Otter and Odder: A Love Story    by James Howe & Chris Raschka Order:  USA  Can Candlewick, 2012 (2012) Hardcover     Reviewed by Bob Walch The river sparkled the day the Otter found love. He was not looking for it (love, that is). He was looking for dinner. But when Otter gazed into those eyes – those round, sweet, glistening eyes – he knew that he had found what he had not known he was looking for. 'Impossible,' he said. Impossible indeed! The Otter had fallen tail over paws in love with what he so succinctly called his 'food source'. Yes, improbably as it might seem, Otter was in love with a fish. Following the relationship as it develops between Otter and Myrtle (or Gurgle if you prefer) is the subject of this delightful, albeit silly, picture book. There are ups and downs as you would expect but this odd couple manages to overcome the challenges they encounter and, as one might also expect, the pair does live happily ever after. The faux-naif style illustrator Christ Raschka employs in creating the art for this story is unusual and actually rather fitting given the tale's subject matter. The childlike, unsophisticated and decidedly naïve renderings of the two key characters act as a balance to the subtle implications of this clever tale of an unconventional love affair. Although the book is aimed at youngsters six to ten years of age, I think adults will not only enjoy this story but see and appreciate some of the nuances of this unconventional relationship that features a main character who dares to follow his heart. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews