What happens when two favorite authors team up and make a graphic novel? You get Odd Duck and it is everything you’d hope it could be — and maybe even a little more!

What I love about Sara Varon’s work is how she tells stories of friendship that aren’t sappy and that are real in their imperfections. Cecil Castellucci does the same thing in her stories — the friendships are flawed and yet, wholly real in those flaws. 

In Odd Duck, we meet Theodora, who is perfect. She loves her life, including the fact she’s the only duck who buys mango salsa and the only duck who checks out certain books in the library (the librarian has to even dust those titles since they’ve been shelf sitters for so long). She doesn’t want anything to change because she is happy with who she is. Things are calm, peaceful, and serene. 

But then Chad moves in next door. Chad colors his feathers, lives in a house that’s boarded up and messy, and he’s anything but coordinated nor quiet. He frustrates Theodora’s quiet and peaceful life. Why does he have to be there and ruin everything she has going for her? Theodora is not happy. 

When the two of them finally talk, bonding over their shared love and appreciation for the night sky, they discover they have a lot more in common than appears on the surface. But when they’re going for a walk one afternoon and overhear the other ducks whispering about the “Odd Duck,” each accuses the other of being the weird one. Neither of them wants to admit to being the “odd duck.” Because neither of them are, of course — Theodora is perfectly normal in her quiet ways and Chad is perfectly normal in his more colorful life. But when called out, it appears both Chad and Theodora think of each other as odd, even if they never wanted to admit it. 

Suddenly, the two of them find themselves fighting. Now everything Chad does irritates Theodora and vice versa. 

But of course, they find themselves lonely. They miss each other’s odd habits, and they miss spending time together. It’s not too long before they decide to make amends and choose to be friendly with one another again. 

Maybe it was each other’s embracing of their own oddness that made them so companionable after all.

This is charming read without being saccharine, and it’s wildly funny. It’s perfectly appropriate for very young readers. There’s nothing to blush at here — it’s the kind of book that will work for elementary readers through your older adult readers who appreciate a fun, lighthearted read about the power of friendship and embracing your eccentricities.  

The art, as one would expect from Varon, is fantastic, vibrant, and equally as funny as the writing itself. The design of this book is super appealing, too: it’s a hard cover, and the boards are done in the many portraits of Theodora and Chad. Odd Duck is the kind of book you read more than once. You first read it for the story, then you go back again and again to pick up on all of the subtleties in the illustrations. There’s a keen attention to detail that distinguishes Theodora from Chad. I love the panels on the right — Theodora is prim and proper, even wearing gloves as she’s checking out old books from the library. Max, the librarian, is a good duck — though I would argue he could use some help weeding his collection a little better. 

I give bonus points to Castellucci and Varon for how easy it is to see Theodora is an introvert and completely happy with her introverted lifestyle and yet, she’s still able to develop a worthwhile and valuable friendship with someone so opposite herself. It’s a smaller detail, but it’s one I really appreciated. 

Odd Duck is clever and fun and a book that earns a worthy spot right next to other graphic novels like Robot Dreams and Bake Sale as ones worth visiting again and again.

Review copy received from the publisher. Odd Duck is available now.