I AM NOT AN OCTOPUS

What’s a “regular guy” with eight arms doing on land?

Imagine bumping into a “regular guy with a few extra arms who happens to love tuna” at the grocery store. His name is Terry, and he is not an octopus. If he were, he’d be in the sea, unless he were afraid of water, which he is “absolutely not.” But an encounter with lawn sprinklers reveals the truth. Terry still denies being an octopus but admits that he would love to learn to swim and asks readers to teach him. At the pool, Terry is full of questions. “Do I keep my mouth open or shut? Should I try to sink to the bottom or float on the top?” At the pool’s edge, Terry cuts a terrified figure. “Help! What do I do? You’re SUPPOSED TO BE TEACHING ME!” Luckily, Terry is a natural, and he finally owns his octopus identity. The interactive text is dramatic and funny—and sure to affirm readers with their own worries. The palette of the cartoonish images changes as the story progresses, from greens and browns on land to decidedly aqua poolside colors to vibrant coral reef hues under the sea. Be sure to look for the numeral 8, hidden in plain sight in many illustrations. Human characters are mostly light-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An engaging and humorous lesson about diving in and facing your worst fears.