Octopus Escapes! by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer; illus. by Frank W. Dormer
32 pages; ages 2-5. Charlesbridge 2018
Octopus waits. Guard closes gates.
What happens at the aquarium after everyone leaves for the day? In this story, octopus escapes. He slips and slides down hallways, turns and hides from the security guard.
What I like about this book: I am a big fan of “night at the museum” stories… and of octopuses. They are clever mollusks, able to open jar lids and squeeze through tight spaces. This midnight romp through the aquarium features fun-to-read-aloud rhyming couplets. The back matter (you knew I was gonna mention back matter!) is all about the amazing behavior of octopuses. They are brilliant problem-solvers and, YES, there are documented cases of octopuses escaping their tanks and cruising through aquaria since the 1870s. Though I don’t think any of them went bowling… The simple, cartoonish illustrations add to the charm.
Check out Beyond the Book activities and another review of animals at Archimedes Notebook today.
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