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The Octonauts
The Octonauts and the Only Lonely Monster
"Meomi's character design is terrific. But their books, especially their first book, are more than that...I love it, and more importantly, my son loves it and asks for it at bedtime." - Super Punch
""The Octonauts: And the Only Lonely Monster" has become a new favorite here. The story follows the path of the adorable, underwater Octonauts who come under attack from a sad, lonely monster and later help the creature find others like it under the sea. A smarter person would say there's a perfect allegory buried beneath the pages -- something about how bullies have fears like everyone else and how wonderful it is to be unique. But I always find myself just getting lost in the illustrations by team Meomi....It's great to find a book that appeals to both kids and adults -- even if the appeal is for different reasons....In other words, these are the best. children's book. animals. ever. I can't get enough of them...I can read this book for hours -- and have." - SFGate.com
This is the original book series that launched the animated TV show, which is now popular worldwide and broadcast on the Disney Channel in the USA. Discover the creative and fun stories where it all began!
The Octonauts are a crew of adorable animals who roam the ocean in search of adventure, treasure, and fun! From their undersea base called "the Octopod," the Octonauts explore a colorful world full of thrills, chills, and gills! These eight talented critters, including a brainy octopus, brave polar bear, daredevil kitten, and scientific sea otter, are always ready to embark on a new, exciting voyage.
In this debut episode, the Octonauts encounter a giant sea monster. Is he the only one left of his kind in the ocean? The Octonauts' mission is to find out! Along the way everyone learns the special value of friendship and individuality. The Octonauts charm children and adults who appreciate sophisticated design and subversive humor, and guarantee readers will stay tuned for their next adventure!
"Now I can see why the TV show is so popular. The illustrations are absolutely delightful...Readers who like picture book adventures that are full of quirky characters and colorful artwork will greatly enjoy this entertaining picture book. With its hope-filled message about the power of friendship, this is a title that has universal appeal. " - Through the Looking Glass
"Best Buy - The Octonauts has gained an international cult following for its beautifully rendered and vibrant illustrations (and refreshingly sassy characters)." - Vancouver Magazine
""The Octonauts: And the Only Lonely Monster" has become a new favorite here. The story follows the path of the adorable, underwater Octonauts who come under attack from a sad, lonely monster and later help the creature find others like it under the sea. A smarter person would say there's a perfect allegory buried beneath the pages -- something about how bullies have fears like everyone else and how wonderful it is to be unique. But I always find myself just getting lost in the illustrations by team Meomi....It's great to find a book that appeals to both kids and adults -- even if the appeal is for different reasons....In other words, these are the best. children's book. animals. ever. I can't get enough of them...I can read this book for hours -- and have." - SFGate.com
This is the original book series that launched the animated TV show, which is now popular worldwide and broadcast on the Disney Channel in the USA. Discover the creative and fun stories where it all began!
The Octonauts are a crew of adorable animals who roam the ocean in search of adventure, treasure, and fun! From their undersea base called "the Octopod," the Octonauts explore a colorful world full of thrills, chills, and gills! These eight talented critters, including a brainy octopus, brave polar bear, daredevil kitten, and scientific sea otter, are always ready to embark on a new, exciting voyage.
In this debut episode, the Octonauts encounter a giant sea monster. Is he the only one left of his kind in the ocean? The Octonauts' mission is to find out! Along the way everyone learns the special value of friendship and individuality. The Octonauts charm children and adults who appreciate sophisticated design and subversive humor, and guarantee readers will stay tuned for their next adventure!
"Now I can see why the TV show is so popular. The illustrations are absolutely delightful...Readers who like picture book adventures that are full of quirky characters and colorful artwork will greatly enjoy this entertaining picture book. With its hope-filled message about the power of friendship, this is a title that has universal appeal. " - Through the Looking Glass
"Best Buy - The Octonauts has gained an international cult following for its beautifully rendered and vibrant illustrations (and refreshingly sassy characters)." - Vancouver Magazine
36 pages, ebook
First published November 1, 2006
22 people are currently reading
192 people want to read
About the author
Meomi
60 books29 followersMEOMI is Vicki Wong and Michael Murphy. Vicki and Michael both write and illustrate the Octonauts books - although people tend to assume Vicki is the writer and Michael is the illustrator - this might be because of Michael's wavey hair.
Meomi enjoys spending their time making up silly stories, drinking tea, and drawing strange characters.
Meomi's artwork has been featured in numerous illustration and design books, while their art has appeared on a wide variety of merchandise worldwide. They are the designers of the beloved Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic mascots (Quatchi, Miga, Sumi and Mukmuk), and have created art for such clients as Google, Yo GabbaGabba, Chickadee Magazine, Electronic Arts, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and CBC4Kids.
See more of their work at www.meomi.com
Meomi enjoys spending their time making up silly stories, drinking tea, and drawing strange characters.
Meomi's artwork has been featured in numerous illustration and design books, while their art has appeared on a wide variety of merchandise worldwide. They are the designers of the beloved Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic mascots (Quatchi, Miga, Sumi and Mukmuk), and have created art for such clients as Google, Yo GabbaGabba, Chickadee Magazine, Electronic Arts, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and CBC4Kids.
See more of their work at www.meomi.com
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
January 3, 2021
My 3 year old son loves it (and the cartoon) and I have a soft spot for this story in particular - wonderful illustrations and story
November 18, 2024
Rowan has been really into The Octonauts this year. Every night for weeks there was at least one Octonauts book in the bedtime reading mix. Fine with me, because these books are great.
May 4, 2011
Giant Squids seem to be making a comeback in literature. Maybe it's the recent news of squids, like the one that sank a fishing vessel off the coast of Japan. Maybe it's just a weird literary coincidence. One of those at the forefront of this trend is another delightful picture book from Meomi called The Octonauts and the Only Lonely Monster.
Of all the books in the Octonauts series, The Only Lonely Monster is my favorite. The team discovers a lonely monster who wants to go home. They search north, south, east and west in hope of finding his home.
The book and cartoon illustrations are completely synchronized. Readers have to turn the book in the direction that the Octonauts are headed, giving an added bit of playfulness. As they travel the oceans, the sea life speak the language of the neighboring countries.
As with The Octonauts and the Frown Fish, Sean and I read up on the giant squid after we finished our second reading of the book. A book that encourages further reading is a wonderful thing.
Of all the books in the Octonauts series, The Only Lonely Monster is my favorite. The team discovers a lonely monster who wants to go home. They search north, south, east and west in hope of finding his home.
The book and cartoon illustrations are completely synchronized. Readers have to turn the book in the direction that the Octonauts are headed, giving an added bit of playfulness. As they travel the oceans, the sea life speak the language of the neighboring countries.
As with The Octonauts and the Frown Fish, Sean and I read up on the giant squid after we finished our second reading of the book. A book that encourages further reading is a wonderful thing.
August 15, 2020
"According to these charts from our super quantum computers, there is a huge probability that we are .... under attack!"
I'm going to let you ruminate on that for a moment.
My kids love the Octonauts cartoon, so we've gotten some of the books from the library. The show features interesting sea life which actually exists. So I was disappointed by this book about a fictional creature which is the only one of it's kind. The book is playful but wordy. Recomended if you want to teach your kids the word "cryptozoological".
I'm going to let you ruminate on that for a moment.
My kids love the Octonauts cartoon, so we've gotten some of the books from the library. The show features interesting sea life which actually exists. So I was disappointed by this book about a fictional creature which is the only one of it's kind. The book is playful but wordy. Recomended if you want to teach your kids the word "cryptozoological".
July 15, 2018
The Octopod is under attack! Or is it? The giant octopus just wants a friend like him...so the Octonauts travel the seven seas in search of another lonely monster to be friends. But when they can't find one, everyone learns a lesson in friendship and in embracing our differences!
The middle part where they travel north south east and west and the book pages turn with the directions was quite creative! And I loved all the different languages used by the creatures found all over the world!
The middle part where they travel north south east and west and the book pages turn with the directions was quite creative! And I loved all the different languages used by the creatures found all over the world!
January 18, 2020
Liked it okay, but there are parts where the gang travel all over the world and while I liked that it showed different languages you can't read them all. I guess if you were really motivated you could learn what they all are. Anyway, The Octonauts and the Frown Fish is still my favorite of the Octonaut books.
October 8, 2023
We are proud to hear you've explored "The Octonauts and The Only Lonely Monster" by Meomi. This story teaches us about the power of friendship and how reaching out can turn loneliness into companionship.
Even the most unexpected or unlikely beings can become friends when approached with an open heart and understanding.
Keep reading, and remember, everyone deserves friendship and kindness!
Love,
Father & Mother
Even the most unexpected or unlikely beings can become friends when approached with an open heart and understanding.
Keep reading, and remember, everyone deserves friendship and kindness!
Love,
Father & Mother
July 6, 2017
We used to watch Octonauts on TV all the time. They aren't aired on regular Disney channel anymore so I was happy when my toddler grabbed this at the library. It was a cute book about a very special Octopus who was very lonely. It was a perfect length for a bedtime book. The illustrations were true to the show and I liked the story. Cute book.
July 3, 2018
A must for any fan of the television series, but also great as a stand-alone title. The humor is perfect for both adults & children (Dr. Shellington is the only sea otter in the whole ocean that wears underwear, and they picture him in his Christmas tree boxers! 😂 Too cute!) I also love how the story’s obvious punchline is that we are all unique in some way, and all deserve to be loved!
October 3, 2018
Kids enjoyed this one. Great illustrations.
Best for kids who like the sea, submarine-like expeditions and adventure stories. Also good for fans of friendship stories.
The book has a large number of characters, which is unusual in picture books.
Best for kids who like the sea, submarine-like expeditions and adventure stories. Also good for fans of friendship stories.
The book has a large number of characters, which is unusual in picture books.
June 22, 2023
Beautiful illustrations, with a story about a monster who realizes it is the only one of its kind in the ocean. The ending seemed a bit abrupt, but overall M enjoyed it and has requested to read it many times.
August 11, 2025
We love the tv show, so I had to grab this book when I saw it. It was cute just like the show. I thought it was unique how the book was designed at one point where you had to turn the book to continue reading.
September 7, 2017
Solid story, although I was a bit disappointed that it didn't have any information about the sea animal except maybe its Latin name. Learning about animals is one reason my son loves the show!
February 4, 2018
It made me very interested in finding stuff about the sea
July 11, 2018
Adorable
Alexander loves the Octonauts!
Imagine how dumb we felt when we found out it came from a series of books. This is our first and it won't be our last!
Alexander loves the Octonauts!
Imagine how dumb we felt when we found out it came from a series of books. This is our first and it won't be our last!
April 10, 2020
I loved the illustrations. They were very bright and eye-catching! Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
April 27, 2020
They try to find a habitat for him.
February 1, 2021
Fun but not their best
A good read and I love the concept. I do wish the female characters spoke more. My little girl loves them!
A good read and I love the concept. I do wish the female characters spoke more. My little girl loves them!
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September 7, 2021cute
December 2, 2021
Awesome kids book, the illustrations are detailed in a good cartoon-y way.
October 20, 2022
The Octonauts found a new friend!
April 12, 2023
that was the best book ever my favourite
January 3, 2024
Great for a tv show based book but I got so sick of rereading this one 😂
July 20, 2025
Pretty art and very cute, but the show is much more science-based than the book and I am disappointed
February 8, 2015
I guess this book just shows me how fast our girls are growing up, because I've never even heard of The Octonauts and our girls watched quite a few Playhouse Disney shows when they were little. (Talk about behind the times - I just discovered that Playhouse Disney is now called Disney Junior - sheesh!) Anyway,, we discovered this book at our local library and I thought it was very cute, so we checked it out.
After reading the book, my mind just screamed, "Kawaii" and thought back to the adorable Japanese cartoon characters and absolute fixation on Sanrio critters like Kero Kero Keroppi and Hello Kitty we witnessed while living in Japan.
The story was entertaining and the trip around the compass was interesting, since you have to rotate the book at each direction. Overall, it was a bit too young for our girls' taste and far too saccharine for me. Still, we enjoyed reading it together.
After reading the book, my mind just screamed, "Kawaii" and thought back to the adorable Japanese cartoon characters and absolute fixation on Sanrio critters like Kero Kero Keroppi and Hello Kitty we witnessed while living in Japan.
The story was entertaining and the trip around the compass was interesting, since you have to rotate the book at each direction. Overall, it was a bit too young for our girls' taste and far too saccharine for me. Still, we enjoyed reading it together.
June 30, 2015
I had no idea that there was a Disney cartoon show about these books, but I'm not surprised as it is seriously the cutest book I've ever seen. The illustrations of the Octonauts are like cartoon versions of kawaii (Japanese for cute - so cute it should be illegal) animals. The Octonauts are made up of a polar bear, kitty, penguin, dog, otter, bunny, octopus/bear (only thing I can describe it as)and a vegimal (vegetable animal, in this case a turnip). They live under the sea in the Octopod, which is being attacked/hugged by a giant squid aka nutopus, who is lonely. They search for another one but find out Archie is the only one, but he now has 8 new friends. I don't think my son would get it this early in life, but maybe when he's five I'll let him borrow my copy that I will get. Recommended for ages 4-8, 4 stars.
Read again 6/26/15: We read this again multiple times after watching the entirety of the show, which I can safely say is a tad annoying because of the repetitiveness but forgivable because I've been introduced to so many cool marine creatures watching the show with him, especially cephalopods. My son definitely likes the book a lot now.
Read again 6/26/15: We read this again multiple times after watching the entirety of the show, which I can safely say is a tad annoying because of the repetitiveness but forgivable because I've been introduced to so many cool marine creatures watching the show with him, especially cephalopods. My son definitely likes the book a lot now.
March 10, 2012
My four year old is OBSESSED with the Octonauts on Disney Jr. Thankfully I discovered that the cartoon is based upon a book series by Meomi. While there are some slight differences between the book and the tv show, my son loved reading this book. The illustrations are adorable, almost like a Hello Kitty style, but gender neutral. This story is about a unique sea monster and how the Octonauts try to help him as they cover all ends of the seas. The ending message to the reader is that being unique is a good thing, not something to be sad. The book is cleverly illustrated in that as the story unfolds with the Octonauts searching East, West, South, and North the reader must rotate the book to match the compass direction.
Someone said the Octonauts are a cross between Hello Kitty and Star Trek. It is a perfect description!
Someone said the Octonauts are a cross between Hello Kitty and Star Trek. It is a perfect description!
January 21, 2008
Meomi is the bestest!!!!
This is by far the cutest thing on my bookshelf. I own a copy and don't even have kids, but it doesn't matter! Every time I feel sad because some greasy loser bad-touched me on the train home or I found some yuppie crumpetbag peeing in my trash can at night, I just open up the Octonauts and follow their cute little faces to the land of whimsy and sweet delicious oblivion! Read this to your children, your siblings, the neighbors, your local drunk... if you don't find this book charming at the very least, you have no soul.
This is by far the cutest thing on my bookshelf. I own a copy and don't even have kids, but it doesn't matter! Every time I feel sad because some greasy loser bad-touched me on the train home or I found some yuppie crumpetbag peeing in my trash can at night, I just open up the Octonauts and follow their cute little faces to the land of whimsy and sweet delicious oblivion! Read this to your children, your siblings, the neighbors, your local drunk... if you don't find this book charming at the very least, you have no soul.
August 15, 2012
We discovered this book because my kids love the TV series with these characters. And they love the book too! The book doesn't do the "creature reports" that the show does, so there isn't much nonfiction oceanographic information. But it is a fun story, clever illustrations with lots of detail to discover, and some fun turning the book this-way and that-way on a few pages.
The hard part was trying to do the characters' accents when I read the book. For a couple of the characters, I couldn't remember how the TV show did it. :)
The hard part was trying to do the characters' accents when I read the book. For a couple of the characters, I couldn't remember how the TV show did it. :)
May 3, 2007
This book is so stunningly illustrated. It's like a pint-sized Giant Robot explosion. I liked it waaaaay more than my toddler did. The minute her eyes strayed from the pages, I could tell this was one I'd be storing away on a top shelf, along with my signed J. Otto Seibold hardbacks and my copy of Superflat.
File under: Underwater adventure, cute-mania, rescue team, accordion-playing polar bears
File under: Underwater adventure, cute-mania, rescue team, accordion-playing polar bears
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews