Octopus Escapes Again!

by Laurie Ellen Angus

Overview

Inspire the future marine biologist in your life with this beautifully illustrated picture book about the octopus! The perfect read-aloud for kids and adults, kids can follow along with the story of the brave octopus while parents can choose to read the fascinating, true facts italicized on each page. Backmatter includes real octopus facts, activities for kids, teachers and parents, and more!

Swim along with Octopus as she leaves the safety of her den to search for food. Will she eat? Or will she be eaten?

Octopus is very hungry, but so many animals in the ocean are trying to eat her! Follow along as she is able to outwit multiple dangerous enemies (including sharks, turtles, and eels) by using a dazzling display of defenses:

• Clouds of ink
• Jet propulsion
• Camouflage
• And more!

Backmatter Includes:

• Explore More for Kids: an anatomy map of all of the parts of an octopus, and descriptions of all the ocean animals in the book
• Explore More for Teachers & Parents: more detailed information on the anatomy of an octopus, a reading comprehension exercise, information and an activity on the ocean food chain, information on Octopus-inspired Engineering Design (biomimicry), and more!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781584695783
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	09/01/2016
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD650L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

Editorial Reviews

2016-06-28
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)

Kirkus Reviews