"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."
If you are not a Katherine Applegate fan yet, you will be when you read any of her books. She has all the 'chops': incredible writing, a poetic mindset for telling her remarkable stories, and a love for research that invites young readers to listen and learn.
This story is about a young otter who lives near Monterey Bay on the California Coast. There are three distinct parts to her story. The first, called The Queen of Play, describes her early life in poetry that introduces the dangers the ocean holds for young marine life. In this case, it is a shark that signals upcoming action. Odder goes out further than is safe, and refuses to heed warnings from her friend Kairi when she is attacked and must find her way to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Her story then slips back to learning about being an otter pup three years earlier. Following the death of her mother, she is taken in by aquarium staff and taught all she needs to know by the staff to survive in the ocean once again. And finally, in part three, the staff realizes her injuries will keep her from returning to her natural habitat. Instead, she is encouraged to become a surrogate for another motherless otter pup.
To say, Ms. Applegate is knowledgeable about otters and the ocean is an understatement. Basing her story on work being done at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, her appealing and heartwarming tale is filled with scientific learning, and presented in language that astounds.
"A keystone that's called,
and without it everything falls,
like a tower of blocks or
a house of cards.
It's the same
with keystone species -
beavers, wolves,
prairie dogs, bees,
desert tortoises, sea otters -
they are nature's glue,
holding habitats together.
Without otters,
sea urchins, purple as a bruise,
gobble kelp forests
until the ocean floor
becomes a barren wasteland.
When enough sea otters
eat enough sea urchins, though,
all is well, and
the arch endures."
Tender art done by Mr. Santoso in black-and-white adds context and warmth. This is a brilliant novel for kids who love animals, is accessible for young readers, and has been read by my ten-year-old granddaughter five times in recent months. Obviously, she loves it!
Back matter includes a glossary; an author’s note about Monterey Bay Aquarium and the real-life stories on which Odder’s is based; and a selected bibliography.
Bring on Wombat Waiting.
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