THE ESCAPE ARTIST

In this tale based on real-life events, a Māori octopus in a New Zealand aquarium makes a break back to the sea.

Inky lives a cushy life, housed between a sea turtle enclosure and a tank that holds several seahorses. He’s well cared for and playful, “but a tank can’t contain an octopus brain,” and the innately curious Inky has many questions: Why does he breathe underwater when the turtles surface for air? And could he live outside his tank? Inky isn’t unhappy, but he’s not complacent, either, and when someone carelessly leaves the lid to his tank ajar, he seizes the opportunity, squeezing his substantial but spongy body through the gap. Suspense builds: Out of the water, he doesn’t have much time. But he slides dramatically down the glass, across the floor, and through a drain, pulling himself through a pipe 164 feet to the sea. Hanson’s lively rhymes, a pleasure to read aloud, vary their rhythm without stumbling and adeptly convey information while telling a captivating story. Bernstein’s colorful illustrations realistically portray the aquarium and sea animals while also allowing Inky’s eyes full cartoon scope to express his personality, emotions, and intelligence. Clever endpapers depicting Inky’s escape calculations will amuse adult readers. Backmatter with info on octopuses and the real-life Inky add educational depth. Human characters vary in skin tone.

Certain to grab nature lovers.