Octopus Alone by Divya Srinivasan
recommended for ages 3 to 5
Octopus is a solitary creature, more of an observer than a participant. She prefers to lurk in her cave and watch the activity unfold around her—and in her reef home, there’s plenty to see: Fish dart in and out of anemones, eels extend from holes, and little swimmers carefully clean algae off of larger, patient predators. Octopus does not, however, like to be seen herself, so when three acrobatic seahorses get a little too close for comfort, she begins a journey that takes her increasingly farther from her home base. Despite the journey, she continues to encounter the inquisitive and overly friendly seahorses, as well as other creatures displaying varying degrees of interest in her. Making use of all of her tricks as a cephalopod, she changes colors to match her environment and squirts clouds of ink to obscure her getaway. Ultimately, though, she finds that being alone isn’t everything it seems to be.
Divay Srinivasan’s timid octopus will resonate with shy kids who prefer to hang back on the outskirts of the playground. The message here is a positive one: Take your time, and join in when you feel comfortable. This book is also a loving look at ever-fascinating sea creatures; the menagerie depicted here—including a blue that takes up so much space it requires a fold-out page to be seen—will surely thrill budding marine biologists.
“What Kids are Reading” is a regular feature in the Sun, highlighting children’s books available for young readers. This week’s recommendation was made by Executive Editor Ryan Miller.
This article appears in Sep 11-18, 2014.