Additional information
by Eduardo Halfon (Author), María José de Tellería (Author)
"A gentle, visually inventive book that understands exactly what small objects mean to small people." --Kirkus Reviews
A blue horse was all he asked for. What he loved most was the green otter.
In The Green Otter, a father sets out with a simple mission: to bring home a blue horse for his young son. But when he returns, nestled beside the horse is a tiny green otter--an unexpected gift that captures his son's heart in ways no one could have foreseen.
Told with tender prose and a whimsical visual narrative, this beautifully illustrated picture book explores the magic of childhood attachment, the unpredictability of love, and the quiet dramas of parenting. The illustrations vividly portray a child's emotional world--where toys are companions, adventures await around every corner, and even the smallest creature can hold the biggest place in the heart.
The Green Otter is a gentle, timeless story about unexpected love, childhood devotion, and the quiet magic of everyday moments. Perfect for bedtime reading or classroom discussion, it's a celebration of the small things that become everything.
This picture book, inspired by the tender short story "The Green Otter" by Guatemalan author Eduardo Halfon, is brought to life through the whimsical visuals of Argentinian illustrator María José de Tellería. Available in both English and Spanish editions.
Author Biography
María José de Tellería was born in 1970 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She studied graphic design at the University of Buenos Aires and worked for many years in children's publishing. In 2017, she began illustrating and writing her own books. She was selected three times at the Bologna Children's Book Fair and another three times at Iberoamérica Ilustra. She has published several books in Argentina, Italy, and Austria. The Green Otter is her debut publication for English readers. She lives and works near Buenos Aires.
Eduardo Halfon was born in Guatemala in 1971 and has lived in the United States, Spain, France, and Germany. In 2007, he was named one of the best young Latin American writers by the Hay Festival of Bogotá. Halfon has published several acclaimed works of adult fiction, and his writing has been translated into fifteen languages, including English, French, German, Portuguese, Danish, Norwegian, and Dutch. His work has received widespread recognition and numerous international awards, including the José María de Pereda Prize for the Short Novel, a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Edward Lewis Wallant Award, the International Latino Book Award, and Guatemala's National Prize in Literature. Most recently, he was awarded the 2024 Berman Literature Prize in Sweden, the Prix Médicis étranger in France, and the Premio de la Crítica in Spain. The Green Otter, his debut children's book published in both English and Spanish, is based on one of his short stories and marks a tender new chapter in his storytelling. He currently lives in Berlin with his family.
