Big Sky Mountain: The Beach Otters

This is the third in Alex Milway’s lovely and highly illustrated Big Sky Mountain series, and this time Rosa and Grandma Nan have to investigate who has let off a distress flare in Toe-Dipper Bay. When they arrive, they find the beach covered in plastic rubbish and a family of beach otters trying their best to tidy up. But who has let off the distress flare, and how can the otters, Rosa and Grandma Nan work together to save the day?

As with the rest of the Big Sky Mountain series, there’s a lovely emphasis here on nature, animals and protecting the environment, as well as the importance of family and working together.  If young readers enjoyed any of the Reeve & McIntyre illustrated chapter books such as Pugs of the Frozen North or Oliver and the Seawigs, then they’ll love Big Sky Mountain, which has a bit less zany humour but makes up for it by being heartfelt, easy to read and with lots of cute animal illustrations.