ODDER: AN OTTER'S STORY by Katherine Applegate

I’ve been thrilled to feature Katherine Applegate’s books, including Wishtree, The One and Only Bob, The One and Only Ruby and The One and Only Family, as well as the first and second books in the Dogtown series, which she co-wrote with Gennifer Cholkdenko. Her middle grade book Odder will now become a picture book, ODDER: AN OTTER’S STORY, coming into the world on April 29, 2025.

Adapted from Katherine Applegate’s novel ODDER, a New York Times bestseller for over a year, this picture book follows Odder’s rescue and subsequent new role as a mentor to other rescued otter pups.

In our last interview, you said, “Readers want familiarity and comfort, but they also want something fresh.” When writing, do you try to tap into both/either of these reader needs? Or, does each story develop organically as you write it?

This is such a fascinating craft question, and one I’m not sure I can adequately answer. The “comfort” part, I think, comes naturally as you’re writing for young readers. When writing for kids, we’re all channeling our elementary school selves, after all: writing about things that were close to our hearts.

But it’s harder to pinpoint how the “fresh” evolves. Often, it’s as you’re looking for humorous opportunities, even in a dark or poignant narrative. That can mean finding irony in a situation, or something surprising. Sometimes it’s deliberate; sometimes it comes out of nowhere. That’s part of the fun.

Wonderful! I love that there will soon be a picture book version of ODDER! How did this originally come to be?

ODDER: AN OTTER’S STORY had the most delightful conception! I was in northern California doing a district-wide read of ODDER (the middle grade novel), when a lovely librarian named Debra Armstrong suggested it would be wonderful to have a picture book version of the story to use with younger readers.

I mentioned this to my editor at Feiwel & Friends, Liz Szabla, and she loved the idea. Charles Santoso really knocked it out of the ballpark with his gorgeous illustrations, and now the book is about to meet the world.

I adore the fact that this book began with a librarian’s suggestion! How cool is that?

As a librarian myself, I love everything about this! Your next middle grade book, POCKET BEAR, is due out this fall. What do you love most about this thimble-born character?

The tale of Pocket Bear began when I read about tiny stuffed bears made during the throes of World War One. They were only three and a half inches high, and their eyes were placed a bit higher so that, when placed in a soldier’s pocket, they would always appear to be looking up at their owner, as tokens of love and hope from sweethearts and family.

It was such a poignant and moving idea that I wrote an entire novel inspired by it. Pocket, although he is over 100 years old and showing his age, is a kind-hearted soul I loved spending time with. Same with the narrator of POCKET BEAR, Zephyrina, a streetwise cat with a heart of gold.

Beautiful. What are some of the best and/or most memorable individual responses you’ve gotten from your readers?

Where to start? Fan letters provide the fuel that keeps us writing. Here’s a brief note I keep on my bulletin board. (I’d mentioned to some young writers that I sometimes had doubts about my work.)

To kathrine applegate for writeing the best authur. And if your having truble, read this.

Honestly, that’s all I need to keep me going, and then some!

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