Amazing Octopus: Creature from an Unknown World

As I opened this beautifully produced book I was immediately drawn into the world of the octopus. The high-quality paper used, the gold and black printing throughout, with many stunning black and white drawings all contribute to the creation of a rich and original artefact. There are 144 pages bursting with facts, information, puzzles and pages to colour. In addition, there are pages where you can add your own personal details, such as what you want to be when you grow up! In all it is quite a quirky publication which appeals to our senses.

The reader learns some fascinating facts about the octopus in every chapter. Having just had some eye surgery I was intrigued to learn about how the eyes of the octopus share a characteristic with the human eye: both species have a dominant eye. Most chapters have a section entitled For Bright Minds and this gives the reader even more information on the octopus. The work covers everything from their history, ‘They have been roaming our oceans for 400 million years, making them the oldest intelligent creatures on the planet,’ (p.115) to their number of genes (33,000)!

Both author and Illustrator are extremely talented, and they ooze enthusiasm for their book. It is very interactive with ‘Eight Ink-redible Jokes to Tell Your Friends’ as well as some Spot the Difference illustrations.

This book is suitable for anyone over the age of 8 and would make a special gift for those curious about the natural world or keen on book illustration. Ganser’s interest in having different worlds collide through art is evident here with the ocean and space comparison. The translation from the original language works well and I have no hesitation in highly recommending this engaging book for schools, libraries and home.