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New book in Otis children’s series now available

Medicine River Wildlife Centre fundraiser
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Otis the owl from Medicine River Wildlife Centre captured the attention of children at Penhold Multiplex when he dropped to promote the children’s book “Chatting With Charlie.” (Photo by SUSAN ZIELINSKI/Advocate staff)

Otis the owl from Medicine River Wildlife Centre is on a whirlwind book tour of Central Alberta.

Chatting With Charlie is the centre’s newest and fourth book in its children’s series, Through the Eyes of Otis the Owl.

The book features the story of Charlie the porcupine, a fellow education animal at the centre, and focuses on misinformation people have about Central Alberta animals such as porcupines, skunks, ravens and magpies.

“A lot of people believe a lot of things that aren’t true and will be afraid of them or hate them,” said education co-ordinator and author Erin Young.

Providing some facts will hopefully help some of Otis’s forest friends, she said when the book tour stopped in the parking lot of the Penhold Multiplex on Tuesday morning.

Otis hooted from his cage and thrilled children who stopped by to say hi.

Young said Otis is happiest when he’s interacting with people.

“As soon as we have him out, he’s talking, he’s happy. He’s 15 now and he should live until he’s 40, so he’ll be doing this for a while yet.”

Otis is busiest in the spring and fall when he visits Central Alberta schools.

He was featured in the first book in the series, Otis’s Story, which was followed up by Tangled in Trash and Rescued off the Road, which are also available on the book tour.

The tour continued Tuesday at Central Alberta Co-op from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m.

On Wednesday, the Otis book tour will be at Rocky Public Library in Rocky Mountain House from 2:45 to 3:45 p.m. and at Sundre Municipal Library from 5 to 6 p.m.

On Thursday, Otis will be at Lacombe Signmasters from 10 to 10:30 a.m., before returning to Tail Blazers in Red Deer from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and Fargey’s South Hill in Red Deer from 12:45 to 1:30 p.m.

Books can also be ordered online at mrwc.ca or by calling 403-728-3467. Books are $15 each or $50 for the set of four.



szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com

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