The visual appeal of this book will attract children; the information will satisfy the adult who is the more likely critic of content. Kalman has used a formalized approach to the subject, including a list of contents under the title, "What is in this book?" Topics include: The otter family tree; A sea otter's body; and Where do sea otters live? The book covers a range of natural history information and concludes with environmental awareness and protection of the sea otter. Kalman ends Sea Otters with a glossary of "Words to Know" as well as an index to topics.

Design elements which assist the young reader include the use of bold typeface, not only for key words, but in the index, for the first letter in each alphabetical category. Although the book is probably going to be found by the parent/child pair who are pursuing natural history interests, it will be useful in another guise to librarians. The fact that the book is so well organized and accessible means that it will have another life as a source for students whose reading and/or language skills is/are not a match for the standards of science project assignments. If older children can be convinced to borrow the item, even though it is "young" in its look, they will have a factual and accurate outline of the life of the sea otter.

Highly Recommended.