Ahoy, Captain Otter!

February 26, 2012 7:08 PM

Name that children's book: An intrepid otter captains a beautifully illustrated riverboat.

I have been trying to remember this book for months!

The book is about the adventures of a riverboating crew of animals. The captain is definitely an otter, and I think maybe a baby otter (the captain's nephew?) falls overboard at one point. I don't remember why a water animal falling into the water was a big problem, but it was, and I'm pretty sure the first mate fishes him out with a net.

The reading level was probably grade two-ish. I remember it being an oversized book, fairly long, and formatted as shorter stories or chapters with their own titles rather than one long story. The illustrations were really great, and apart from the anthropomorphisation, on the realistic side of things.

I probably read this in the late 80s or early 90s, but it could have been written earlier.

posted by snorkmaiden to Grab Bag (9 answers total)

I think I remember it. Would fit in my childhood, 80ies. As for the title, no idea, I read it in German, so it might be a bit tricky to find.
posted by MinusCelsius at 7:22 PM on February 26, 2012

Best answer: Is this the cover (or at least the same style of drawing)?
posted by MinusCelsius at 7:23 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]

Could it be this?
posted by ghharr at 7:24 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]

I have this book in my attic at home and I remember doing a report on it in first grade! I can't remember what it's called and I can't look now, but I am pretty sure it's a Canadian book & the word "prince" is involved somehow, maybe in the title?
posted by jschu at 7:26 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]

Best answer: ghharr is right -- I'm virtually certain it's Riverboat Adventures. It definitely is if you remember them crossing an aqueduct, or a sad frog on a bike with a bent rim.
posted by katemonster at 7:27 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]

Best answer: There also appears to be a similar book by the same author named "Riverboat Ahoy"
posted by ghharr at 7:28 PM on February 26, 2012

Response by poster: Yes, it was Riverboat Adventures! AskMe saves the day again, at impressive speed! I remember the cover looking quite different, but I can definitely recognize the characters... and now that I preview, the one I had was Riverboat Ahoy!

Thanks, all!
posted by snorkmaiden at 7:30 PM on February 26, 2012

Response by poster: And by the way, jschu, I am Canadian, but I'm pretty sure it didn't have any princes in it. After having a second look at Riverboat Ahoy, I'm not sure if that's the cover I remember either, but I may just have had a different edition. I do remember the sad frog with the bike. Anyway, I'm very satisfied to know more or less what it was.
posted by snorkmaiden at 7:34 PM on February 26, 2012

Yeah, that's not the one I was thinking of. I will have to look in the attic next time I'm home. It had something to do with Prince Edward Island or some such... the story I was thinking of had some sort of environmental angle to it. Now it's really bugging me that I can't remember the title!
posted by jschu at 9:19 PM on February 26, 2012