From the bestselling author of Darwin's Dragons comes a high-stakes aquatic adventure, perfect for fans of The Murderer's Ape! England, 1893, and aquarium fever is at its height. Twelve-year-old Vinnie Fyfe works in the tea-shop at Brighton aquarium, and waits for her milliner mother to return from Paris. The arrival of a giant octopus changes her life for ever. Discovering a talent for art, Vinnie begins to draw the extraordinary beast. She soon realises she can communicate with the octopus through colour and - as a gripping mystery begins to unfold - discovers what true courage really means ... The winners of The Farshore Reading for Pleasure Teacher Awards 2023, highlighting the work schools are doing to encourage a love of reading, have... Brighton’s Aquarium attracts crowds to see its latest exhibit, the devil fish. Vinnie and this giant octopus communicate through their mutual understanding of colour, which inspires Vinnie’s drawings of it. Vinnie’s initial hesitancy and despair at being abandoned by her mother lifts as her life soon changes in mysterious ways. She blossoms with new friendships, the sea air, and a very natural intuitive ability to learn and grow. Soon a set of mysteries unfold concerning her mother’s sudden disappearance.

InterNewsCast (19 September 2020). "Where was 'My Octopus Teacher' on Netflix Filmed?". Internewscast . Retrieved 19 October 2020. The arrival of a giant octopus changes her life for ever. Discovering a talent for art, Vinnie begins to draw the extraordinary beast. Octopus Teacher' Lets Filmmaker Into Secret World". Voice of America – English. 9 September 2020 . Retrieved 17 October 2020. year old Vinnie Fyfe works in the tea-shop at Brighton aquarium, and waits for her milliner mother to return from Paris. Lindsay Galvin’s second middle-grade adventure, set in 1893, introduces talented artist, twelve-year-old Lavinia (Vinnie), as she helps in her aunt’s Brighton tearoom, awaiting the return of her milliner mother from a mysterious Paris trip.I would love to read this book aloud to a group of children and it also lends itself well to a topic about the Victorian era, which it captures so well. Hopefully this is destined to become a classic. The second middle-grade historical adventure by critically acclaimed Lindsay Galvin, author of Darwin's Dragons, this is a gripping Victorian mystery with a touching connection between a young girl and an octopus at its heart. It includes strong STEM and natural history themes with an underwater twist! What makes this story great is that is has an intriguing plot but also interesting characters that grow a lot throughout the story. Vinnie realises she has had a very sheltered life. Before this she has never been alone. She has never had to do her hair herself, go to the shop, make any decisions, know what she likes... her mother did everything for her. Through the book she comes to realise that the way she lives isn't normal, and that her mother isn't as holly as she was lead to believe. She has to make several difficult decisions, between what is right and between the promises she has made/people she loves. It makes Vinnie a very interesting and real character to follow.

Foster was also a producer via his involvement with the Sea Change Project, [12] and his wife, Indian environmental journalist Swati Thiyagarajan, was production manager for the film. [13] And to celebrate, we caught up bestselling author Lindsay Galvin to get the low-down on all things octopus! If you're interested in finding out all about how Vinnie Fyfe and her octopus friend came to be, keep on reading ... Annual IDA Documentary Awards". International Documentary Association. 16 January 2021. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021 . Retrieved 26 January 2021. Vinnie, who was always close to her single mother, was suddenly left in the care of her aunt when her mother had important business in Paris. She's had to adjust to the new life without being joined at the hip with her mother. Bit by bit, she becomes more independent and forms local friendships, including the octopus in the local acquarium. Author Guy Bass introduces SCRAP, about one robot who tried to protect the humans on his planet against an army of robots. Now the humans need his...The incredible octopus, Ghost, serves as a central character, revealing its astonishing capabilities and emotional depth: it helped that I had read several octopus non-fiction texts prior to this. I felt like I already knew Ghost. The bond between Vinnie and Ghost is particularly heartwarming, drawing readers even closer to this fascinating animal. LabMeCrazy! Science Film Festival". www.unav.edu/web/labmecrazy. 4 February 2021. [ permanent dead link] Our heroine learns so much about the octopus I couldn't help but think about three other middle grade books where the main character connects with sea creatures. The Line Tender is about sharks, Song for a Whale is about whales, and The Thing About Jellyfish

The book also shines a spotlight on the terrible working conditions of industrial Victorian Britain, particularly in regard to child labour. In a series of dark scenes, we witness the true cost of high fashion. For those who know nothing about your upcoming adventure, how would you describe My Friend the Octopus ? The octopus becomes a character and the special bond with the protagonist is touchingly credible. I was also touched by the way the two maternal figures contrast, and their impact on young Vinnie. Social issues are highlighted, such as the plight of poor children in a world where profit ruled over their welfare, trapping them into a system; however, attitudes were slowly changing. Vinnie's clothes aren't really suitable for cooking, riding her Aunt's bicycle or wandering around an aquarium and her mother certainly wouldn't approve of swimming. She makes friends with Charlie (wannabe reporter) and Temitayo (the ward of an English gent who lives with a lady in Brighton).Giardina, Carolyn (11 March 2021). " 'Minari,' 'Trial of the Chicago 7' Among American Cinema Editors' Eddie Awards Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 11 March 2021. Vinnie Fyfe is 12 years old and lives with her mother in London. Her mother makes fine hats for rich ladies, hats designed by Vinnie, who is a talented artist. The year is 1877 and unexpectedly, Vinnie is taken by her mother to stay with an aunt in Brighton. Her mother than promptly disappears. New at the Brighton Aquarium is a giant octopus, bound to be a big attraction. Vinnie finds herself drawn to the octopus and the people who work there. She also meets some friends for the first time. If only she knew where her mother was, she could really enjoy her time in a new setting, learning so much that she had not known about before. The film was also spoofed on the Documentary Now episode My Monkey Grifter. [18] Accolades [ edit ] Award nominations for My Octopus Teacher Award

But this book is not only dark. It is also filled with wonderful moments... such as Vinnie doing something unseemly as going swimming for the first time. Friendship. Gaining a new hobby and being very good at it. Baking. So many wonderful and lovely firsts that make you feel all warm and cosy.At the heart of the book is the friendship between Vinnie, Charlie and Temitayo. I loved all three children – their resourcefulness, loyalty and strong sense of right and wrong. I particularly liked Temitayo’s ambition and her commitment to carving out her own path in life and not just accepting the staid and restrictive future that others had planned for her. As with Darwin’s Dragons, the cover and inside flaps by Gordy Wright, are worth a mention and are works of art in their own right. The illustration and information is just breath-takingly displayed.