The Whale’s Tale and the Otter’s Side of the Story By Kate Messner and Brian Biggs - ESSENTIAL

The Whale’s Tale and the Otter’s Side of the Story by Kate Messner and Brian Biggs. PICTURE BOOK. Clarion Books (Harper), 2026. $20.

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

A charming book from elementary-school favorite Messner that is read from front to back to give the whale’s argument about why whales are better than otters, and then read back to front to give the otter’s rebuttal to the whale, using the same arguments in reverse.

Messner cleverly shows how an argument can be pro or con when words are rearranged and the book is a great example of character perspective and would be a fun springboard to either an animal study unit or to use as an example of author bias, depending on the age group. Biggs’ bold and playful illustrations add humor and whimsy to the arguments as the animals debate over which one is actually the best, and the book is a great read aloud for grades 2 and up. Back matter contains actual otter and whale facts.

Reviewer: Heather Robinson, Elementary School Librarian