Hello, Otter!

An origami river otter and sea otter in a shared water landscape.

Fold 2, ages 6 to 8FOLD2AGES 6–8Fold 2 · Read Together
Ages 6–8

Hello, Otter!

Start reading
Nina Hi, I'm Nina! Come explore the river.
Theo I'm Theo. Let's see the ocean!

Read together. A grown-up reads; you can point and join in.

An origami river otter pokes its head out of clear paper water beside green reeds.An origami river otter pokes its head out of clear paper water beside green reeds.An origami river otter pokes its head out of clear paper water beside green reeds.

Splish, splash! Hello, Otter! Can you point to the nose?

An origami river otter paddles through water using webbed feet and a muscular tail.An origami river otter paddles through water using webbed feet and a muscular tail.An origami river otter paddles through water using webbed feet and a muscular tail.

A river otter paddles with webbed feet. Its thick tail steers.

Paddle, paddle!

Nina Can you kick your feet?
Close-up of origami otter fur trapping tiny silver paper air bubbles.Close-up of origami otter fur trapping tiny silver paper air bubbles.Close-up of origami otter fur trapping tiny silver paper air bubbles.

Otters have no blubber. A sea otter has the thickest fur of any mammal.

Brrr! Can you hug yourself warm?

An origami river otter slides down a slick muddy paper bank into the water.An origami river otter slides down a slick muddy paper bank into the water.An origami river otter slides down a slick muddy paper bank into the water.

A river otter slides down a muddy bank on its belly. Whee! Splash!

Nina Would you like to slide too?
Cross-section of an origami river otter den sheltered under paper tree roots.Cross-section of an origami river otter den sheltered under paper tree roots.Cross-section of an origami river otter den sheltered under paper tree roots.

River otters rest in a den by the water.

Shh! Where do you like to rest?

An origami otter dives underwater with sealed nostrils chasing paper fish.An origami otter dives underwater with sealed nostrils chasing paper fish.An origami otter dives underwater with sealed nostrils chasing paper fish.

An otter holds its breath to dive for food. Its ears and nostrils close.

Sploosh! Can you pinch your nose?

An origami sea otter floats on its back wrapped in ribbons of giant paper kelp.An origami sea otter floats on its back wrapped in ribbons of giant paper kelp.An origami sea otter floats on its back wrapped in ribbons of giant paper kelp.

A sea otter wraps in kelp so it won't drift away.

Swish, swish.

Theo Can you wrap up snug?
A raft of origami sea otters resting together wrapped in kelp ribbons.A raft of origami sea otters resting together wrapped in kelp ribbons.A raft of origami sea otters resting together wrapped in kelp ribbons.

Sea otters rest in groups called rafts. Sometimes they hold on to each other so they don't drift apart.

Lap, lap.

Theo Who holds your hand?
An origami sea otter mother floating on her back cradles her fluffy pup on her chest.An origami sea otter mother floating on her back cradles her fluffy pup on her chest.An origami sea otter mother floating on her back cradles her fluffy pup on her chest.

A mother sea otter carries her pup on her chest.

Bob, bob. Can you give a gentle hug?

An origami sea otter cracks a clam shell against a flat rock balanced on its chest.An origami sea otter cracks a clam shell against a flat rock balanced on its chest.An origami sea otter cracks a clam shell against a flat rock balanced on its chest.

A sea otter uses a rock on its chest to crack shells.

Bang, bang, crack!

Theo What do you think is inside?
Close-up of an origami sea otter reaching into its armpit skin pouch to retrieve a stone tool.Close-up of an origami sea otter reaching into its armpit skin pouch to retrieve a stone tool.Close-up of an origami sea otter reaching into its armpit skin pouch to retrieve a stone tool.

A sea otter has a skin pocket under each arm. Some sea otters keep a favorite rock there.

Pat, pat! Where are your pockets?

A pristine origami estuary where clean river waters meet a healthy coastal kelp forest.A pristine origami estuary where clean river waters meet a healthy coastal kelp forest.A pristine origami estuary where clean river waters meet a healthy coastal kelp forest.

River otters need clean water. Where they live, the river is healthy.

Trickle, trickle.

Nina How can we keep rivers clean?
An origami otter looks back cheerfully as it swims down a calm river at sunset.An origami otter looks back cheerfully as it swims down a calm river at sunset.An origami otter looks back cheerfully as it swims down a calm river at sunset.

Bye, river otter! Splish, splash! Can you wave goodbye?

Theo Shall we read it again?

The end

Hello, Otter!

See the printed pages
Front cover of Otter: Life in the Water, Fold 3The next fold upOtter: Life in the WaterFold 3 · Early Reader · Ages 8–10 All six books

For grown-ups

Read aloud and pause for your child to point, answer or join in the sound words; the questions are invitations, not a test. The river otters here are North American river otters, which live in fresh water. Sea otters live in coastal ocean water. Each page names the kind it means, or says “otters” when a fact holds for both. For a child reading alone, try Fold 1, Swim, Otter, Swim!, then Fold 3, Otter: Life in the Water.

The facts behind the pictures

Otters are semiaquatic carnivores in the weasel family, Mustelidae, not rodents. The otter on this page is a North American river otter.

A North American river otter has webbed toes and strong claws on all four feet. Its thick, muscular tail pushes it through the water and steers.

Otters have no blubber to keep them warm; their fur traps a layer of air against the skin instead. Sea otters have the thickest fur of any mammal on Earth.

River otters slide on their bellies down mud and snow into the water. Sliding is an energy-saving way to travel, and it is also play.

River otters rest and raise their young in bankside dens called holts, often an old beaver lodge, a hollow log or a space under tree roots.

An otter holds its breath to dive for food. Muscles close its ears and nostrils tightly underwater.

Sea otters wrap themselves in giant kelp so ocean currents do not sweep them away while they rest.

Sea otters rest together in floating groups called rafts. Sometimes they hold paws so they do not drift apart.

A sea otter mother carries her young pup on her chest. The pup's fluffy coat traps so much air that it floats like a cork.

Floating on its back, a sea otter bangs shellfish on a rock held on its chest until the shell breaks. Few mammals use stone tools.

A sea otter has a loose pocket of skin under each arm for food and rocks. Some sea otters keep a favorite rock for cracking shells.

River otters need clean, unpolluted water and plenty of prey, so their presence is a sign of a healthy river. Scientists call such an animal a bioindicator.

North American river otters live in freshwater rivers, lakes, ponds and marshes. Sea otters live almost entirely in shallow coastal ocean water.

A picture book to read together. An adult reads the lines and questions while the child joins in.

Ages
6–8
Trim
8.5 × 8.5 in
Pages
32
Words
256
Reading grade
Read aloud
See the printed pages

From the otter facts episode of our video series. All six books tell this fact too.