Master of disguise. Skilled escape artist. Behold the wondrous octopus!
Though octopuses live in every ocean and along every US coast, you may never catch a glimpse of one in the wild. All 300 species, from the tiny wolfi octopus to the enormous Pacific octopus, can camouflage themselves by changing color, pattern, and texture. Some octopuses are also capable of regenerating limbs, surviving on land for short periods of time, and fitting through impossibly small spaces!
Starred review from January 15, 2024
"Clever, strange, and marvelous, / behold, the wondrous octopus!" In this attractive title, rhyming couplets, set against vibrant illustrations and supplemented with additional information in a smaller font, introduce a fascinating, seemingly alien species. Acrobats indeed, these cephalopods perform remarkable twists and turns. Close-ups often extend fully across a double-page spread. Fliess' narrative covers far more than astonishing acrobatics. She describes habitats, body shapes, sizes, and special features; nocturnal habits and defense mechanisms that both help them hunt and avoid becoming prey; and tool use, cognition, and reproduction. The couplets read awkwardly, at times straining to tell the story. Some readers may balk at the statement "octopuses have two rectangular eyes," given that it's the pupil, not the entire eye, that's round (though an accompanying illustration depicts a rectangular pupil). Specific species, such as the giant Pacific octopus, are mentioned. Lucas' digitally created artwork shows off the octopuses' amazing agility. Simplified shapes, vivid colors, and subtle background patterning are used to wonderful effect to portray these creatures, both outside and in. This title is similar in form and content to Suzanne Slade's Behold the Octopus! (2023), illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez, which reads more smoothly and would be the better choice if readers can buy only one. Eye-catching and intriguing. (glossary, labeled drawing, author's notes, further reading) (Informational picture book. 4-7)
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January 1, 2024
In this picture book with colorful, appealing illustrations, singsong verse introduces information about an octopus's daily life and life cycle. Callouts in smaller type give additional engaging facts. Glossary, author's note, and children's reference books are appended.
(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)