Through gorgeous artwork and charming poetry with a hint of rhyme, Inky the Octopus tells the story of Inky, a curious octopus resident at the National Aquarium of New Zealand. This clever creature escaped one night, when his tank lid had been accidentally left loose. It is believed that Inky escaped back to the sea. He had come to the aquarium after having been found injured, and it seems he longed to return home once recovered!

At the end of the book is a brief section recapping the true story of Inky and his escape, followed by a page about other unusual octopi. There’s Otto, who would short circuit the lights by squirting water at them, Flo, who unscrewed a valve and flooded her tank with sea water, and Sid, who tried escaping so many times the aquarium decided to release him back to the sea. That same aquarium was also home to Harry, another Houdini octopus who would leave his tank and visit a neighboring tank to dine on crayfish. This fellow was so clever he would put the tank lids back perfectly, leaving workers to puzzle over the mysteriously vanishing crayfish! Lastly, there is a section with neat facts about these clever critters, and their closest kin- squid and nautilus.

This book is too adorable for words! The artwork is stunning! I read this with my cubs, and it became a fast favourite, right up there with Little Moon by Megan Padalecki. It also became a fav with Uncle Niall, who loves squid and octopi. This is a book we will definitely be adding to our collection in hardcover. Perfect for the child interested in nature and sea life.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Jabberwocky for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.