Behold the Octopus!

by Suzanne Slade, Thomas Gonzalez (Illustrator)

Overview

Lyrical text and gorgeous illustrations plunge readers into an undersea exploration of the mysterious, accomplished octopus and its astonishing abilities.

Behold the octopus! This remarkable animal hides beneath the seas, so you may not realize that it is one of the most incredible, talented creatures on our planet.

Fortunately, this nonfiction picture book from an award-winning team reveals the fascinating features of the glorious octopus, such as lights that attract prey, legs that walk on land, and the ability to change color and shape to match their surroundings and even masquerade as other animals.

The sparse, narrative text is perfect for curious picture book readers looking to learn, while sidebars and back matter share additional interesting details.

A BCCB Blue Ribbon Book!
A Chicago Public Library 'Best of the Best' Book
A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year - Outstanding Merit

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781682635117
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	04/11/2023
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	77 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Suzanne Slade, a Sibert Honor-winning author, has written over one hundred and fifty children's books. An engineer by degree, she is acclaimed for her expertise in STEAM topics, as well as explorations of inspiring figures in history. A popular speaker, she visits dozens of schools every year and has been invited to speak at numerous conferences such as ALA, IRA, ISLMA, NSTA, as well as the National Book Festival. Suzanne's books are enjoyed by readers around the world and also in space! Her picture book Astronaut Annie was read aboard the International Space Station for Story Time from Space.
 

Thomas Gonzalez is an illustrator, designer, and portrait artist. A native of Cuba, he came to the United States when he was ten years old. He studied at the Atlanta School of Art (now called Savannah of Art and Design). After working at the Coca-Cola Company for more than twenty years, Tom held several creative positions with other global brands. He has illustrated many picture books, including the New York Times best-seller 14 Cows for America.
 

Editorial Reviews

★ 06/19/2023

Via stunningly realistic pastel, colored pencil, and airbrush artwork, Gonzalez presents a series of colorful octopus portraits, each shown in tight close-up. The images give the sense of being underwater, near enough to touch each species’ tentacles and look into its eyes. Slade uses simple, vivid language, supplying single words to observe a particular facet of octopus life: gliding describes the animal’s water-jet propulsion, and changing references the way it camouflages. Detailed passages in smaller type supply further facts: about the giant Pacific octopus, “Its mighty suckers measure up to 2.5 inches... and each one can hold 35 pounds.” Octopus fans will be thrilled by information about the ability of some octopus species to foil pursuers by expelling ink, to attract prey with bioluminescence or dispatch them with venom, and new enthusiasts will find inspiration in this accessible, fact-rich volume. Generous back matter concludes. Ages 4–8. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

★ "Via stunningly realistic pastel, colored pencil, and airbrush artwork, Gonzalez presents a series of colorful octopus portraits. . . . Slade uses simple, vivid language, supplying single words to observe a particular facet of octopus life. . . Octopus fans will be thrilled . . . and new enthusiasts will find inspiration in this accessible, fact-rich volume."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
 
★  "[An] absolute treat of a nonfiction picture book. . . . Gonzalez’s photorealistic art is breathtaking. . . ."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Starred Review

"Accessible and informative. . . . Gonzalez's remarkably large and lifelike illustrations [fill] each page. . . ."—Booklist

"This is a visually stunning nonfiction book that introduces young readers to the short but adventure-filled life of the octopus."—School Library Journal

"An admirable, admiring introduction to an intriguing species."—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

11/03/2023

PreS-Gr 3—Every ocean in the world is home to octopuses—eight-armed creatures with an enormous capacity for survival. Whether they are searching for food on the ocean floor, escaping from enemies, or protecting a brood of eggs, the clever octopus is a memorable and dynamic creature. And as deep and broad as the ocean is, it is likely that even more species of octopus are waiting to be discovered. This visually stunning nonfiction title transports readers beneath the ocean's surface to the home of the octopus. The illustrations are the primary feature of the book, especially as they dominate each spread and resemble real-life photographs more than might be expected from the colored pencils and pastels that were used to make them. Text does accompany the images, and it appears in two distinct forms: brief, often single-word lines that describe the octopus's actions, and longer paragraphs in smaller font that provide more detail about the specific octopus in the picture. This design permits classrooms of young readers to enjoy the book at a surface level, while children more intrigued by the octopus can glean greater detail from the more subtly presented text. Limited back matter provides some additional information for readers, but the most noteworthy aspect of this book is its visual appeal. VERDICT This is a visually stunning nonfiction book that introduces young readers to the short but adventure-filled life of the octopus.—Mary R. Lanni

School Library Journal

2022-12-24
A series of rhyming adjectives and colorful close-up representations introduce this eight-armed sea creature.

The author-illustrator team that produced the successful Countdown (2018) returns with a look at a remarkable, intelligent invertebrate. Slade’s two-level text is set directly on Gonzalez’s luminous illustrations of octopuses in action. The opening and closing spreads feature simple, descriptive sentences. On most of the other spreads, only a single word appears in larger type, accompanied by a paragraph in smaller type discussing relevant octopus behavior and traits and introducing one example from the roughly 300 octopus species. What distinguishes this title from similar ones for young readers is its suitability for reading aloud. The adjectives have a smooth, rhythmic quality: “hunting, building, gliding, changing, grasping, hiding. Luminous, dangerous, adventurous, and utterly tenacious!” The striking close-up artwork will show effectively to a group; older readers or more curious listeners will notice that the illustrations are specific to the examples described in the text. Slade covers feeding, anatomy, defense mechanisms, habitat, egg-laying, and life span of 12 different species including the familiar giant Pacific octopus, the mimic octopus, and the rare, deep-sea glowing sucker octopus, among other examples. In an afterword, the author adds even more information and includes photographs. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An admirable, admiring introduction to an intriguing species. (acknowledgments, resources, selected bibliography) (Informational picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews