The Escape Artist: A True Story of Octopus Adventure

Conservation biologist Thor Hanson and picture book author and artist Galia Bernstein join forces in this entertaining and informative look at a famous octopode escape artist. Held at the National Aquarium in New Zealand, Inky was a playful, inquisitive creature, and very, very intelligent. Hanson's rhyming text describes how he escaped from his tank one night, making his way through the aquarium to a drain, and from there to freedom in the nearby sea. The book closes with a section giving more information about Inky and about octopodes in general...

I well recall the news stories about Inky, back in 2016 when he made his break for freedom, and have since read and greatly enjoyed author Sy Montgomery and illustrator Amy show more Schimler-Safford's non-fiction picture book about the subject, Inky's Amazing Escape: How a Very Smart Octopus Found His Way Home. I believe there are a number of other picture books on the subject as well—picture books do have their trends, and multiple titles about the same subject will often spring up in close succession—but I have not sought them out. In any case, when I discovered Hanson and Bernstein's The Escape Artist: A True Story of Octopus Adventure, I did immediately seek it out. Although unfamiliar with Hanson's work (most of his books are written for adults), I am very familiar with Bernstein, whose own picture book, I Am a Cat, is a personal favorite. I didn't realize, when requesting the book, that it wasn't a strictly informative account, but rather, a storybook in rhyme. That surprise was a welcome one though, as I found Hanson's rhyming text read well, and would make for an excellent story-time selection, while the accompanying artwork, created using watercolor and digital elements, was lovely. I think this would pair very nicely with the Montgomery/Schimler-Safford title, the one offering an entertaining entree to the story, the other a more informative exploration. Recommended to all octopode enthusiasts, and to anyone seeking fun picture books in rhyme. show less

I LOVED this one!! Based on the true events of Inky, an octopus at a New Zealand aquarium and his amazing escape, this rhyming story is one of my favorites. The included information about the real life Inky, and octopus facts, top off this already amazing book.