Inky's Amazing Escape

July 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 2-Montgomery (2015's The Octopus Scientists and The Soul of an Octopus) has channeled her considerable octopus knowledge into a narrative nonfiction picture book based on an incident at a New Zealand aquarium. After a lobsterman took a young injured octopus to a nearby aquarium, it healed and grew, eventually finding its way back to the Pacific Ocean. Montgomery uses age-appropriate language to convey an impressive amount of information. The text is accessible and makes use of relatable comparisons to everyday items such as grains of rice and soccer balls. No background knowledge of octopuses is assumed, but two terms, beak and jet are used without explanation; readers may be able to infer their meanings from the text. Inky is assigned thoughts and feelings, although as the text explains, changes in the octopus's skin color can indicate emotions. Schimler-Safford's engaging mixed-media collages in realistic colors, some reminiscent of Eric Carle, fill the page and beautifully complement the narrative-readers will want to closely inspect all the details. Back matter includes an endnote describing other octopus escapes, "Eight Fun Octopus Facts" (which are a simplified version of the "Octet of Octo Facts" in The Octopus Scientists), a short bibliography, and links to news stories about Inky's escape. VERDICT Montgomery's expertise and the gorgeous illustrations make this a fine purchase for libraries serving early elementary students.-Judy Poyer, Anne Arundel County Public Library, MD

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 15, 2018
Inky the octopus escapes again.The author of The Soul of an Octopus (2015, for adults) provides a picture-book example of octopus intelligence in this latest account of the escape of an octopus named Inky from the New Zealand National Aquarium. Her well-paced narrative begins with his hatching in the wild, from an egg "the size of a grain of rice." The writer weaves in plenty of informational details about octopuses' physical characteristics and habits while she spins the likely story of his injury (two tentacles partially bitten off by a moray eel), accidental capture, and subsequent life in a public aquarium. The smooth prose invites children's appreciation for this remarkable species, which even enjoy playing with familiar toys. A reassuring endnote explains that the octopus was "probably very happy in his tank at the aquarium." But, like readers and listeners, he was curious, "eager to discover what else is out there." Colorful, digitally finished illustrations created using various paints, oil pastel, and collage give a reasonable impression of the octopus's world, but Inky's popping eyes lack the characteristic, usually rectangular slit, and he's shown as female. A New Zealand street scene has cars driving on the wrong side of the road. Montgomery's imagined story is informed by her extensive knowledge and rings true; sadly, the illustrations are less convincing. Still, this is the most plausible of many recent iterations of this great escape. (endnote, fun facts, further resources) (Informational picture book. 5-8)

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September 3, 2018
In 2016, an octopus named Inky made global news by escaping from New Zealand’s National Aquarium. This story recounts that event and imagines Inky’s pre- and postaquarium life in the wild. “Each octopus set out on a journey alone. They’re born ready to explore,” Montgomery (How to Be a Good Creature) writes in her direct, deeply respectful prose. At birth, Inky is “the size of a grain of rice,” and his considerable intellect and ultrapliable body stand him in good stead as he grows until, baseball-size and bitten, he’s scooped up in a fisherman’s net and taken to an aquarium. Life in captivity means crab snacks, toys (he plays with Lego blocks and Mr. Potato Head), and tickles from his trainer. But his innate curiosity wins out, and one night, Inky slips out of his tank and slides into a floor drain that leads back to the ocean. Textured mixed-media collages by Schimler-Safford (Hidden City) playfully evoke underwater scenes with brilliant hues. Inky regards the world with eager, lightly anthropomorphized googly eyes, but he’s never over-romanticized and emerges as a wily, winning personality. A final spread offers more octopus facts for eager learners. Ages 4–8.

January 1, 2019
Real octopus Inky was caught in a Pacific Ocean lobster trap and transferred to a seemingly blissful life at a New Zealand aquarium. Yet when the opportunity arises, Inky squeezes himself through a loose tank cover gap, into a drainpipe, and out into the Pacific, where he (presumably) lives today. Montgomery weaves detailed science into Inky's story. Schimler-Safford's brightly colored illustrations effectively hint at Inky's intelligence. Reading list.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

November 1, 2018
Inky, an octopus, began his life in the Pacific Ocean, but was caught in a lobster trap and transferred to a New Zealand aquarium. Life there is seemingly blissful, filled with playful activities, friendships with aquarium keepers, and admiring onlookers. Yet when presented with a loose tank cover, Inky takes the opportunity to squeeze himself through the gap, into a drainpipe on the floor, and then out into the Pacific, where he (presumably) lives today. Montgomery (who also wrote The Octopus Scientists, rev. 7/15, for older readers, for the Scientists in the Field series) weaves detailed science into Inky's life story, helping readers to understand octopus birth and growth, the dangers faced in daily life in the open ocean, and the curiosity and emotions expressed by octopuses. Schimler-Safford's brightly colored illustrations effectively capture the beautiful blues of Inky's aquatic environments, show his sinuous flexibility, and hint at his intelligence. A detailed endnote provides additional information on the real Inky as well as several other octopus escapes; 8 Fun Octopus Facts outline some of the remarkable abilities of the species. A brief list of suggested reading is also appended. danielle j. ford

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)