IZZY & OSCAR

Pirate captain Izzy finds a treasure of a pet in an octopus.

With his surprising ability to survive outside the water, Oscar the octopus isn’t much like a real octopus, but he isn’t much like an ordinary pet, either. He doesn't fetch or shake hands. He sleeps under the bed instead of on it, doesn't always behave well on a leash and doesn’t want to be ridden. His best trick is camouflage, but that backfires when, surprised in a hiding place, he inks Izzy's mother. Dockray’s lively illustrations portray the action and add to the humor of this cheery, unusual pet story, especially through Oscar’s expressive body language. Done with digitally friendly Doc Martin dyes and pencil, these images are colorful and engaging and will show well to a group. The diversity of the four seashore-exploring children in Izzy’s crew is suggested through their different hair styles and colors. They’re led by ponytailed, Caucasian Izzy, who does her best to figure out just what to do with this animal. “Oscar ate a lot. He grew bigger. So did his octopoop.” Young listeners may finally, sadly agree that “[a]n octopus belongs in the ocean,” but they’ll cheer at the unexpected resolution.

A grand addition to any pet-themed read-aloud session.