Eyes as focal points/ problems with scale

With these redrawn characters I found that the eyes were not bold enough, especially when the characters are scaled down in the composition. I tried making the eyes bigger and bolder with more detail rather than just black dots. This at first made the characters look like they had and expression of shock. I added eyelids that have helped to tone down the impact of the eyes while keeping them as a focal point. This way of illustrating the eyes will allow me to communicate more emotion and instantly draw attention to the characters in the composition.
I have also added some detail to the mother otter. On the second page she says she’s going to catch more fish on on the first page of the book I have illustrated her finishing off the last fish she caught. I want to create more links between illustrations and the text that go beyond trying to communicate the text. I want my illustrations to add to the story as well as compliment it.