Odder: The Novel - Hardcover

Applegate, Katherine

 
9781250147424: Odder: The Novel

Synopsis

Over 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list!

From #1
New York Times bestselling author of Wishtree and The One and Only Ivan, Katherine Applegate, a touching and lyrical tale about a remarkable sea otter, perfect for summer reading!

Meet Odder, the Queen of Play:

Nobody has her moves.
She doesn’t just swim to the bottom,
she dive-bombs.
She doesn’t just somersault,
she triple-doughnuts.
She doesn’t just ride the waves,
she makes them.

Odder spends her days off the coast of central California, practicing her underwater acrobatics and spinning the quirky stories for which she’s known. She’s a fearless daredevil, curious to a fault. But when Odder comes face-to-face with a hungry great white shark, her life takes a dramatic turn, one that will challenge everything she believes about herself―and about the humans who hope to save her.

Inspired by the true story of a Monterey Bay Aquarium program that pairs orphaned otter pups with surrogate mothers, this poignant and humorous tale told in free verse examines bravery and healing through the eyes of one of nature’s most beloved and charming animals.

Odder: An Otter's Story is also available in a new picture book format with stunning illustrations by Charles Santoso.

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About the Author

Katherine Applegate is the author of several best-selling young adult series, including Animorphs and Roscoe Riley Rules. Home of the Brave, her first standalone novel, received the SCBWI 2008 Golden Kite Award for Best Fiction and the Bank Street 2008 Josette Frank Award. She lives with her family in Irvine, California.

Reviews

Gr 3–7—From the details of the real-life otter rescue program at Monterey Bay Aquarium, Applegate imagines a backstory for the sea otter #156, named Odder. Odder is a bit of a misfit, feeling an inexorable need to push the boundaries of her local habitat. Interacting with humans and exploring amid dangerous predators, her adventurous spirit eventually gets her in trouble. The dark yet humorous tone of the free verse paints a very human set of motivations for risk-taking and living life on one's own terms. Odder's origin story comes to life through her eyes as she convalesces following a shark attack that risked her friend's life and made Odder feel responsible, even while revealing her courage and loyalty by coming to the rescue. Santoso's grayscale illustrations complement the factual underpinnings of the narrative, encompassing the wild ocean world where predators rule and others struggle for survival. This book will appeal to animal lovers and anyone who feels a little stifled by convention. VERDICT Hand this book to middle grade fans of marine biology, authors like Sharon Creech and Eliot Schrefer, and Applegate's Newbery-winning The One and Only Ivan.—Tara Kron

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Other Popular Editions of the Same Title

9781250423429: Odder: The Novel

Featured Edition

ISBN 10:  1250423422 ISBN 13:  9781250423429
Publisher: Square Fish, 2026
Softcover