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Good Thing You're Not an Octopus!: A Playful Picture Book About Being Yourself for Children
If you were an octopus, you′d have eight legs to put into pants! Follow one little boy through his day as he playfully considers how mealtime, bath time, nap time, and many other activities would be different if he were a bird, a tiger, or any number of baby animals. Julie Markes′s first picture book is charmingly illustrated by Maggie Smith.
40 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
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293 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
June 15, 2022
What a fun book to read! Just borrowed it from the library and read it for my toddler's bedtime. If kids don't like nap time it's a good thing they're not a bear because a bear hibernate all winter long.. if kids don't like to eat it's a good thing they're not a bird because a bird eats worms haha and if kids don't like to brush teeth it's a good thing they're not a shark because a shark has 200 teeth to brush.. and loved the octopus because octopus has many legs to wear pants instead of just two like kids 😂
July 16, 2018
Kind of cute, but not as interesting as I was hoping. I was expecting a lot more octopus related goings-on.
September 29, 2018
3.5 stars
Cute book showcasing different animals and imagining how difficult it would be for us to perform basic daily routines if we had extra appendages, etc. Brought out giggles from both of my kids.
Cute book showcasing different animals and imagining how difficult it would be for us to perform basic daily routines if we had extra appendages, etc. Brought out giggles from both of my kids.
February 24, 2020
This is a really fun read :)
February 7, 2023
It was cute, but I was hoping it would have more about octopuses since I got this out as a science read aloud. My kids’ favorite page was the picture of the shark brushing its teeth.
October 7, 2019
Humorous look at what a young boy doesn't like doing, by showing how much more difficult they would be if he was various creatures.
July 3, 2018
It is a cute children's book which teaches kids to be content, because things could always be worse than they are.
May 17, 2020
This book is colorful, keeps little ones attention and cute. The journey of the little boys is fun and reflects on important tasks all children have to do. It reminds them when something like getting dressed seems like so much but, when we think about what an octopus would have to do its not that bad. Children love animals and the comparisons are perfect. My children loved it and giggled when animals were trying to do things they do.
February 27, 2025
A simple book directed to the reader who doesn't like going through their morning routine (getting dressed, brushing teeth, etc.) Each step is related to an animal that would have it 10 times worse if they tried to do that same step. I could use this book when talking about different types of animals/insects since it goes through small characteristics of each animal (caterpillar not liking putting their 16 shoes.
June 17, 2017
Bright, colorful illustrations. Simple text that allows a child to discover how wonderful it is to be them. Every day activities that children can relate to but put in a different context. Simple ideas like be glad you don't have to brush your teeth if you were a shark or if you were a caterpillar and had to put on shoes.
March 2, 2022
The title gave me the impression that this would be all about how difficult normal everyday things would be if you were an octopus. I was looking for a fun a hilarious book about an octopus for summer reading, but this book includes all kinds of animals. It's cute and funny, but wasn't what I wanted.
February 13, 2021
Helps kids realize that if they don't like (putting on their shoes, taking a nap, etc.) then it's a good thing they're not a (caterpillar, bear, etc.). Similar in many ways to "Be Glad Your Dad…is Not an Octopus!"
November 3, 2021
I love reading this book to pre-kindergarten. How do you get ready for kindergarten? Do you put on pants with 8 legs in the morning? No! Well, it's a good thing you're not an octopus! So much to see on every page. What is the frog up to now? Great for critical thinking.
May 16, 2017
Cute story that makes you glad to be you instead of an Octopus, or bear, or kangaroo.
June 28, 2017
6/28/17 Read with Naomi and Julia.
June 16, 2018
This is the bestest book that I had ever read i hope you can make more books.
November 13, 2018
Countdown to Kindergarten: Letter O. Reminds children that things could always be worse...
December 15, 2020
Caterpillar's shoes are the best part of the book!
September 6, 2022
A super fun book to teach kids about animals. And why some of the things they may not like aren’t so bad after all.
October 13, 2022
Super cute!
Themes: octopuses
Ages: toddler, preK
Themes: octopuses
Ages: toddler, preK
February 15, 2023
Good thing my daughter isn't a shark, because she hates to brush her teeth :p
April 25, 2023
Great story! I enjoyed the way the author wrote this book. The kids loved it and laughed a lot. The illustrations are fantastic! Definitely, a class favorite!
May 28, 2023
This was an entertaining quick read with silly scenarios and nonfiction information throughout.
November 6, 2024
Commonplace rhyme about the presumed travails of toddlerhood. Nice try at humour but doesn't pull up any trees.
February 25, 2019
Mommy: 5 stars - teaches you to be grateful to be you
Leila: 5 stars: I liked it bc the tiger was licking the baby tiger
Leila: 5 stars: I liked it bc the tiger was licking the baby tiger
November 6, 2020
Cute story about animal traits, and how if we had them it would not be good. Putting pants on an octopus, shoes on a centipede, etc.
August 22, 2012
What’s that you say? You don’t like to get dressed in the morning? Well, it’s a good thing you’re not an octopus because they have 8 legs which makes putting on pants much more difficult than the 2 legs you have. The round-faced boy in this book has a list of activities he doesn’t like, from riding in his car seat to taking a bath, putting on his shoes to brushing his teeth. Luckily, the unnamed narrator is able to find the bright side to each activity, “If you were a shark you could have two hundred teeth to brush!” At the end of the day, “It’s a good thing you’re YOU!”
The activities in the book begin with the boy getting out of bed in the morning and end as he puts his pajamas on for bed at night. The simple and short text quickly establishes a pattern and the comparisons are easy for kids to understand. The painterly illustrations are colorful and kids will giggle at the pages that show the animals doing human activities. There’s something comical about a shark standing at the sink brushing his teeth.
Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...
The activities in the book begin with the boy getting out of bed in the morning and end as he puts his pajamas on for bed at night. The simple and short text quickly establishes a pattern and the comparisons are easy for kids to understand. The painterly illustrations are colorful and kids will giggle at the pages that show the animals doing human activities. There’s something comical about a shark standing at the sink brushing his teeth.
Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...
November 5, 2015
This book is less of a story, and more a series of scenarios. Each page has something that a kid doesn't like to do, and then says "it's a good thing you're not a" and then an animal, and explains how that activity would be harder for that animal. For instance, an octopus getting dressed would be hard because he had so many legs, a bird has to eat worms, a bear has to nap through all of winter etc. It's all very light hearted and ends with the message that "It's a good thing you're you! (phew)"
This is a book that is already in my classroom and the child I am observing has shown spontaneous interest in. Various kids in the class have flipped through it naming all the animals, and she has occasionally looked at it with them or by herself and tried to do the same. She only knows the English names of some of the animals, but the fact that she has shown interest in this book means it would be a good book to use. It would also be interesting to see if she knows the Chinese names of the animals, and get her to say both on each page.
This is a book that is already in my classroom and the child I am observing has shown spontaneous interest in. Various kids in the class have flipped through it naming all the animals, and she has occasionally looked at it with them or by herself and tried to do the same. She only knows the English names of some of the animals, but the fact that she has shown interest in this book means it would be a good book to use. It would also be interesting to see if she knows the Chinese names of the animals, and get her to say both on each page.
August 10, 2011
3.5 - I wasn't so sure I'd like this. I could tell right away that Julia probably would but I wasn't sure about myself. I did end up thinking it was okay. My favorite part was the illustrations. The illustrations are exactly as they should be - big, bright and engaging.
The story is pretty basic, going along with 'don't like to put on your shoes? good thing you're not a caterpillar, then you'd have sixteen feet to put shoes on!' the whole time.
Lots of different things are included, everything from taking a bath to napping, to eating to sitting in your car seat. I'd venture to say just about everything a kid really complains about on a daily basis is included.
It's even pretty funny when you're reading out loud and you mention how it's a good thing you're not a robin or you'd be eating worms for lunch and such.
The story is pretty basic, going along with 'don't like to put on your shoes? good thing you're not a caterpillar, then you'd have sixteen feet to put shoes on!' the whole time.
Lots of different things are included, everything from taking a bath to napping, to eating to sitting in your car seat. I'd venture to say just about everything a kid really complains about on a daily basis is included.
It's even pretty funny when you're reading out loud and you mention how it's a good thing you're not a robin or you'd be eating worms for lunch and such.
February 22, 2013
Best for kids ages 4 and up
Early Literacy Skills: Print Motivation, Vocabulary, Narrative Skills
From cover:
It's a good thing you're not an octopus! If you were an octopus, you would have eight legs to put into your pants!
Follow one little boy through his day as he playfully considers how mealtime, bath time, nap time, and many other activities would be different if he were a bird, a tiger, or any number of baby animals. At the end of the day he realizes that the best thing of all is to be himself!
Playful illustration paired with a cute story that gets kids thinking about the what ifs with the added benefit of giving them information about some animals.
Early Literacy Skills: Print Motivation, Vocabulary, Narrative Skills
From cover:
It's a good thing you're not an octopus! If you were an octopus, you would have eight legs to put into your pants!
Follow one little boy through his day as he playfully considers how mealtime, bath time, nap time, and many other activities would be different if he were a bird, a tiger, or any number of baby animals. At the end of the day he realizes that the best thing of all is to be himself!
Playful illustration paired with a cute story that gets kids thinking about the what ifs with the added benefit of giving them information about some animals.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews