The Octopus Escapes

April 1, 2021
Preschool-Grade 1 The octopus is fond of life in his comfortable cave, catching crabs and drifting about the ever-changing ocean currents, so he's shocked when a diver whisks him away to an enormous aquarium. There are some positives to his captivity, though: he is given intriguing tests, watches humans wander by, and never wants for food. It's not long, however, before the intelligent octopus grows bored, longing for his home, and realizes it's time to escape. He squeezes and slides his way out of his tank, through the aquarium, and back out to sea, finally settling again in his wilder--but more rewarding--watery world. It's impossible not to adore the intrepid octopus, drawn realistically, with expressive eyes that tug on the heartstrings. Sala's vibrant illustrations teem with life when focused on the ocean habitat and are appropriately subdued in the more austere aquarium. Readers will get a great glimpse into the capabilities of the wonderfully brainy octopus in this sweet meditation on the tradeoffs between living in safe comfort and making your own way in the world.

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April 15, 2021
Captured and confined for display to visitors in an aquarium, an octopus tires of his unvarying routine there and escapes to return to the ocean home he loves. This satisfying home-away-home narrative imagines life from an octopus's perspective. The story begins and ends in his comfortable cave, where he can watch sea creatures going about their business and feel the variety of water currents. His love for hiding in small spaces leads to capture. He's bored in his new home in a "glass house that wasn't a cave." For entertainment, he's given manipulatives, and the food is regular but unvarying--and certainly no challenge to catch. He's taught to take pictures of and with the aquarium visitors. With no good way to communicate his feelings to his keeper, he leaves, slithering out of his tank and under a door to a convenient pier from which he can return to the water--and, after a long swim, to his home. The relatively simple text is nicely interwoven with cheerful illustrations, sometimes set on spreads, sometimes interrupted with vignettes, and sometimes on a page opposite a full-bleed image. It would read and show well to a group. This effort to see the world from the viewpoint of a captive species reflects actual experiences of some octopuses resident in New Zealand aquariums. Offers an opportunity for conversation with young readers about the roles of zoos and aquariums. (Picture book. 3-7)

COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

June 25, 2021

K-Gr 2-The octopus is content with his life and loves the cave where he lives. He's able to see all the fish and sea creatures around him and can play around in the waves to his heart's content. This all changes when a diver whisks him away from his cave and takes him to an aquarium which the octopus calls a glass house. At first, the octopus loves the challenges the humans give him and all of the people that come to visit him and have their pictures taken. Soon though, the octopus becomes bored with the same life eating the same food. He hatches a plan to escape. His journey back to his cave is not an easy one, but this skilled octopus is not one to step away from a challenge. The art and words complement each other well and each has the opportunity to take center stage when the story warrants it. The pages vary in sentence length and number of sentences giving the reader a dynamic and engaging read, but the art is the real highlight of this tale. Each spread is full of vibrant colors and readers will enjoy being taken along on the journey. VERDICT Stunning artwork and an appealing story is sure to entertain readers, especially those interested in marine life.-Myiesha Speight, formerly at Towson Univ., Baltimore

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2021
This delightful introduction to the problem-solving abilities of one of the most intelligent animals on our planet follows the adventures of a bright-orange cephalopod on his travels from under the ocean, to an aquarium full of curious visitors, and back to his ocean cave again. One day the little octopus comes across a mysterious object -- a human's glove -- and gets trapped inside. He's taken to an aquarium full of sad sea creatures and food that always comes at the same time and tastes the same. While the text is in the third person, the story is told from the octopus's perspective, with a poignant focus on the sensory experiences he misses from his ocean life. Sala's (Be a Tree!, rev. 5/21) vibrant illustrations bring this small creature to life, with expressive eyes and a plenitude of limbs that sometimes look like they're about to escape the pages of the book itself. No back matter is included, which may disappoint readers who are curious about the real-life escapes that inspired this story. But they'll cheer as the octopus, bright and bold against the gray backdrop of the nighttime aquarium, climbs out of his tank, slips off a pier, and makes his way back to the lively ocean home he's missed so much. Laura Koenig

(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2021
This delightful introduction to the problem-solving abilities of one of the most intelligent animals on our planet follows the adventures of a bright-orange cephalopod on his travels from under the ocean, to an aquarium full of curious visitors, and back to his ocean cave again. One day the little octopus comes across a mysterious object -- a human's glove -- and gets trapped inside. He's taken to an aquarium full of sad sea creatures and food that always comes at the same time and tastes the same. While the text is in the third person, the story is told from the octopus's perspective, with a poignant focus on the sensory experiences he misses from his ocean life. Sala's (Be a Tree!, rev. 5/21) vibrant illustrations bring this small creature to life, with expressive eyes and a plenitude of limbs that sometimes look like they're about to escape the pages of the book itself. No back matter is included, which may disappoint readers who are curious about the real-life escapes that inspired this story. But they'll cheer as the octopus, bright and bold against the gray backdrop of the nighttime aquarium, climbs out of his tank, slips off a pier, and makes his way back to the lively ocean home he's missed so much.

(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)