I bought this as an example of single species nature writing for children and to see the format used. I liked how the author portrays a year in the life of a female otter. Much information about the species is conveyed in a narrative format. The language is adequate for the purpose, occcasionally lyrical (see quotation), but not exceptional. The illustrations are pleasant and quite accurate, though not exceptional. I liked the list of river otter facts at the end, including scientific name, family, size, weight, distribution, habitat, prey, nests (called holts), young, and related species. Backmatter also includes Otter Distribution, How to Watch Otters (from a respectful distance without disturbing their behavior), Otter Words (a new one for me: spraint or otter scat), Further Information, and Index. ( )