Laurence Pringle

The Story Behind the Book

Unlike many books I've written--about foxes, skunks, bats, wolves, and many other creatures--I've had very few actual experiences with sea otters. There's just one outstanding memory, at Point Lobos, California, was back in July, 1993, when

my family and I watched sea otters (through binoculars) offshore. Nevertheless, like many people I am delighted by sea otters and when artist Kate Garchinsky suggested these creatures as the subject of a "secret life" subject, I quickly said "yes!"

Of course I already had a file full of scientific articles about sea otters, and as usual my text and the art was checked for accuracy (by an otter researcher at the Monterey Bay Aquarium). And, as usual, Kate Garchinsky did a spectacular job of illustrating my words and the story of one female otter and her young in their special kelp forest habitat.