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Inky the Octopus

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Out of this tank, I must be free.
I must explore the open sea!


Inky the octopus is bored with aquarium life and wants to escape to the ocean! But just how can an octopus in a tank get to the open seas? Find out in Inky the Octopus, the only tale of the mischievous octopus to be officially endorsed by the National Aquarium of New Zealand.

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 3, 2018

21 people are currently reading
304 people want to read

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Erin Guendelsberger

44 books17 followers

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5 stars
530 (41%)
4 stars
467 (36%)
3 stars
235 (18%)
2 stars
32 (2%)
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6 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 234 reviews
Profile Image for Schizanthus Nerd.
1,317 reviews304 followers
May 26, 2018
Inky the octopus lived at the National Aquarium of New Zealand for two years before his great escape. Museum workers discovered mysterious prints on the floor one morning in 2016 and Inky was no longer hanging out with his tank mate Blotchy. Workers believe that after the lid on Inky’s tank wasn’t secured properly the night before Inky took the opportunity to escape through a drain pipe in the floor that led to the sea. Inky the Octopus is a sweet rhyming children’s book that tells this true story from Inky’s perspective.
Out of this tank, I must be free.
I hear the ocean calling me!
When I first saw this book I was cautiously optimistic. I had previously read Rosie the Tarantula: A True Adventure in Chicago’s Field Museum and found it disappointing so I wasn’t sure what to expect from Inky’s story. While I thought that Rosie’s story wouldn’t really be of much interest to anyone that hadn’t bought the book at the museum’s gift shop (sorry, Rosie!), I was delighted to discover that Inky’s story would have a much wider appeal.

Erin Guendelsberger’s rhyming is lovely. It flows well and is fun whether you read it aloud or to yourself. I expect children will enjoy seeing Inky embarking on his adventure and if other adults are like me they’ll enjoy making up new imagined adventures and friends for Inky.
I plunge. I swim. I breathe. I whirl.
I float. I spin. I glide!
I’ll follow my heart wherever it leads.
I’ll travel far and wide!
Whether Inky is peering through a spyglass he’s holding with one of his tentacles, pleading with Blotchy to join him on his great escape or whirling with a blissful look on his face once he’s in the open sea, all of David Leonard’s illustrations bring Inky’s character to life. The expressions of joy, astonishment and horror of the various residents of the Aquarium as Inky sneaks past on his way to freedom are fantastic as well. I adore the great use of colour throughout the book.

There are even some wonderful bits and pieces to enjoy once you’ve finished reading the story. Immediately following Inky’s imagined story you’ll find information about Inky’s life, including a classic quote from the Aquarium’s manager who laments that Inky “didn’t even leave us a message” and a photo of Inky. You’ll also read about some Other Odd Octopuses and learn some very cool facts on the Are You Squidding Me?! pages.

Long story short, this is an interesting, informative and fun picture book that I expect you’ll want to read more than once.
Profile Image for debbicat *made of stardust*.
853 reviews125 followers
April 13, 2018
Love, love, love it. We need more children’s books like this. This is the story about a real life octopus who lived in the National Aquarium of New Zealand in Napier. While my copy was an ARC downloaded to my kindle, I could tell the illustrations were very well done. I think illustrations in children's books are extremely important.

The beginning of the story is about Inky, who was rescued and lived for quite a long time at the aquarium. Later, the reader gets to meet other octopuses where were rescued, like Sid, Flo, Harry Houdini, and others. There is a fun and creative question and answer section in the book. Questions like:
"How many tentacles do octopuses have again? Trick question! The answer is zero! Octopuses actually have no tentacles at all--they have 4 pair of arms."

There is a fact section which I loved. A lot of interesting facts for young minds but for old ones like myself too.
So cute for young readers. I plan to pick up a copy for my classroom.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this. 5 stars! I loved everything about this!
Profile Image for Carla.
7,646 reviews179 followers
May 18, 2018
Inky is an octopus living in an aquarium. He feels the call of the open sea, and wants to go free to see what is out there. He is able to sneak out one night when his tank is left open, just a bit, and squeeze through a drain out to the ocean. AS the story ends, you see him enjoying his new life in the sea.

This story is based on the real-life escape of an octopus from the New Zealand aquarium, and is told from Inky's point of view. This is like a real life Finding Dory with a happy ending. The illustrations are amazing. They are so colourful and show what life at the bottom of the ocean looks like in a way that will enchant children. The emotions shown in Inky's eyes show his happiness at escaping to the real world. The rhyming text tells the story in a way that is interesting and with a cadence that is easy to read and listen too.

Back matter includes the details of the real escape and Inky's photo. There are also octopus facts and a bibliography. This would make a great story when studying ocean animals, animal adaptations, as well as when discussing animals in captivity and animal rescues. It is also just a cute story for those who enjoy animal stories in general. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.
Profile Image for Prabhjot Kaur.
1,136 reviews216 followers
November 26, 2020
When I was ordering non-fiction books on a whim, I didn't think that a story about an Octopus's escape would be among those but it is and here we are. This book is based on a real life escape incident that happened at the National Aquarium of New Zealand.

Inky the Octopus lives in an aquarium in a world of see-through walls but he wants to explore and live a life of full adventure. When one night, he feels that he has a chance to escape, he takes it and ends up at the sea. This is such a fun book for kids with beautiful pictures and fun rhyming.

5 stars
Profile Image for Lata.
4,947 reviews254 followers
April 29, 2020
This cutely illustrated story told in amusing verse is about Inky, the octopus who escaped from an aquarium in New Zealand several years ago. Octopuses are endlessly fascinating, from their physical appearance, to their physiology, and to their various abilities and intelligence. And, as this fun book relates, they can be quite the enterprising escape artists.
Profile Image for Dee Dee G.
718 reviews2 followers
October 20, 2020
First time I’ve heard of this. Based on a true story.
Profile Image for Andrew.
2,337 reviews71 followers
January 27, 2022
Inky is the resident of the National Aquarium of New Zealand.
Inky wants to escape to the ocean. One night, he gets out of his tank.
Did you know that Inky's story is true?

This couplet-rhyming story and large colorful, charming and cartoony illustrations are a perfect book for fans of Finding Nemo/Finding Dory and (if you work in libraries), those working on Ocean of Possibility!
Profile Image for Elaine - Splashes Into Books.
3,884 reviews136 followers
April 14, 2018
Children’s stories that are told in rhyme
Are winners for me almost every time.
That this is also based on something real
Made it an even more amazing deal.

Inky is an octopus trapped in an aquarium who
Dreams of escaping to explore the oceans blue.
Told from Inky’s point of view
This great escape is based on something true.

Brilliant, child friendly illustrations in colour, too
Help bring the story to life for me and you.
A heart warming story for everyone to enjoy
Whatever your age - or if you’re a girl or boy.

There are interesting facts for children to explore
About other cephalopods and so learn more
About these amazing creatures both huge and small.
I recommend this to teachers, parents and children - in fact, to you all!
Profile Image for J. d'Merricksson.
Author 12 books50 followers
April 13, 2018
Through gorgeous artwork and charming poetry with a hint of rhyme, Inky the Octopus tells the story of Inky, a curious octopus resident at the National Aquarium of New Zealand. This clever creature escaped one night, when his tank lid had been accidentally left loose. It is believed that Inky escaped back to the sea. He had come to the aquarium after having been found injured, and it seems he longed to return home once recovered!

At the end of the book is a brief section recapping the true story of Inky and his escape, followed by a page about other unusual octopi. There's Otto, who would short circuit the lights by squirting water at them, Flo, who unscrewed a valve and flooded her tank with sea water, and Sid, who tried escaping so many times the aquarium decided to release him back to the sea. That same aquarium was also home to Harry, another Houdini octopus who would leave his tank and visit a neighboring tank to dine on crayfish. This fellow was so clever he would put the tank lids back perfectly, leaving workers to puzzle over the mysteriously vanishing crayfish! Lastly, there is a section with neat facts about these clever critters, and their closest kin- squid and nautilus.

This book is too adorable for words! The artwork is stunning! I read this with my cubs, and it became a fast favourite, right up there with Little Moon by Megan Padalecki. It also became a fav with Uncle Niall, who loves squid and octopi. This is a book we will definitely be adding to our collection in hardcover. Perfect for the child interested in nature and sea life.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Jabberwocky for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Profile Image for Ryan.
5,753 reviews33 followers
February 7, 2018
If you kids are fans of Finding Dory then they need this book. Like Sid, Inky just wants out of his tank. He wants to travel and go on adventures. This is based on the true story of Inky at the New Zealand Aquarium. The illustrations are fun, the rhymes and cadence perfect, and the story is fun. At the end the author includes facts about octopi, and my favorite part, other celebrity Octopus.
Profile Image for Jeimy.
5,633 reviews32 followers
January 27, 2018
Gorgeous illustrations accompany this story in verse inspired by Inky the Octopus’s escape from the National Aquarium in New Zealand. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for Pop Bop.
2,502 reviews125 followers
January 26, 2018
This Book Is A Stone Cold Riot

We snorkel a lot and observing an octopus is and has been our fondest desire. Maybe some day. Meanwhile we entertain the grandkids with our underwater photos and videos, trips to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and lots of ocean storybooks and ocean adventure and fact books. There are some excellent whale storybooks for little ones, and some very good otter and pelican books. But, we've never found a really good octopus book. Until now.

This book scores high marks across the board. The rhyming is clever, natural, and unlabored. It is witty and light hearted. The octopus hero, Inky, is friendly and appealing. Supporting ocean characters are similarly charming and engaging. Especially important, the octopus is remarkably expressive. Surprise, playfulness, fear, doubt, resolve, silliness, cunning - all of these emotions and attitudes can be plainly read in the drawings. That is a double barreled bonus because it makes everything easier for a youngster who's a new reader and trying to read this book on his own, and it gives the book great zip, energy and re-readability.

The watercolors, (I'm pretty sure that's what they are), serve the storytelling well. The pages have big color and the action is clear, but they aren't too busy or too minimalist. The effect is bright and sunny and upbeat, which serves the story well and draws the little reader along. As to the story, Inky is comfy in his aquarium tank, but he wants to explore the ocean. He plots and effects a daring escape. No complicated messages and nothing scary - just octopus fun with a nice adventure frame and encouragement to follow your heart and your curiosity.

The book is based on the real Inky, who escaped from the National Aquarium of New Zealand in exactly the manner described in this book. That bit, plus some final pages about octopus behavior and other famous octopus pranksters add more interest and a bit more weight to the book. Octopuses really are fascinating - especially their anatomy, behavior, unique neurology, and playful charm, and any kid who found herself interested in octopuses as a result of reading a book like this would be a lucky kid.

I got a temporary, (timed to expire), version of this book as an Adobe advance reading copy, but once it's generally available we'll be getting copies for all of the grandchild households. This was a total hoot.
Profile Image for Suzanne.
2,246 reviews44 followers
February 3, 2018
Inky is an incredibly curious octopus who feels the call of the open sea, even while living a pampered life with catered meals and companionship within the National Aquarium of New Zealand. Despite "three meals a day of lobster, shrimp, and squid," Inky longs for something more than life in a tank. "Out of this tank, I must break free. I hear the ocean calling me!" says the adventurous cephalopod.

Based on the real-life escape of an octopus from the aquarium, this picture book is told from Inky's point of view. While this may detract a bit from the strictly scientific accuracy of the account, it has the advantage of appealing to young readers. The rhyming text makes readers wonder how it would feel to "live in a world of see-through walls, in a tank with a locked down lid." While Inky enumerates the benefits of life at the aquarium like food and other creatures to play with, the call of the sea is a refrain as faithful as the tides.

Illustrations show Inky playing "seaweed hide-and-seek" with a puffer fish, which seems like fun. But the pictures also show the view of the ocean so tantalizingly close that readers can almost hear the waves on the shore and sympathize with Inky's desire. The stealthy departure from the aquarium includes some eight-armed tiptoeing on the part of the protagonist while the other residents look on with alarmed expressions. Then comes a cannonball into the water, and a celebratory pirouette beneath the waves. The large eyes show every emotion, along with plenty of invertebrate body language.

Back matter includes the details of the real escape and Inky's photo. There are also three pages of octopus facts and a bibliography. Highly recommended to accompany units on ocean animals or animal adaptations, as well as for readers who enjoy animal stories in general.

I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].
2,052 reviews755 followers
January 19, 2018
An absolutely adorable children's book recounting Inky the Octopus' great escape from the National Aquarium of New Zealand in 2016. With simple rhymes, easy words, and an utterly cute anthropomorphic protagonist, this book is sure to delight children and adults.

The back of the book includes a text-dense recounting of the actual escape with the humor of the original news articles. There are also miniature stories of other aquarium octopi being mischievous, and interesting factoids about octopi that basically prepare us for the coming cephalopodacoplyse (seriously, they are very smart and bent on world domination). I liked that there was a bibliography at the end, but it's fairly basic and mainly references the news articles featured in the story.

5 stars because Inky is so damn cute.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
Profile Image for Ubah Khasimuddin.
541 reviews2 followers
August 16, 2018
The kids and I love this story of the escaping Octopus, especially since it is based on a true story; but as a mom who has read A LOT of children's books, I wish the story had been better written.
First the author goes with the terrible trope of rhyming, ugh! Next it would have been better if there was dialogue, which would have allowed the reader to see why Inky wants to go away, besides the terrible rhyme of wanting to be free and see the sea, or something. Inky could have been written with much more fun personality.
The end pages of other interesting octopuses and facts about octupuses are a great addition to the story.
I would recommend for parents of smaller kids, who are still into simple stories that rhyme accompanied with colorful pictures.
Profile Image for Melki.
7,299 reviews2,617 followers
August 1, 2021
Bored with his life in an aquarium, Inky yearns to break free and experience life in the ocean. Here's the story of how he manages to do just that. Based on the true story of a New Zealand octopus, the book features adorable artwork by David Leonard. I only with it hadn't been told in rhyme . . .

description
Profile Image for Bookworm LLC.
730 reviews30 followers
December 14, 2017
Inky the Octopus is based on real events about an Octopus who was rescued and kept in a tank only to escape and disappear.
Super cute story and great illustrations. A must read for all little ones who are interested in sea life.
The end of this story is great because you can create your own adventure for Inky.
Profile Image for Elley Murray.
1,335 reviews142 followers
January 28, 2018
Adorable story about a captive octopus named Inky who escapes his tank because he wants to explore the sea. Told from Inky’s point of view in a rhyming scheme with good rhythm and flow to it. The illustrations are gorgeous and fun. I especially like at the end there are a few pages that talk about the real Inky the octopus, some other unique octopi, and octopus fun facts.
Profile Image for Katie.
41 reviews1 follower
February 6, 2018
This book is an adorable story of an octopus that escapes his tank and makes it to the ocean. And the best part? It is based on a true story! This title begins as a picture book would, and following the story there are pages of interesting octopus facts and other true accounts of octopus escapes! Very cute illustrations and I liked the information at the end.
Profile Image for Amber Webb.
735 reviews19 followers
February 5, 2018
I love Inky the Octopus! This true story of Inky made my heart happy. Inky always wondered what else was out there. He knew he had been trapped in a tank and the ocean was calling him back. His story is lovely and one I want to share with many children. I also enjoyed the other stories of silly animals in captivity. Looking forward to April to share these stories with my class!
Profile Image for Bran Pendergrass.
360 reviews36 followers
January 27, 2018
I read this book with my son and he loved it! He thought it was funny that Inky escaped and left tentacle marks everywhere.

We did have a hard time reading it on my eReader app and the pictures were messed up on the kindle so I had a hard time following along.
Profile Image for Angela.
158 reviews
July 9, 2019
This was a cute book about a true story. At first I wasn't sure about the rhyme scheme, but it developed ok. I especially liked the facts at the end of the book which can help young readers understand the octopus as an animal and not just the character. Great illustrations too!
Profile Image for Renee.
615 reviews8 followers
February 2, 2018
Thank you Sourcebooks Jabberwocky and Netgalley for allowing me to read an eARC of this book.
This book is such a fun story! Based on the real life escape of Inky the Octopus, it imagines what his journey was like. The illustrations are great fun, and my boys loved the story!
Profile Image for Nrithya.
38 reviews
May 19, 2021
This is a children’s book based on the real-life story of Inky the Octopus who escaped from the National Aquarium of New Zealand in 2016. Very good one where the child can learn both science and philosophy in a simple story.

Science: About how intelligent octopuses are, about various forms of aquatic life and aspects of aquariums.
Philosophy: The universal emotion of wanting to be free to explore life and the world in one’s own terms.

The book has an excellent appendix in the end with a lot of great info as well. Great illustrations. Recommended reading for kids 5-8.

I loved it!
Profile Image for Shaye Miller.
1,236 reviews98 followers
October 9, 2020
In cute rhyming text, the picture book shares the actual story of Inky's real-life aquatic escape! The back matter tells the story of Inky's escape, including details about other odd octopuses and an "Are You Squidding Me?!" page followed by a bibliography. For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
Profile Image for Kristin.
1,023 reviews9 followers
March 11, 2021
Cute children's book that tells the true story of Inky, an octopus in New Zealand who escaped from his tank at an aquarium and managed to find his way to a drain that led him back out into the open ocean, never to be heard from again. I'm a sucker (pun-intended) for books about octopi, and I thought the illustrations here were great. Can't wait to read this book to my future children in hopes they too fall in love with all things tentacled.
Profile Image for Moonkiszt.
3,054 reviews333 followers
October 27, 2020
Featured in grandma reads session.

Inky is an escape artist. . .the art in this picture book is large, bright and bold and my reading group loved the book. Their eyes were glued on the pages and the "ooohhh" when the reveal at the end about where Inky ends out was celebratory and very satisfied.

We are biased toward these eight-armed beings and were very happy for Inky's escape.

4 stars, all bon voyaging!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 234 reviews

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