Last week while chaperoning Seniors snorkeling I had the amazing experience of seeing my first wild octopus (thanks to a fellow teacher’s eagle eyes). I thought I’d share a little of that experience with some books about octopuses or that feature these fascinating and super smart creatures. Click on the titles to see my full reviews of each book including any content notes/trigger warnings.
How to Get Your Octopus to School by Becky Scharnhorst, ill. by Jaclyn Sinquett
In a nutshell: A little girl has her hands full trying to get her octopus ready for its first day of school.
More info: The nutshell says it all.
Extra thoughts: This is a humorous back to school adventure that teaches readers some of the nifty things that octopuses can do.
Target readers: Humor Fans, Animal Lovers, Curious Readers, Back to School Story Fans, First Day of School Story Fans, Picture Book Readers
Inky's Amazing Escape: How a Very Smart Octopus Found His Way Home by Sy Montgomery, ill. by Amy Schimler-Safford
In a nutshell: The true story of an octopus who escaped from an aquarium in New Zealand.
More info: A picture book retelling of the story of Inky, a real octopus found injured in a lobster trap that was taken to the aquarium in Wellington, New Zealand. He lived there many years until he got really curious and snuck out a drain back into the ocean.
Extra thoughts: Not only does this tell a true, crazy octopus story, it's a great introduction for kids of attributes of octopuses.
Target readers: Crazy True Story Fans, Animal Lovers, Octopus Studiers, Science Fans, Nonfiction Fans, Curious Readers, Picture Book Readers
The Octopus Scientists: Exploring the Mind of a Mollusk by Sy Montgomery, photos by Keith Ellenbogen
In a nutshell: Go looking for wild octopuses with scientists studying them in Moorea.
More info: Sy Montgomery takes us to Moorea to look for octopuses with a group of scientists trying to learn more about these creatures.
Extra thoughts: Montgomery helps make it clearer how hit or miss field science can be, and how you may end up with more questions than answers. The facts about octopuses are fascinating, and the photographs are incredible.
Target readers: Octopus Studiers, Wannabe Scientists, Curious Readers, Nonfiction Fans, Middle Grade/Young Adult Readers
The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery
In a nutshell: This is the adult book that shares Montgomery’s research into octopuses and the humans and animals she met along the way.
More info: Sy Montgomery relates her experience of getting to know octopuses at her nearest aquarium personally, what she learned about the creatures, the people she met through getting to know the octopuses, and what her experiences with them taught her.
Extra thoughts: I learned a ton about octopuses and other invertebrates through this. Montgomery also takes you behind the scenes of a working aquarium and what the lives of keepers and volunteers are like. And you also get to learn a fair bit about learning to scuba and some firsthand experiences of what looking for wild octopuses is like.
Target readers: Random Fact Sponges, Curious Readers, Octopus Fans, Wildlife Writer Memoir Fans, Nonfiction Fans, Adult Readers (though approachable to YA)
Spineless by Samantha San Miguel
In a nutshell: A boy with asthma is going to Florida for the winter with his mom and older brother in the early 1900s in hopes it will help him be healthier, and at the struggling resort they find mysteries galore, adventure, and octopus-related scientific discoveries.
More info: Algie, his mother, and his older brother Everett have just arrived in Florida with hopes the climate will help his lungs as he has asthma and the winter weather in the Chicago area is pretty harsh for him. After losing his father to tuberculosis, the family is being extra cautious about Algie. Algie hopes he can get out and explore and make some wonderful scientific discovery while here. But from the moment they arrive their stay is off to a rocky start. The tram line is out, and whispers of the curse on the hotel seem to gain traction. Algie soon meets the daughters of the hotel's owner, Frankie and Lulu, who are there on winter break and decide to take him under their wings as a fellow explorer and scientist. They set out to discover what creature has been sparking rumors about a monster in the area. But when they do make a discovery, can they decide the best path forward for everyone? Algie wants to make a name for himself before asthma kills him. The girls want their father's hotel to be a success so they still have somewhere to return to on breaks from boarding school, but they also want the area to be conserved so the wildlife they've come to love can thrive. The guests want their fancies tickled. A big game hunter/explorer in the area wants to make a quick buck on some trophy finds. Everett wants the star acrobat of the visiting circus troop to fall in love with him. Several guests are in search of thrills investigating the curse. Some guests have secret desires. And all will come to a head as a tropical storm descends on the hotel.
Extra thoughts: I love the personal growth Algie goes through in this and how he wrestles with ethical issues along the way. He grows to model sacrificial love, kindness in response to anger/hurt, and doing things with others’ interests in mind over his own.
Target readers: Adventure Fans, Mystery Fans, Historical Fiction Fans, Fans of Thought-provoking Stories, Middle Grade Readers
Squid and Octopus: Friends for Always by Tao Nyeu
In a nutshell: Best friends Squid and Octopus have 4 little humorous adventures together.
More info: Squid and Octopus have four adventures in this picture book. In the first story Squid and Octopus argue over whether they are supposed to wear socks or mittens on their tentacles, and eventually work out a compromise. In the second story Squid is depressed because he just woke up from a dream in which he had incredible powers and he wishes he had them in real life. Octopus finds a way to cheer up his friend and point out some pretty super qualities Squid has even in real life. In the third story a strange object floats down from above. Octopus thinks it is a hat, but others he meets throughout the day tell him it has different uses. In the end, only Squid agrees on what it's really supposed to be used for. And in the last story, Squid is quite worried about the possible fortune that will be found in his fortune cookie.
Extra thoughts: Octopus and Squid are a fun new underwater friend pair to follow around on their adventures. They have some sweet moments and some funny moments and work out differences. My favorite parts were actually the background characters' comments. Make sure you read those.
Target readers: Animal Lovers, Underwater Adventure Story Fans, Humor Fans, Cute Art Lovers, Short Story Fans, Picture Book Readers
