DAVE WHAMOND is the award-winning author of several picture books including the Oddrey series, and a regular contributor to OWL and Chickadee magazines. His awards include the Blue Spruce, Silver Birch and Texas 2X2. He also has a syndicated cartoon strip called “Reality Check,” which appears daily in a number of North American newspapers. He lives in Calgary, Alberta.
Oddrey has always been the kind of girl who marches to the beat of her own drum, first in her school's production of The Wizard of Oz and later when she pulls some impressive antics to rescue Maybelline, the new girl at school, from the monkey enclosure at the zoo.
Now Oddrey's back for a third adventure, this time bringing her exuberant spirit to the soccer field. Maybelline encourages Oddrey to join the school team, the Piccadilla Bees, and it's not long until their big game against the Quagville Crushers. The Bees struggle to find their stride, but Oddrey is convinced she has a solution. True to form, she thinks that if her teammates bring their own individual talents – dancing, karate-kicking, and cartwheeling – to bear on the problem, they may just have a shot at winning! At least they'll have fun.Dave Whamond
"A winning theme for the early sports shelf." - Kirkus Reviews
"An exuberant read that continues to emphasize the same themes as the other books in this series: good things come from being our own unique selves." - National Reading Campaign
"Give this to fans of the first Oddrey books; it should spark a discussion of sportsmanship and working together." - School Library Journal
"A good social learning book to share with young readers... to teach good sportsmanship and acceptance." - Resource Links
"With its simple text and dynamic illustrations, Oddrey Joins the Team would be a good book for reading with groups." - Canadian Review of Materials
A Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Book for Kids and Teens, 2015