Author: Matt Stanton
Illustrator: Matt Stanton
© Date: 2021
Publisher: HarperAlley
Pages: 193
Chapters: Yes
Illustrations: Yes, graphic novel
Publisher Recommended Age: 8-12 years
Bonus Activities at End of Book: No
Summary from Book: It’s a dangerous thing, your imagination.
A woman in a fancy suit has shown up unexpectedly and unannounced at Kip’s apartment, and she wants to know all about the odd characters who’ve escaped Kip’s imagination. She’s asking questions Kip doesn’t want to answer. The Odds have no choice but to go on the run!
But running away isn’t as simple as it should be-not when Lance the rabbit and Ninja-Nina are dueling, Racer’s trying to drive everywhere but straight ahead, Booster the rooster wants to leave, and Unicorn and the family cat just can’t seem to get along. Kip is hiding secrets from her dad, Diana the dinosaur keeps scaring Kip, and the Woman in the Suit seems to know their every move.
From bestselling, beloved author Matt Stanton comes a hilarious and heart-filled story about imagination, anxiety, and accepting ourselves.
Page Pig Thoughts: The Odds was, well, odd. Unfortunately I started with book 2 and it doesn’t really stand well on its own. By the time that I hit the end, I saw how the story could be good. I had a hard time following what was going on and am left wondering what my opinion would be if I had started with book 1. Since I was confused, the humor wasn’t there for me, and I just didn’t really get into this one, I will now have a hard time reading book 1.
Family Unit: Kip lived with her father in an apartment, but they leave for some time in a cabin in the woods. The Odds were living with them too.
Conflict/Social Issues:
- The Odds don’t get along well with each other.
- The Odds make a lot of noise for an apartment.
- Kip’s father desperately needs a new idea for his graphic novel.
Positive Items:
- There is mention that the Odds are parts of Kip, so it seems like there is potential for her to accept the different parts of herself or something.
Items of Interest:
- The Odds are characters from Kip’s imagination, books, and video games. Somehow Kip brought them to life outside of where they were residing.
- One of the Odds was the main character in Kip’s father’s graphic novel, so now he is unable to draw the character.
- A woman in a suit that seems like she is from the government follows Kip, her father, and the Odds. In the end, maybe she was from Kip’s imagination also.
- The book ends abruptly because it is part of a trilogy.
Other Books in Series (At Time of Posting):
- Book 1 – The Odds
- Book 3 – The Odds: The Power of Being Odd