ODDER

ODDER by Katherine Applegate

In our house we have a hard time resisting the sweet faces of sea otters. Their playful personalities along with those adorable innocent eyes make us slightly crazy. How could we not snatch up Katherine Applegate's Odder and read about these cute creatures?

There is so much to say about Applegate's book. First, it is a novel, but it is based on the combined stories of rescued otters at Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. Second, we have a very clear play on words with the title! Our otter is named Odder because she's just a little more outgoing and curious than others. Third, Odder is written in a collection of free verse poems. This can both be fun and frustrating for kids. The fun is lots of white space and not overwhelming pages of text. The text is in narrow poem form instead. The frustration can be that it is in verse form and word choice is very important. There were some simile/metaphor meanings I had to explain. If you are looking for ways to interject poetry into your literature time, this can be a great addition.

HEADS UP- Just a simple heads up. If you have a sensitive child Odder is separated from her mother during a storm. She is later attacked by a shark. She survives, but it's what bring her to the Aquarium.