What do you think?
Rate this book
Song of a Thousand Seas
A lyrical verse novel of homecoming and friendship by Zana Fraillon, the multi-award-winning author of The Bone Sparrow and The Way of Dog.
Houdini the octopus lives in an aquarium, but she misses her home in the wild Sea. She doesn't like the visitors who bang on her tank. Or the way she can't feel the sun on her skin or the wind rippling the water. It's a dull existence for a creature with nine brains.
Then one day she meets someone who is different to the other visitors. Juno's busy brain buzzes with so many questions and thoughts that Houdini's skin tingles with wonder.
But the singing of the Sea is growing stronger and harder to resist. Can Houdini make Juno understand what she needs before it's too late?
Houdini the octopus lives in an aquarium, but she misses her home in the wild Sea. She doesn't like the visitors who bang on her tank. Or the way she can't feel the sun on her skin or the wind rippling the water. It's a dull existence for a creature with nine brains.
Then one day she meets someone who is different to the other visitors. Juno's busy brain buzzes with so many questions and thoughts that Houdini's skin tingles with wonder.
But the singing of the Sea is growing stronger and harder to resist. Can Houdini make Juno understand what she needs before it's too late?
Kindle Edition
Published September 2, 2025
36 people want to read
About the author
Zana Fraillon
22 books113 followersZana Fraillon is an internationally acclaimed, multi-award-winning author of books for children and young adults. Her work has been published in over 15 countries and is in development for both stage and screen. She has also had pieces published in The Big Issue, The Guardian, Island Magazine, Dark Mountain, Abridged and Sans.Press.
Zana has degrees in history and teaching and having completed her PhD exploring future ancestorship and everyday engagement with voices from our deep past, she is now officially a doctor of ghosts.
When Zana isn't reading or writing, she likes to explore the museums and hidden passageways scattered across her home city. They provide the same excitement as that moment before opening a new book - preparing to step into the unknown where a whole world of possibilities awaits.
Zana has degrees in history and teaching and having completed her PhD exploring future ancestorship and everyday engagement with voices from our deep past, she is now officially a doctor of ghosts.
When Zana isn't reading or writing, she likes to explore the museums and hidden passageways scattered across her home city. They provide the same excitement as that moment before opening a new book - preparing to step into the unknown where a whole world of possibilities awaits.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 14, 2025
Prepare to be sucked down an octopus rabbit-hole after reading this short, but punchy verse novel.
Perfect for years 5-6 classes: first person narrative, with multiple points of view (‘we’ from Houdini).
The designing of an animal enclosure (coincidentally a yr 5/6 school assignment), illustrations and octopus facts at the back of this book make this a perfect classroom read.
Emotionally, I didn’t feel the same pull as I have done from Zana Fraillon’s other books, but the pleasurable lure of home and homecoming is just as strong.
Perfect for years 5-6 classes: first person narrative, with multiple points of view (‘we’ from Houdini).
The designing of an animal enclosure (coincidentally a yr 5/6 school assignment), illustrations and octopus facts at the back of this book make this a perfect classroom read.
Emotionally, I didn’t feel the same pull as I have done from Zana Fraillon’s other books, but the pleasurable lure of home and homecoming is just as strong.
September 8, 2025
Educational without skimping on the entertainment value I want in a book, this is another kid-lit-in-verse banger. Charming, affirming - and Aussie!
December 14, 2025
Similar in style to her engaging and emotive verse novel Way of Dog, Fraillon uses a similar first person narrative to tell the story of Houdini the octopus, trapped in a tank, who longs with all of her nine brains, three hearts, and 3,154 suckers to be back home in the sea. Houdini narrates her own and three other points of view - Paul the keeper, Juno the keeper’s daughter and Joe the aquarium cleaner the reader draws on these multiple perspectives to become immersed in Houdini's caged world and to sympathise with her craving for the ocean and freedom.
Houdini despises the visitors who bang on her tank but when Juno, suspended from school, spends her days outside Houdini's tank she recognises a kindred spirit and plots ways to give her more space.
As the singing of the Sea grows stronger and harder to resist Houdini tries to make Juno understand what she needs
Black and white illustrations are placed throughout, at times twisting between the short verses each with a short and pertinent heading to highlight the voice and the perspective being related. The illustrations add depth and mood to the narration as well as enhancing the visual appeal and accessibility of the book.
The book embraces many themes, showing love and kindness and how this can be misguided, questioning the notion of what it means to be 'at home', but ultimately in explores the notion of freedom and acceptance for who you are. The book is loaded with octopus facts - littered throughout the verses but also with a fascination short section at the end on the research undertaken in writing the book.
A story for primary aged readers that is rather different from the usual fare - and certainly one that will encourage them to think and question the ethical issues around keeping captive animals - though this is not discussed at any stage. Such is the power if seeing into the 3 hearts and 9 minds of Houdini.
Houdini despises the visitors who bang on her tank but when Juno, suspended from school, spends her days outside Houdini's tank she recognises a kindred spirit and plots ways to give her more space.
As the singing of the Sea grows stronger and harder to resist Houdini tries to make Juno understand what she needs
Black and white illustrations are placed throughout, at times twisting between the short verses each with a short and pertinent heading to highlight the voice and the perspective being related. The illustrations add depth and mood to the narration as well as enhancing the visual appeal and accessibility of the book.
The book embraces many themes, showing love and kindness and how this can be misguided, questioning the notion of what it means to be 'at home', but ultimately in explores the notion of freedom and acceptance for who you are. The book is loaded with octopus facts - littered throughout the verses but also with a fascination short section at the end on the research undertaken in writing the book.
A story for primary aged readers that is rather different from the usual fare - and certainly one that will encourage them to think and question the ethical issues around keeping captive animals - though this is not discussed at any stage. Such is the power if seeing into the 3 hearts and 9 minds of Houdini.
November 15, 2025
‘…to be happy is to be free.’
MGM Review #43 - Song of a Thousand Seas - @zanafraillon - @uqpbooks
Following the Netflix documentary, My Octopus Teacher, there seemed to be greater appreciation for the octopus, and now with 2 recent middle grade releases, this majestic animal is getting all the attention it deserves.
Told in verse, this is the story of Houdini, a cheeky, curious and highly intelligent octopus living in an aquarium. This isn’t home for her though and she longs to return to the wild, to the sea, where she belongs. Despite the efforts of her keeper, she is bored by the same visitors banging on the glass, asking the same questions. That is, until Juno comes along. Juno is different, she seems to get Houdini and starts to develop a connection with her right away, a connection that might just help Houdini. Will this blossoming relationship bring Houdini closer to a return to the sea or will she be confined to the aquarium for years to come?
This was a short read, but Zana made sure every word counted. With careful and deliberate choice of vocabulary, and clever use of repetition, she has crafted a tender story full of heart. At times you won’t believe the hijinks Houdini gets up to, but you’ll soon learn this isn’t fiction. Zana has provided a fascinating insight into how incredible these creatures are, and I enjoyed learning so much new information about them. The author notes are certainly worth the read too, as the beautiful stimulus and inspiration for the story is shared.
It is clear this was a book Zana needed to write and I’m happy to say she has done this incredibly smart and stunning animal justice.
MGM Review #43 - Song of a Thousand Seas - @zanafraillon - @uqpbooks
Following the Netflix documentary, My Octopus Teacher, there seemed to be greater appreciation for the octopus, and now with 2 recent middle grade releases, this majestic animal is getting all the attention it deserves.
Told in verse, this is the story of Houdini, a cheeky, curious and highly intelligent octopus living in an aquarium. This isn’t home for her though and she longs to return to the wild, to the sea, where she belongs. Despite the efforts of her keeper, she is bored by the same visitors banging on the glass, asking the same questions. That is, until Juno comes along. Juno is different, she seems to get Houdini and starts to develop a connection with her right away, a connection that might just help Houdini. Will this blossoming relationship bring Houdini closer to a return to the sea or will she be confined to the aquarium for years to come?
This was a short read, but Zana made sure every word counted. With careful and deliberate choice of vocabulary, and clever use of repetition, she has crafted a tender story full of heart. At times you won’t believe the hijinks Houdini gets up to, but you’ll soon learn this isn’t fiction. Zana has provided a fascinating insight into how incredible these creatures are, and I enjoyed learning so much new information about them. The author notes are certainly worth the read too, as the beautiful stimulus and inspiration for the story is shared.
It is clear this was a book Zana needed to write and I’m happy to say she has done this incredibly smart and stunning animal justice.
December 11, 2025
Another delightful verse novel from Zana Fraillon. I loved it almost as much as "Way of Dog". Narrated in the first person by Houdini, a captive octopus, it has a compelling immediacy. Houdini is so aptly named as she strives throughout the story to escape from her restrictive aquarium. Her longing to return to her home in the sea is palpable throughout the novel.
"We cannot tell her of the ache in our hearts that is shaking us near to breaking while all we want is to feel the Sea smell the Sea twist ourselves to the Sea even if it can only be for a single moment more."
The human characters are also quite engaging, given the brevity of the story, with Juno a young girl and daughter of the keeper of the aquarium showing great empathy and understanding for Houdini's plight. The story also reminded me of Katherine Applegate's popular "The One and Only Ivan". What sets this one apart though is Zana Frailllon's extraordinary verse style - characterised by rich vocabulary, elegant yet arresting phrasing and the use of run on lines with missing punctuation which require the reader to pay close attention to capture her intended meanings. The result is a poignant yet pacy text - an extraordinarily compelling narrative which evokes a strong emotive reader response.
This book may not be an obvious choice for young readers but it just begs to be read aloud. In the hands of an engaging teacher the audience will be enthralled. Some thoughtfully chosen excerpts could also be great for Readers Theatre.
"We cannot tell her of the ache in our hearts that is shaking us near to breaking while all we want is to feel the Sea smell the Sea twist ourselves to the Sea even if it can only be for a single moment more."
The human characters are also quite engaging, given the brevity of the story, with Juno a young girl and daughter of the keeper of the aquarium showing great empathy and understanding for Houdini's plight. The story also reminded me of Katherine Applegate's popular "The One and Only Ivan". What sets this one apart though is Zana Frailllon's extraordinary verse style - characterised by rich vocabulary, elegant yet arresting phrasing and the use of run on lines with missing punctuation which require the reader to pay close attention to capture her intended meanings. The result is a poignant yet pacy text - an extraordinarily compelling narrative which evokes a strong emotive reader response.
This book may not be an obvious choice for young readers but it just begs to be read aloud. In the hands of an engaging teacher the audience will be enthralled. Some thoughtfully chosen excerpts could also be great for Readers Theatre.
August 9, 2025
Do you ever think about author names. I think the name Zana Fraillon is a perfect one for an author. It sounds exotic and mysterious to me. Also I am giving this cover by Aviva Reed top marks - it is fantastic. Australia is a relatively small country and yes I agree we do have some really good authors who write for children but there are a few that are way beyond just good - authors whose work can stand up with the very best in the world - one of those authors is Zana Fraillon. Make sure you pop this wonderful verse novel Song of a Thousand Seas onto your library shelves - the readers in our lives and libraries deserve to read the very best books and this is one of them.
October 18, 2025
I’m usually skeptical about stories from the perspective of an animal but this one proved me wrong. By a quarter of the way in, I was well and truly hooked. Houdini, Juno, Paul and Joe all feel trapped in someway. This is subtly explored with most characters, with Houdini taking on the biggest part in this thread. Houdini is a gorgeous character.
February 20, 2026
A heartbreakingly beautiful read about the call of ‘home’ and listening to your heart. I’m not quite sure who I’m going to recommend this to in the library though with the deeply layered meanings within the text. A re-read might help clarify.
July 21, 2025
Completely enchanting!
A work of art I will definitely be reading again
A work of art I will definitely be reading again
September 6, 2025
Gorgeous. Not a word wasted. This is as story not just for kids but for adults too.
August 7, 2025
This was an enchanting read that was imaginative, easy to read and filled with facts that get people interested.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews