Behold the Octopus!

January 15, 2023
A series of rhyming adjectives and colorful close-up representations introduce this eight-armed sea creature. The author-illustrator team that produced the successful Countdown (2018) returns with a look at a remarkable, intelligent invertebrate. Slade's two-level text is set directly on Gonzalez's luminous illustrations of octopuses in action. The opening and closing spreads feature simple, descriptive sentences. On most of the other spreads, only a single word appears in larger type, accompanied by a paragraph in smaller type discussing relevant octopus behavior and traits and introducing one example from the roughly 300 octopus species. What distinguishes this title from similar ones for young readers is its suitability for reading aloud. The adjectives have a smooth, rhythmic quality: "hunting, building, gliding, changing, grasping, hiding. Luminous, dangerous, adventurous, and utterly tenacious!" The striking close-up artwork will show effectively to a group; older readers or more curious listeners will notice that the illustrations are specific to the examples described in the text. Slade covers feeding, anatomy, defense mechanisms, habitat, egg-laying, and life span of 12 different species including the familiar giant Pacific octopus, the mimic octopus, and the rare, deep-sea glowing sucker octopus, among other examples. In an afterword, the author adds even more information and includes photographs. (This book was reviewed digitally.) An admirable, admiring introduction to an intriguing species. (acknowledgments, resources, selected bibliography) (Informational picture book. 3-7)

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April 1, 2023
Preschool-Grade 2 This accessible and informative text covers 12 different types of octopuses. While only a few simple large-print words drive the book forward, fine-print paragraphs sit in the background to fill in more curious readers on detailed information. They will learn the basics of octopus lifestyles, life spans, and locales, as well as eating habits and anatomy and more specific facts. Some octopuses have the ability to change their skin's color and pattern to blend in with their surroundings, explain the authors, also covering how many make their homes in holes or crevices, while others build their homes by using tentacles to arrange rocks found on the ocean floor. Their method of movement through water is explained, as well as how they escape predators by using a black, ink-like secretion that obscures the octopus and irritates the hunter's eyes. Gonzalez's remarkably large and lifelike illustrations were created using colored pencils, pastel, and airbrush, filling each page with a truly striking full-bleed image. Additional facts and a bibliography offer more insight into these intelligent and fascinating creatures.

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Starred review from June 19, 2023
Via stunningly realistic pastel, colored pencil, and airbrush artwork, Gonzalez presents a series of colorful octopus portraits, each shown in tight close-up. The images give the sense of being underwater, near enough to touch each species’ tentacles and look into its eyes. Slade uses simple, vivid language, supplying single words to observe a particular facet of octopus life: gliding describes the animal’s water-jet propulsion, and changing references the way it camouflages. Detailed passages in smaller type supply further facts: about the giant Pacific octopus, “Its mighty suckers measure up to 2.5 inches... and each one can hold 35 pounds.” Octopus fans will be thrilled by information about the ability of some octopus species to foil pursuers by expelling ink, to attract prey with bioluminescence or dispatch them with venom, and new enthusiasts will find inspiration in this accessible, fact-rich volume. Generous back matter concludes. Ages 4–8.

November 3, 2023

PreS-Gr 3-Every ocean in the world is home to octopuses-eight-armed creatures with an enormous capacity for survival. Whether they are searching for food on the ocean floor, escaping from enemies, or protecting a brood of eggs, the clever octopus is a memorable and dynamic creature. And as deep and broad as the ocean is, it is likely that even more species of octopus are waiting to be discovered. This visually stunning nonfiction title transports readers beneath the ocean's surface to the home of the octopus. The illustrations are the primary feature of the book, especially as they dominate each spread and resemble real-life photographs more than might be expected from the colored pencils and pastels that were used to make them. Text does accompany the images, and it appears in two distinct forms: brief, often single-word lines that describe the octopus's actions, and longer paragraphs in smaller font that provide more detail about the specific octopus in the picture. This design permits classrooms of young readers to enjoy the book at a surface level, while children more intrigued by the octopus can glean greater detail from the more subtly presented text. Limited back matter provides some additional information for readers, but the most noteworthy aspect of this book is its visual appeal. VERDICT This is a visually stunning nonfiction book that introduces young readers to the short but adventure-filled life of the octopus.-Mary R. Lanni

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