With octopus escape-artist abilities recently in the news, this is a timely title about a perennially appealing sea creature.
Using a wide range of survival techniques, a common octopus escapes from her predators and finds her dinner.
This lightly fictionalized story demonstrates some of an octopus's unusual adaptations: a flexible, boneless body that can be squeezed into a small hiding place; a siphon that squirts ink to cloud the water or a jet of water for a fast getaway; the ability to leave a limb behind; and a knack for changing color and texture for camouflage. The lyrical text has appealing alliteration and repetition; it reads aloud smoothly. Occasionally, supplemental information appears in smaller type. The predator-prey concept provides sufficient suspense to carry readers and listeners along as Octopus avoids a sea turtle, eel, shark, grouper, and gull before she finds her meal. The information about her predators and her prey—shrimp, fish, snails, a crab, and clams—is accurate and nicely shows her place in the food chain. Angus’ collage-style illustrations have a watery look appropriate to her environment. The double-page spread that discusses camouflage is particularly effective, with the octopus visible only under a bright light. Like other books from this publisher, this includes extensive backmatter for both children and adults, and additional activities and information are available on the publisher's website.
With octopus escape-artist abilities recently in the news, this is a timely title about a perennially appealing sea creature. (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-58469-577-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dawn Publications
Review Posted Online: June 27, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
Sweet fare for bed- or naptimes, with a light frosting of natural history.
A sonorous, soporific invitation to join woodland creatures in bedding down for the night.
As in her Moon Babies, illustrated by Amy Hevron (2019), Jameson displays a rare gift for harmonious language and rhyme. She leads off with a bear: “Come home, Big Paws. / Berry picker / Honey trickster / Shadows deepen in the glen. / Lumber back inside your den.” Continuing in the same pattern, she urges a moose (“Velvet Nose”), a deer (“Tiny Hooves”), and a succession of ever smaller creatures to find their nooks and nests as twilight deepens in Boutavant’s woodsy, autumnal scenes and snow begins to drift down. Through each of those scenes quietly walks an alert White child (accompanied by an unusually self-controlled pooch), peering through branches or over rocks at the animals in the foregrounds and sketching them in a notebook. The observer’s turn comes round at last, as a bearded parent beckons: “This way, Small Boots. / Brave trailblazer / Bright stargazer / Cabin’s toasty. Blanket’s soft. / Snuggle deep in sleeping loft.” The animals go unnamed, leaving it to younger listeners to identify each one from the pictures…if they can do so before the verses’ murmurous tempo closes their eyes.
Sweet fare for bed- or naptimes, with a light frosting of natural history. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Oct. 27, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4521-7063-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2020
A wily nod to the power of reading.
A clever—er, clover—thief is outwitted.
With immense joy, a scruffy boar finds a big patch of green clover. He quickly sprawls across it to claim his territory. The clover needs just a bit more time to bloom; Roy is willing to wait. However, he warily eyes his neighbor, Jarvis, a gopher who would also enjoy munching on the sweet, green treat. “Don’t even think about stealing my patch of clover, Jarvis,” Roy grumbles. Jarvis assures Roy he would never do such a thing. But he does have a cookbook that he would like to share. It’s called How To Cook With Clover. Roy starts to read the recipes and is inspired. When the book calls for added ingredients, Roy ambles off to find them. When he returns, part of his clover patch is gone! Roy is furious. He resolves to guard his clover day and night. But Jarvis keeps offering books…and Roy’s clover patch keeps getting smaller and smaller. That is—until Roy goes to the library to find “the right book.” In both text and illustration, Parsley strikes distinct, humorous tones for each character, and the twist at the end is giggleworthy and offbeat. There is a distinct Looney Tunes feel to the story, enlivened by both the literary theme and the fact that their relationship, though antagonistic, is not that of predator to prey.
A wily nod to the power of reading. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Feb. 9, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-316-53428-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
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