GIANT CUTTLEFISH

Take a plunge into the waters off southern Australia and come face to face with this spooky-looking cephalopod.

The giant cuttlefish, whose life stretches here from egg sac to reproduction and death, is depicted as both predator and potential prey, snapping up crabs but dodging voracious dolphins and seals. He encounters an even larger cuttlefish competitor but uses his color-changing ability to lure a female of the species. After mating, he dies (these animals’ “live-fast-and-die-young life cycle” has earned them the moniker “rock stars of the ocean”), but Alexander soft-pedals his demise: His legacy is the egg sacs that his mate lays. Size comparisons to familiar objects (a raisin, a watermelon, a football) help readers connect with the text. The starring mollusk is treated familiarly but not anthropomorphized. The final pages, featuring vocabulary suited to older readers, provide detailed information on the giant cuttlefish’s life cycle, adaptations, hunting and mating habits (especially the female’s role), and threats (particularly from humans). These sections divulge some stunning facts that go unmentioned in the narrative, including the giant cuttlefish’s three hearts, blue-green blood, and colorblindness. Since the creature’s average length at maturity is just 20 inches, “giant” is relative, but our hero looms large in Orodán’s dramatic, boldly colored digital illustrations, stretching across most pages. This cephalopod is hardly cuddly, but Alexander makes the most of its impressive intelligence and natural abilities to win us over.

“Rock stars of the ocean” in all their brief but flashy glory.