School Library Journal

The chatty plots in these four stories are inventive, quirky, gentle, and sweet. In one, Octopus finds a cowboy boot. Is it a hat? A flower pot? A doorstop? Everyone has an opinion, and readers will enjoy knowing a little more than the sea creatures do about this subject. In another story, Squid has had a fabulous dream that waking life can’t compete with—or so he thinks. Every page is generously filled with detailed ink and silkscreen art containing visual jokes, commentary by other sea creatures, and character-enhancing details. Octopus, for example, is usually painting, sculpting, or drawing—Lobster is his favorite model—and he wears berets and neckerchiefs. Squid, a champion knitter, sports a huge, pompom-topped wool hat. Readers who scrutinize the pages will be rewarded with images such as a pig watering a cupcake plant or a photo of Octopus riding a tandem bike with Wonder Bear. Best for small groups, Squid and Octopus can be enjoyed one story at a time by very young listeners or in one big gulp by those with a longer attention span. They’ll all want to linger over the pictures.—Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY