Odder

A touching middle-grade novel of friendship between two otters, from Newbery Medalist Katherine Applegate, author of The One and Only Ivan.

Odder has never been a morning otter, but today she's off to a particularly bad start, in the form of a daredevil escape from a hungry great white shark.

After months of rehabilitation and fostering by a surrogate mother, Odder was recently released into California's largest tract of tidal salt marsh outside San Francisco Bay. She should be happy, spending her days chowing down on sea urchins and mussels, practicing her underwater acrobatics and spinning the quirky stories for which she's known.

Odder knows today will be an especially hard one for Ollie, who was released on the same day. It's the anniversary of the traumatic day he was orphaned. She's determined to make it a fun day that will chase away his dark memories. Still, beginning the day with her shark near-miss is hardly a good omen. And when Odder realizes that Ollie is missing, her worst fears are realized.

This is not just a bad day. This may be the worst day ever, if she can't find Ollie.