Octopus (in Divya Srinivasan's Octopus Alone) experiences the reef world all around her, watching from her cave. One day she decides to escape the busyness of the reef and seek out some solitude. Through her adventures swimming through the vast ocean--complete with run-ins with fish of all types, seahorses, crabs, and octopus-eating eels and a whale!--Octopus realizes that sometimes being alone isn't all its cracked up to be.1. I love how Octopus is shown different colors, blending in with her surroundings; changing colors when she's scared (great conversation starter with the kiddos).
2. I love that the kids will learn new things: new words like, "Anemone," and things like, "tiny fish ate algae from a big fish's scales, leaving them sparkling clean." You learn that octopus like to eat things like crabs and juicy lobster. :)
3. You see octopus ink! How fun!
4. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that Srinivasan draws and labels lots of different fish in the front of the book: puffer fish, a nautilus, butterfly fish, topshell, domino damselfish, garden eels, sea urchins, squid, spotted drum, fairy basslets, squirrelfish, damselfish, nurse shark, trumpet fish, parrot fish, etc.
5. But most of all what makes Divya Srinivasan stories stand out for me is the artwork. The color are always vivid and communicate the story perfectly. The drawings are beautiful. I love love love her artwork in, Octopus Alone, and also loved, Little Owl's Night.
