Review by Booklist Review
A salute to Inky, a clever octopus who took advantage of a tank lid left slightly ajar in a New Zealand aquarium, escaping down a drain and back to the sea. Hanson relates the (reconstructed) episode in playful verse ("No Inky was found in the fish tanks, / no Inky was found in his pot; / the closets, the halls, / and the toilets in stalls / were places where Inky was not"), and Bernstein records it in wide illustrations featuring a big, mottled mollusk with expressive eyes and a thick tangle of gracefully curled arms, sea life with stunned expressions witnessing the escapade from adjacent tanks, and keepers gathered the next day in disbelief around the improbably small floor drain nearby. The author closes with more on Inky's original capture and backstory, plus basic information about octopuses (or "octopi," or most properly--since the term comes from the Greek--"octopodes"). Younger readers wanting to know even more about these multitalented cephalopods might fasten their suckers on Suzanne Slade's Behold the Octopus!, illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez (2023).
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Octopus Inky, known IRL for his 2016 escape from a New Zealand aquarium, is shown here as an eight-armed marvel with undulating, mottled pink tentacles; a prodigiously playful intellect; and a restless heart. "Aquarium living was easy," writes Hanson (Star and the Maestro) in crisply rhyming lines, "and Inky felt safe and well-fed./ But a tank can't contain an octopus brain,/ and questions still swam in his head." Inky contemplates his fellow aquarium inhabitants, and the faces that peer at him through glass each day, but most of all wonders, "Could an octopus live in a tank without walls?/ And where might he find such a place?" Digital images by Bernstein (Sinclair, the Velociraptor Who Thought He Was a Chicken), which incorporate hand-painted textures, have a wonderful sense of extravagance, portraying Inky with soulful, keenly observant eyes, and a personality and form so expansive that he barely fits within the page. The "adventure" that made the octopus into a real-life global sensation is depicted in a splendid sequence: as the other aquatic creatures look on in amazement, Inky climbs out of his tank, slides across the floor, and daintily lifts a drain lid, slipping through it to the sea and a life of freedom. This should be cephalopod catnip for readers who are just beginning to feel the stirrings of independence, ingenuity, and curiosity about worlds waiting outside their own walls. More about Inky concludes. Ages 4--8. (July)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2--Inky the wily octopus! Droll digital illustrations with textures created in watercolors capture a smart and sneaky real-life octopus in all his escaping glory. Inky was caught at sea and placed in a tank at the National Aquarium of New Zealand. His playful antics and intelligence made him a favorite there with caretakers and visitors alike. When Inky's tank was left unlocked one night, he made a bold escape across the aquarium and down a floor drain. Readers will enjoy the highly entertaining and true story of this curious octopus and will be cheering Inky's escape back to his "tank without walls." Back matter includes information on many of the fascinating features of the octopus. VERDICT A daring escape, an engaging hero, and a happy ending, along with the chance to learn more about the amazing octopus. This is an all-around winner, a tall tale that happens to be (mostly) the truth.--John Scott
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
In this tale based on real-life events, a Māori octopus in a New Zealand aquarium makes a break back to the sea. Inky lives a cushy life, housed between a sea turtle enclosure and a tank that holds several seahorses. He's well cared for and playful, "but a tank can't contain an octopus brain," and the innately curious Inky has many questions: Why does he breathe underwater when the turtles surface for air? And could he live outside his tank? Inky isn't unhappy, but he's not complacent, either, and when someone carelessly leaves the lid to his tank ajar, he seizes the opportunity, squeezing his substantial but spongy body through the gap. Suspense builds: Out of the water, he doesn't have much time. But he slides dramatically down the glass, across the floor, and through a drain, pulling himself through a pipe 164 feet to the sea. Hanson's lively rhymes, a pleasure to read aloud, vary their rhythm without stumbling and adeptly convey information while telling a captivating story. Bernstein's colorful illustrations realistically portray the aquarium and sea animals while also allowing Inky's eyes full cartoon scope to express his personality, emotions, and intelligence. Clever endpapers depicting Inky's escape calculations will amuse adult readers. Backmatter with info on octopuses and the real-life Inky add educational depth. Human characters vary in skin tone. Certain to grab nature lovers.(Informational picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
