thing. Additional information about otters is included at the end. This is an interesting concept and the absolutely cute as a button illustrations really make it stand out. This would make for a fun story time as children follow along with the otter's motions.

All About the Books with Janet Squires - October 2020

The author weaves facts into the read-aloud story and expands on the factual material at the end. Colorful double-page spreads provide realistic reinforcement to this charming and educational offering for young readers ages 4-8. Readers will find the text engaging and will discover more information in the final section, titled For Creative Minds, where additional discussions provide a wealth of facts.