Shy Ones

Maurice is an extremely shy young flapjack octopus that keeps himself tucked behind his mother, hides behind his desk at school and among the seaweed in the playground. “Unless you were looking for him, you wouldn’t know he’s missing,’ we read.

However Maurice is not the boring creature we might imagine him to be. Not at all: he has a passion for solo dancing, at the Deep Blue Dance Hall to be exact.

One day the little octopus receives an invitation to a fancy dress party and despite it not being something he wants to do, he accepts; albeit, having donned a body-covering disguise. A disguise somewhat similar to that of, we then discover, the book’s narrator. From small beginnings a firm friendship ensues and we meet the narrator in person (or rather, in fish) on the final endpaper.

Those with a fine eye for detail will perhaps have already spotted – pardon the pun- this fishy friend hiding in plain sight on a number of spreads before the big reveal; others will have fun going back and finding her hiding places in Simona Ciraolo’s gently humorous aquatic scenes that are full of fun details and sea creatures glowing bright.

Whether or not they tend towards Maurice’s shy disposition, this story is great fun to share with young humans.