A Super Sweet Story!

Odder by Katherine Applegate is the lyrical tale of an endangered sea otter named Odder who was raised in captivity at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Based on a true story.
From the author of The One and Only Ivan.

This was a super sweet story told in verse from Odder's pov as she grows from a pup with a surrogate sea otter mother to a mother herself.

I read this twice, once on my own and once with my 8yo. She adored the illustrations and the pups!

I read the amazing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Odder by @kaaauthor this weekend! I absolutely loved the story of Odder and his life in both the Monterey Bay area and the @montereybayaquarium. This book will have a fabulous connection to our students as we live just 45 minutes away from the beautiful Monterey area. Don't miss out on the fabulous Back Matter with vocab, links and more.

I loved this book! I know my students will love it too. I purchased it for my library. Odder has great descriptions of what it is like to be an Otter. I also listened to the audiobook and it was excellent. The illustrations were also well done. I wouldn’t mind a sequel.

My children and I highly enjoyed this novel-in-verse about an Otter named Odder.

This was a very sweet book shares the story of a sea otter living near Monterey, California. It is from the perspective of Odder and shares her story of how she started life at the aquarium as an orphan and was reintroduced to the wild but due to injury finds herself back at the aquarium. She learns so much about herself and about the people who want to help her.

We paired this with the educational resources from the Monterey Aquarium and of course had to spend sometime watching the sweet otters via the aquarium live feed.

Odder is a novel in verse from Katherine Applegate. As a fan of the The One and Only Ivan, I was excited to see this author with another animal tale. I was not as much of a fan as Odder. I found the story jumping around and at times hard to follow. However, the story of the brave Odder follows through

I read Odder to my class of fifth graders in connection to our science unit about life science and conservation. My students and I all fell in love with Odder so quickly, and we all couldn't wait to read more everyday. Katherine Applegate has a way of teaching us such valuable lessons through animals and she has done it again here. This is definitely a must-have in every classroom library.

A sweet story told in lyrical prose. Odder the otter finds herself in an aquatic rehab station after battling a shark. As Odder's story unfolds, the reader is left understanding the importance of wildlife conservation while also seeing the unique and determined characteristics of sea otters.

This was an emotional read and I loved Applegate's underlying message, but overall I felt this almost could have been told as a picture book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me free access to the digital advanced copy of this book.

Students will enjoy reading about the adventues of this sea otter. It is a solid story with interesting factual information that will support the narrative for young readers.

I loved this book so much I had to go get a copy for my classroom as soon as I could. My daughter is reading it now and wants everyone to read it too. I love that the voice of the character sounds like what I would expect an otter to sound like. I loved this story and that it is told in novel in verse format.

Could this be any cuter? This book is another heartwarming story from Applegate, and it is every bit as adorable as her other tales. This little otter, Odder, goes through a series of trials and needs to get some help from his human friends. A great addition to an animal unit or a conservation week lesson plan, this book would also be at home in a display about Earth week. The illustrations are darling and I feel in love with this little guy!

It took a minute but I ended up genuinely loving this book about an otter named Odder and its journey. It’s definitely one I’ll want to have for my grandkids shelf at home!

**Many thanks to Feiwel & Friends Book/Macmillan Publishing Group LLC and Netgalley for an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) of this book**

MILD SPOILERS. PLEASE NOTE, MILD SPOILERS.

If anyone asked me what book series I read as a kid that shaped me into the loveable, scifi-loving nerd that I am, I would immediately say "Animorphs". Katherine "KA" Applegate was an auto-buy back then. That was 2 decades ago, and I am so, so ridiculously happy that Ms. Applegate has never lost her touch for enchanting animal tales that teach as well as entertain.

In Odder, her newest book, the title Odder is... Well, odd. A sea otter with a fascination with humans and a penchant for mischief, Odder is a joy when she dances, and her zest for life is unmatchable. However, after a life-altering event with a great white shark, this tiny tube of fur and cuteness must battle back from the encounter and must look at the world through new eyes.

What did I think? Let's see.

LIFE IS THE GREATEST DANCE STORY…
1. I love her use of free verse poetry! Ms. Applegate writes in wonderful "mouth feels", meaning it's not just the words she uses, but how those words feel in your mouth or mind when you "say them" (aloud or in your head). As Odder dances in the ocean, so do the words dance when you read them. They're lyrical, they're beautiful, and they're also incredibly hard to pull off, in order to make them feel effortless. I can tell Ms. Applegate put in a lot of time and effort to get the words exactly right.

2. I love how she describes Monterey, CA, and weaves a true story of the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the otter restoration programs into the narrative. I've been to that part of CA before, which added to the imagery used here, and it took me back to that place while I was reading this book. I've wanted to go back, and now I really, REALLY want to go back, especially to see the otters! She teaches you about a real place, and a real program… almost without you even knowing it!

3. l love Odder! So adorable, so adventurous, and "otterly" fearless! If she could somehow exist in the same world as Ivan, Bob and Ruby, she would fit right in. Ms. Applegate captures the spirit of the sea otter flawlessly. If they had a voice we could understand, I would believe that all sea otters would be a lot like Odder.

…BUT NO SHARK TAILS
(OK, I am going to preface this: all my critiques/constructive criticism is as an ADULT, for AN ADULT.  I know this book is written for several age groups below me, for children, and must be treated as such. For the young readers age group, I have nothing constructive to say. It's awesome, and PERFECT for young readers. So, please remember, AS an adult, the points below are what I would have wanted if the book was written FOR an adult.)

1. I want more of Odder. The book was over too quickly for me (I read it in a little over an hour or so), especially since it was told entirely in verse. There were certain sections that I wished were expanded, so we could get an even more beautifully described view of the world Odder lives in, and her adventures in it. However, that didn't happen.

2. There is a time jump forward and back in this book. And, while I don't mind them, and they're great tools for a writer to use, I would have liked to know what happened during that time in between. I would have liked to see where Odder's journeys took her, and the lessons she learned… or, what stories of humans she had!

3. Odder is really great. But, The One and Only Ivan and The One and Only Bob are even better. It's not that I didn't like this story. I DID. I LOVED IT. But, I missed that group of misfits who want to save the (or their) world. One of Ms. Applegate's strengths when it comes to writing is how she writes a book with an ensemble cast in it. It doesn't matter if it's Jake, Cassie, Rachel, Marco, Tobias and Ax (Animorphs); Ivan, Bob and Ruby (The One and Only…); or David, Christopher, April,  Senna, and Jalil (Everworld)… How characters push and pull on each other, growing them, changing them, that gives Ms. Applegate's books memorable sparks that burn, not fizzle. Maybe it was by design, but for a very interactive, social, "wanting a family" sea otter… Odder felt very much like she was on a very sad journey of one. I missed someone's companionship. All the other characters in the book are great, but seem more like characters that Odder has incidental contact with, not her tried and true "ride or dies". Even Kairi, her best friend, did not make as much of an impression as I would have liked.

VERDICT
I loved Odder, and it was a wonderfully quick and easy read. Animal lovers will love it. Fantasy readers will love it. I loved it. Reading about cute little fur squirters in the ocean will put a smile on your face. It is a very entertaining read, and I would recommend it to anyone, young or old.

Thank you to Netgalley for the review copy of Odder by Katherine Applegate. I LOVE this book so much! Odder follows a young, precocious otter that strangely wants to explore around humans since she was saved by them as an even younger pup.

This book digs into the conservation efforts for the otters, and is told through beautifully lyrical verse. It is both heartbreaking and hopeful. I will be getting my own copy for my classroom as well as recommending it to my students - especially those that are interested in books like Hoot by Carl Hiaasen and The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate.

Odder by @kaaauthor releases just in time for Sea Otter Awareness week! Filled with facts and insights into sea otter life and the essential relationship humans have with the species to improve their survival. It’s written in verse which powerfully conveys the energy, suspense, calmness of her life and pulls at the heart to root for Odder and her species. Visit the link in bio to @montereybayaquarium ‘s livestreams and resources celebrating sea otters this week. Review copy from @netgalley @mackidsbooks #fiewelandfriends Coming soon to our library. #millerfaves posted

Katherine Applegate always chooses the best words. She's a fantastic storyteller, and Odder is no different. It's a great story of finding one's way and will be a delightful addition to any classroom library.

This is a delightful book! I love the way Applegate is able to render animals' voices and interactions, and this book is no exception--it is a great look at these baby otters and their situation. There is so much depth, and you can tell that the author has done her research.

One thing that made this book have extra meaning was knowing that it is based on a true story. It is a great tale for any middle grade reader.

This beautiful book is uplifting and poignant for any age - I read it aloud to my 13- and 8-year-olds and we all enjoyed it in our own ways. Katherine Applegate writes beautiful fiction in verse and this story is no exception. Having been to the Monterey Bay Aquarium (or even seeing Finding Dory!), there are wonderful educational connections to the real-life issues and settings depicted here. My teenager found this heartwarming story adorable and a welcome cozy distraction from the world. She called it "the ultimate comfort book." I think it's perfect for tweens who are interested in marine biology, conservation, animals, and/or taking care of our earth and all its creatures.

Another absolutely delightful read by Applegate. I was sucked into this story and read it in just over one day. Odder's story is so moving and I will definitely be adding it to my elementary collection.

A beautiful and poetic read, Applegate does it again with a heartwarming tale of loss and finding your true purpose-in animal form. Thank you to NetGalley for this galley. It did not disappoint.