Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Otters, Stars, and a Moonchild

Even a small star shines in the darkness.
Finnish Proverb

This morning I read the Little Man A Lot of Otters by Barbara Helen Berger. He made it to around page three before he jumped ship, but I found a new favourite. It's a simple book with beautiful watercolour illustrations that tells the story of the Moon who is weeping for her lost child. Her tears are falling stars found by a "lot" of otters who taste them and play with them until the light of the stars finally leads the Moon to her child who has been floating around in the ocean in a cardboard box. I already had a weakness for otters (the Redwall books did that for me), and now I may have to poke around for some more Berger books. Especially since she made the moon and her child obviously Asian. 

For inquiring minds that want to know, a group of otters is actually referred to as a bevy, family, lodge, or romp, or (if in the water) a raft. But I think "lot" should catch on soon. After all, it has the whole semirhyme thing going for it.

1 comment:

neni said...

So you like a lot of otters??? :-) And I like you AND Alex a lot! Josh too you know!