Katherine A Smith

Otter Sea Magic Katherine A Smith

The river otter twins, Lukas and Jaxon, are getting older--old enough for a summer vacation to the ocean. They bring their magic stick and magic rock, and with their parents they journey to the coast of Northern California, but they are immediately tempted by the excitement of a new place to explore. They rush ahead of their parents' warnings and are immediately in over their heads. Luckily, a young sea otter spots them and pulls them to safety. They learn that the sea otter, Becca, is all alone, because her mother lured away a shark to protect her, and hasn't returned. Jaxon agrees to swap his magic rock for Becca's favorite rock, a beautiful crystal, so Becca can use the magic to locate her missing her mother. The magic works great--except it leads Becca not to her mother, but to her aunt and grandfather. Sadly, she learns that her mother has never returned from leading the shark away, and the gulls carried the news that she died to protect her daughter. Becca, her aunt, and grandfather mourn together and agree to live as a family. Jaxon tells Becca to keep the magic rock, in case she needs it again, and Becca tells Jaxon to keep the crystal. Jaxon and Lukas return to their parents and get a scolding for running off, but as they sit together that evening, the twins explain what happened. It's a sad story, but as Jaxon acknowledges that he gave away his magic rock because Becca needed it more than he did, and Lukas promises that he will share his magic stick with Jaxon from now on, the magic in the stick spreads to the crystal, and it becomes magical, too. The twins, glowing with golden magic, stand on their balcony and look out at the ocean, where in the distance they see the bright green glow of the magic from Becca, safe now with her family.