The Incredible Octopus - Erin Spencer - ★★★★.½

-
AUTHOR: Erin Spencer
GENRE: Children's Nonfiction, Animals
PUBLICATION DATE: April 16, 2024
RATING: 4.5 stars

In a Nutshell: An informative encyclopaedia about everything connected to the magnificent octopus. Amazing facts, stunning photographs. Great for little and not-so-little animal lovers.


Octopuses are fascinating – no two ways about it. So it isn’t surprising that an entire 80-page book can be written on just octopuses.

There are various species of octopuses – almost 300 – and also related cephalopods such as squid, cuttlefish, and nautiluses. The book highlights interesting facts about all of these, with the maximum focus obviously being on the titular animal.

The information is classified into neat sections, covering topics such as anatomy, survival mechanisms, special octopus species, and even general facts such as octopuses in human lore. There are also some fun tidbits about octopuses and the games they love to play. (I was a bit sad to see that Paul the Octopus wasn’t mentioned; surely he has earned a place in the ‘Famous Octopuses’ list with his accurate guesstimates during the international football matches!) There is a glossary at the end and also a detailed list of resources kids can use to learn more about octopuses.

I especially loved the three interviews at the end of the book. These are conversations with professionals who work with or interact with octopuses as a part of their job. Not a feature I have seen so far in animal books – such an enlightening addition! Also appreciate that two of these three professionals were women scientists – Yay for FemSTEM!

The page layout is like that of an encyclopaedia, with 3-5 paras of text on many pages, but with a major chunk of the page space being dedicated to photographs and their accompanying captions, which contain interesting facts about the animal in the pic. While the language is fairly easy to kids who are keen on animals, the formatting and page structure makes it suitable to readers aged 8+.

The trivia in the book is mindboggling! In fact, the book begins with an intriguing ‘Did you Know?’ section that will directly spur the reader to learn more about astounding octopuses. I am anyway fond of animal trivia, so some of the information was already known to me. But I didn’t expect to learn so many new facts from this book. (I am not sharing any of these with you as I want you to read the book!)

I love that actual photos have been used to illustrate the book. Animal books are always so much better with real photos as artificial graphics don’t convey the beauty of the animals effectively. This makes the physical copy of the book a must-have.

All in all, a wonderful option for little animal lovers. This would make for an informative and entertaining resource in classroom libraries as well. Let’s not forget that it would also be a great way for adult animal lovers to know more about the incredible octopus.

My thanks to Storey Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Incredible Octopus”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Comments

Post a Comment

Explore more posts from this blog:

Takeout Sushi - Christopher Green - ★★★★

-
Image
  AUTHOR: Christopher Green GENRE: Contemporary Short Story Collection, Japanese Fiction. PUBLICATION DATE:  May 2, 2024 RATING: 3.9  stars. In a Nutshell: An interesting collection of stories, with most of them set in Japan. Loved the writing style and enjoyed the diverse emotions. Much recommended! This story collection has, as the title suggests, a strong Japanese flavour. So let me begin by confessing that I am not a fan of Japanese literature. Most Japanese fiction that I tried hasn’t suited my reading tastes, so I generally keep away from this genre. The reason I picked this collection up is... No, no, the sushi had no role to play in my decision; I can’t stand even the thought of sushi! The reason I wanted to read this is that the author is NOT a Japanese! 😁 I know this sounds quite silly to declare, but had the author been Japanese, I would have resisted opting for this. But by virtue of his being an “outsider”, I thought it was a great opportunity to get a look at Japan witho
Read More»

Big Bad Wolf Investigates Fairy Tales - Catherine Cawthorne - ★★★★★

-
Image
AUTHOR: Catherine Cawthorne ILLUSTRATOR: Sara Ogilvie GENRE: Children's Nonfiction PUBLICATION DATE: April 25, 2024 RATING: 5 sparkly, scientifically accurate stars. In a Nutshell: This book and I were a match made in book heaven! Loved the approach that combines humour and logic to debunk the sillier elements of some fairy tales. Strongly recommended! I enjoy fairy tales. I love scientific thinking. I adore logic. I relish humour. Seeing all four of these together in a single work was almost a “bookgasmic” moment for me! 😆 Had the book not delivered on any of these factors, I might still have been happy reading it. But the content not only reaches but also surpasses the promise made by the title and cover. All of us know that there are several logically impossible elements in fairy tales. In childhood, we might have oohed and awwwed at the stories without overthinking the practicalities. In adulthood, we might have cringed at the gender bias, wealth bias, and the lack of conse
Read More»

Red Runs the Witch's Thread - Victoria Williamson - ★★★★

-
Image
  AUTHOR: Victoria Williamson GENRE: Historical Fiction, Horror. RATING:  4 stars. In a Nutshell: A psychological horror inspired by the last witch burning in Scotland in 1697. A disturbing yet compelling read. I wanted more closure at the end for my own peace of mind, but other than that, this was a satisfying book. Recommended! Plot Preview: 1722. Paisley, Scotland. Thirty-seven-year-old widow Christian Shaw is obsessed with perfecting her thread bleaching process. She wants to make the thread the purest white, so it can sell better and restore their family fortunes. In the absence of any male family members, it is up to her as the eldest daughter to ensure the security of their house, her mother and two younger sisters, and her late father’s social position as the laird (landowner.)  However, Christian’s mind is troubled. With the 25th anniversary of the witch burnings of 1697 approaching, Christian’s thoughts go frequently to the past, and to the role she played in the burning of s
Read More»

The Great Divide - Cristina Henríquez - ★★★★.¼

-
Image
AUTHOR: Cristina Henríquez GENRE: Historical Literary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: March 5, 2024 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A literary fiction focussed on Panama during the time of the construction of the Panama Canal. Note that this isn’t a book directly about the canal or its construction, but about the people connected to the canal in some way or the other during that period. A great book if you go in with the right expectations and enjoy character-oriented fiction. Plot Preview: 1907, Panama. Francisco, a Panamanian fisherman, hates the commercialisation of his country under the foreigners, and hence resents his son Omar’s joining the canal construction crew. Omar, however, wants to learn and earn more than his little village can offer him. Sixteen-year-old Ada has heard about Panama having many jobs. She has stowed away to Panama, hoping to get some work and earn enough for her ailing sister’s surgery back in Barbados. Her mother Lucille, a tailor, doesn’t yet know of her ru
Read More»

Making Up the Gods - Marion Agnew - ★★★★.¼

-
Image
AUTHOR: Marion Agnew GENRE: Contemporary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: October 15, 2023 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: An indie drama with some quirky characters and a great setting in Lake Superior, Canada. Mellow in tone, genuine in content, thought-provoking in themes. I enjoyed this unusual novel. Plot Preview: Simone, almost 70, is a retired widow who lives an isolated life in her cottage on the banks of Lake Superior and still misses her husband, though he’s been dead for five years. While she is now active in her local church and finds solace in baking for those grieving, she is fiercely protective of her privacy. But when the local reverend asks her to take care of nine-year-old Chen while his widowed mother goes on a much-needed trip, Simone finds it tough to refuse a fellow-mourning widow. Just before Chen arrives, a stranger named Martin knocks at Simone’s door, claiming to be her cousin. Simone is suddenly handling two strangers at once, and she worries that they will dis
Read More»