Odder: An otter's story by Katherine Applegate

Odder is the story of a little sea otter who is swept away from her family and rescued by an aquarium.  After many months of rehabilitation and learning how to be an otter she is released near to a group of sea otters.  Over time she swims and blends with the sea otters but also interacts with humans.  After another incident where she again needs human help to survive it is decided that she cannot be released and so remains at the aquarium helping other baby otters to learn the skills needed to be wild and free.

This beautifully illustrated picture book is based on the verse novel of the same name by Katherine Applegate.  It is a beautifully told story that will enchant the reader and draw them into the world of Odder.  The reader will rejoice when she is released and joins a wild group of sea otters. They will mourn her loss of freedom and applaud her helping and sharing her knowledge with baby otters so that they may taste the freedom that has been denied to her, due to her link to humans and the injuries inflicted on her.

As someone who loves otters, this is a beautiful story of how humans help and care for injured wildlife, but it also shows the ways that this intervention can impact wild animals in a negative way.  I loved the way the verse reflected the novel of the same names style of writing, making this a great read aloud and independent read.  The text is easy to follow, and the illustrations link the reader to the text in a meaningful way. Certain to be a favourite in any library.

Themes: Animals, Rescue, Humans helping animals, Otters, Wildlife.

Mhairi Alcorn