Inky the Octopus | Erin Guendelsberger
Title: Inky the Octopus Author: Erin Guendelsberger I only write children's book reviews rarely, but here's one. Inky the Octopus by Erin Guendelsberger is a charming retelling of a real-life disappearance that would put Harry Houdini to shame. This cute book is based on the true story of an octopus who decides the aquarium life is no longer for him. It turns out that when a cephalopod wants to stage a jailbreak, he doesn't need a team of specialists--he just needs to be squishy enough to fit through a drainpipe. The story captures the cleverness of octopuses without turning them into cartoons, following Inky as he squeezes through a gap in his tank and makes a break for the floor drain to find the ocean. While the illustrations are engaging, it might be better for older kids in the 1st through 2nd grade range. The rhyme scheme is a bit more sophisticated than your average picture book, and the logic of escape requires a little more focus. One of the highlights is the inclu...