Good Night, Little Sea Otter by Janet Halfmann

I want to take this time to thank Janet for providing me a copy of this book for review and also one for giveaway.  Read to bottom of post to see how you can win an autographed copy of this book.

This is the cutest picture book.  It is bedtime for Little Sea Otter, but as you read through the book you'd think that before he finished telling all of his ocean friends good-night it would be morning time again and time to face a new day playing with all of his friends.  I don't think he misses one ocean critter when saying good night.   However, as he snuggles in his mommy's arms Little Sea Otter does finally drift off to dreamland.  I guess the rocking of the sea would put anyone to sleep that was tired enough.  It is so neat to see that Little Sea Otter is not only loved by his mom but all the friends that he must tell good night.  The Illustrations are just as cute and adorable as the book and story line.  I believe if my girls were still young enough this would be a regular favorite of theirs before they drifted off to sleep.  I think I still have Good Night, Moon implanted in my brain I read it so much to my youngest.  Good Night, Little Sea Otter is just as cute as he names all of his sea friends, however, it is not written is rhyming meter.   

Check out more information on Good Night, Little Sea Otter here.

You may visit the author's site here.

Visit Star Bright Books here. 

What is the theme or message in your featured book (Good Night, Little Sea Otter)?

Good Night, Little Sea Otter is primarily a soothing book about getting ready to sleep. It is also the story of a loving relationship between a mother and her youngster. The story also contains lots of science about the behavior of sea otters and other ocean life, especially in the kelp forest.

Where do you come up with your book ideas?

My book ideas come from all kinds of places: from my children’s and my childhoods, from observing my grandkids and other children, from places I visit, from things I read . . . the list goes on and on. I got the inspiration for Good Night, Little Sea Otter while writing a magazine article about two young scuba divers set in a kelp forest off California’s coast. In writing the magazine story, I had to do lots of research about the animals that live in the kelp forest. I was fascinated by how the mother sea otter wraps herself and her baby in a cradle of kelp each night. I thought Little Sea Otter would make a perfect character for a bedtime story.

Who or what has most influenced you in your writing journey?

I would say nature has influenced me most in my writing journey. The lives and behavior of animals and plants never cease to amaze me. I think my love of nature comes from growing up on a farm. Today I am an avid gardener and love taking walks and observing nature.

Do you have children? Do you model your children, or children you know into the characters you create in your stories?

I have four children and four grandchildren. Sometimes I model my characters somewhat after a specific child. For example, when I wrote Little Skink’s Tail, I pictured my granddaughter dancing around and showing off each new tail. Little Sea Otter is a composite of all four of our children, all great bedtime stallers. I think Sophia, the main character in my other recent book, Fur and Feathers, is modeled a lot after me. As a child, I spent many hours sitting on our big farm porch with my mother, first doing play sewing and later helping her with the patching of jeans and socks and you-name-it. Later, as a mother, there was always some project that required getting out the big sewing box.

What do you love about writing?

I love playing with words and making a story come to life.

Do you have any favorite place you like to write from?

I usually write in my home office. It is a space that belongs only to me. My office window looks out on a huge, old maple tree and our garden. I can see the squirrels chasing one another along the tree branches and butterflies flitting above the zinnias. It is a cluttered, but perfect place.

If money wasn’t a problem, where in the world would you love to visit? Why?

I would like to visit all of the places I’ve written about in my books. Every time I write about a place, I completely fall in love with it. I also would like to visit Africa and learn about the cultures and traditions of some of the many countries. I also would like to visit the places in Germany where my ancestors lived before they came to America.

Tell us 5 things we may not know about you.

My favorite smell is laundry fresh off the line.

My favorite sound is the cardinal’s whistle.

I love the sound and feel of a cool breeze.

I fell all the way down the marble steps of the Sorbonne in Paris.

When I was in first grade, I was chosen to read a story to my now husband’s eighth-grade class (of course, we didn’t know each other back then).

Now, for the giveaway.  Janet has offered one of my readers a chance to win an autographed copy of Good Night, Little Sea Otter.  In order to enter you must check out Janet's site and tell me another book she has written that catches your interest. Visit Janet's site here.

Want a bonus?  Visit Star Bright Books here and tell me another book that they have that catches your interest. 

Please be sure to leave a way for me to contact you.  I'll draw a winner for this book on Feb. 14th.  Please US only shipping address. 

To winner

A copy of Good Night, Little Sea Otter was provided by the author for this review.