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and is lovely to read aloud. The illustrations by Nicola O'Byrne are just glorious, and the combination of poet and artist has produced a book any child, or adult who likes to read to others, would love to own. Pam performs her solo stage show throughout the UK, and has toured Australia and New Zealand regularly since 1978. She is one of a select few female comedians to have played the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. She has appeared at many Literary and Arts Festivals throughout the UK including Hay, Cheltenham, Edinburgh Fringe, and overseas in Hong Kong and Dubai. This heartfelt picture book is an ode to all things otter, written by nationally renowned poet and wildlife advocate, Pam Ayres.
Ok, I'm old enough to know that Pam Ayres writes poetry and she recites those poems with gusto! I found it almost imossible not to read this with her voice in my thoughts! I also know that she is a passionate campaigner for our countryside and it's animals. This was read on ecopy via NetGalley. Oliver the otter is happy enough living alone, swimming or scampering along the twisty-rooted waterways. Until one day, among the green rushes, he meets an otter called Ottilie – and his life changes forever. The thing I’m most scared of is losing my capabilities. I have one arthritic finger but I can write, draw, paint, play the piano, read music, sew, knit and garden. I’m afraid of succumbing to the diseases of old age, losing the ability to do those lovely things.Oliver, a solitary otter, enjoys swimming and scampering along the waterways. His life changes when he encounters an otter named Ottilie among the green rushes. Their bond grows into friendship and eventually parenthood, changing Oliver's once solitary existence. I’ve been married to my husband for 40 years. The secret to a happy marriage? A good sense of humour. I inherited a love of English and writing from my mother. I loved writing from the time I could do it. Mum encouraged me and I got lots of praise. My writing usually finished up on the wall of the classroom, which made me want to do it even more.
A heart-warming, rhyming story about a little otter called Oliver, written and read by bestselling poet Pam Ayres, author of The Last Hedgehog. If I’m proud of anything I’ve done in my life, it is that I have overcome terrible fear to perform things I’ve written in front of big audiences. Because I won a TV talent show in the 70s, I went from performing my poems and songs to small, friendly audiences in pubs to braving paying audiences of thousands in huge theatres. It was a terrifying transition. My advice for any poet is that you’ve got to be brave and perform your work. The more you do it, the more you can do it. Photograph: Clara Molden/Camera Press/Telegraph ‘My childhood was crowded and noisy and loving’: Pam Ayres.
My mother went into domestic service at 14 and hated it. It was the only option open to her. She had been offered a scholarship to a good school. But her own mother was widowed, with five children, and couldn’t afford to equip my mum to go. It was sad for her. She was capable of a lot more, in my opinion.
Whilst telling us a cute story, this gives us scientific facts (and proper names) about the otter and what they need from us to survive in this world, conserving the cleanliness of our waterways is a must. The children will be learning without even knowing. I am Oliver the Otter intermingles poetry and facts to foster discussions about nature, conservation, and the significance of maintaining clean waterways. It encourages readers to think about how human actions can affect wildlife and underscores our responsibilities towards preserving their natural habitats.Almost a century after Henry Williamson’s classic story Tarka the Otter was published there’s a new glossy-furred mammal in the river, courtesy of the poet, comedian and songwriter Pam Ayres. It is not the first time she has highlighted her love of animals and her concern about impending environmental disaster: her 2018 adult picture book, The Last Hedgehog, brought to life the plight of our spiky friends. It’s important to be yourself in life. Don’t think you have to adapt according to the people or situation you’re in. It’s perfectly all right to be exactly who you are, to like what you like. That’s a lesson it took me a long time to learn. From 1st July 2021, VAT will be applicable to those EU countries where VAT is applied to books - this additional charge will be collected by Fed Ex (or the Royal Mail) at the time of delivery. Shipments to the USA & Canada: Pam appears regularly on TV, most recently on BBC’s Springwatch, Celebrity Antiques Road Trip, Celebrity Mastermind, and a programme about her time in the WRAF in the recent BBC Women at War series. On radio Pam appears regularly on BBC Radio 4’s Just A Minute, and 2018 will see her recording the sixth series of her own Ayres on the Air for Radio 4. The book was not only signed but came with a lovely poster which contained Nicola’s beautiful illustrations and some of the other facts!!
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