Review by Booklist Review
A cheerful pink octopus shows all the handy uses for his eight arms, including playing games and musical instruments; contributing to household chores and sporting events; and, most important, providing shelter and comforting hugs. In each illustration, the octopus is actively engaged in untangling knots, taking photographs, stirring pots, cleaning up messes, and performing puppet shows for a small purple crab and tiny green fish, who are in every scene during the gently rhyming recitation of the octopus' prowess. Digital artwork shows off a great amount of detail for each endeavor, inviting young observers to practice finding a variety of objects, such as chess pieces, balls of yarn, a ship in a bottle, lots of socks, and plenty of sea life. The lilting beat and rhyming text, along with clear illustrations, make anticipating upcoming words easy for early readers. Like Baker's earlier LMNO Peas (2010), this picture book has the charm and silliness to appeal to a wide audience.--Goldsmith, Francisca Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In flat, crisp-edged digital art, versatile author/illustrator Baker (LMNO Peas) draws underwater-themed images in contrasting blues and oranges that consider the myriad capabilities of an octopus's appendages. The text of the book is a long answer to a casual question from a crab: "Octopus, what can all your eight arms do?" In light patter, the octopus boasts, "My arms can... stir the pots,/ untangle knots,/ tip a hat,/ and swing a bat." They might also play several games of chess, or write seven different pieces of correspondence at the same time and still have an arm left over to stack up all the letters he's already finished. Or they might simultaneously roll out piecrust, mix dough, and hold pie tins. Very young children will enjoy working their way through the pictures and talking about the octopus's unexpected skills (such as playing a guitar, a banjo, and a harp at the same time), and they'll be soothed by the octopus's parting words: "With a hug-not too tight!-/ my arms can make it feel all right." Ages 3-7. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-K-Eight arms can be extremely handy for an octopus-not only can they do what human arms might do (bounce balls, build, knit, bake, play music and games, and tie bows), but they can also do it all at once. The multitalented animal performs these many skills under the sea, one at a time and simultaneously. The book's forced rhyming text concludes with the creature drawing a smaller octopod into a hug, "my arms can do this anytime. All arms can-yours and mine." The bright blue background and cuddly characters are rendered digitally in a colorful cartoon style and clearly depict the activities described on each spread. While light in content, this title might find a place in libraries looking specifically for books on body parts or ocean creatures.-Marge Loch-Wouters, La Crosse Public Library, WI (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Octopus shares with Little Crab the many things he does with his eight arms. "My arms can knit a sweater, / write a letter, / bake a pie, / and wave good-bye." The gentle rhymes match the soothing ending: his arms give a big, satisfying hug. Digitally rendered illustrations depict the coral-colored octopus in a soft aqua sea, playfully enjoying his everyday activities. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Who hasn't occasionally wished for more than two hands (or arms) in order to simultaneously accomplish all that one needs to? In a rhyming response to Little Crab's query, the colorful, friendly octopus star of this picture book demonstrates that he can manage to pull off quite a few impressive feats with his numerous appendages--though here, our cephalopod friend is usually shown performing only one task at a time, using each arm merely to enhance or speed up what he's doing. Think how he could multitask. Not surprisingly, the octopus engages in all sorts of humanlike activities, including cooking, writing, making music, playing games, getting dressed--and, most important for conveying the point of the story, hugging a forlorn octopus child. Sharp-eyed youngsters will notice that Little Crab (in actuality, prey for an octopus) effects a happy ending of its own by astutely noticing what's troubling the toddler and devising a solution. Still, the real, intended warm message drifts home: All arms are made to reach out and draw someone in for a loving embrace. The story is sweet, though unoriginal, with verses that don't stand out. The watercolor paintings are colorful and full of lively energy. Though a little on the bland side, this effort should reassure little ones resting in the human arms of favorite story readers. (Picture book. 2-5)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
