Utterly Otterly Night

In this follow-up to Utterly Otterly Day, Little Otter and his family pop through the frozen ice and slide down snowy hills under moonlight. Casanova’s gently cadenced verse mimics the otters’ movements: “Up and down, the otters play./ They glide and slide,/ in a whooshily, shooshily way.” Little Otter encounters other animals as he plays, including a rabbit, owl, and moose. But atop a high hill, he smells trouble: a pack of wolves. Hoyt’s matte pen-and-ink illustrations create contrast between the smiling, rosy-cheeked otters and the chilly blue of the wild landscape; Little Otter’s tense escape will leave readers relieved by his family’s safe return. Ages 3–6. (Nov.)