My Friend the Octopus: from the author of Darwin's Dragons

Product Information

My Octopus Teacher' Stuns Audiences, Reinforces Power of Nature". EcoWatch. 24 September 2020 . Retrieved 19 November 2020.

After a few seconds the octopus detached from my finger and swam away with juddery wafts of movement as new waters propelled it, powering its three tiny, but growing hearts.”🐙

The (K)helpful forests of South Africa". CapeNature. Archived from the original on 25 March 2021 . Retrieved 19 November 2020. Of all the characters in the book, Vinnie’s character arc is particularly satisfying. She develops from a timid young girl, who has had a very sheltered and controlled upbringing, into someone who is daring and self-confident, able to make her own choices and pursue her own interests.

This book was donated to our school by Julia, at the new local bookshop Ottie and the Bea in Framlingham. I kept it to read first! The characters are full of depth – such as Vinnie, a budding illustrator and Charlie, a hopeful journalist. All the characters show a lot of growth through the book, which is lovely to read. The detail in the story really captures the essence of Victorian England and it is full of wonderful octopus facts! I may be biased but Ghost is my favourite character for sure! Sadly, the storytelling is clunky and the plot promised in the title, synopsis, and cover doesn't start till over halfway through. And the ending kind of came out of nowhere. Moving to a different country, one that's never been mentioned previously, and one where they don't speak the main language. Aunt Bets and Mr Lee getting together? A well researched book with beautiful illustrations. You feel transported to the Victorian times through the eloquently written descriptions. There are themes of friendship, love and the difficulties in the Victorian times. The writing keeps you gripped throughout and is a great combination of mystery and adventure. There are a number of plot line running alongside each other during the story, they are all equally as important so don’t cause distraction or confusion. 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 ...Allie, Mohammed (4 November 2018). " 'How I became friends with an octopus' ". BBC News . Retrieved 17 October 2020. San Diego Film Critics Society 2020 Awards Nominations". San Diego Film Critics Society. 8 January 2021 . Retrieved 26 January 2021. Here she makes some friends, not all human and she explores her artistic abilities. Vinnie's growth throughout the book is perfect as she matures and discovers more about herself. Neglia, Matt (18 January 2021). "The 2020 Houston Film Critics Society (HFCS) Winners". Next Best Picture . Retrieved 26 January 2021.

Octopus Teacher' Lets Filmmaker Into Secret World". Voice of America – English. 9 September 2020 . Retrieved 17 October 2020. Dan Schindel is a freelance writer and copy editor living in Brooklyn, and a former associate editor at Hyperallergic. His portfolio and links are here. Foster describes the effect of this mentorship-like relationship the octopus provided him, teaching him a lesson on the fragility of life and humanity's connection with nature. [8] This transfers to Foster creating a deeper bond with his son, Tom Foster, as his son develops as a diver and marine biology student.

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 characters are believable and likeable (apart from the villainous ones!) with great descriptions - loved the bakery / tea room element Decades ago, as a child, I read a book about a guy who befriends an octopus, becoming aware of its intelligence and curiosity and then having to live through the drama of his friend dying. My Octopus Teacher is basically the same thing, only it's a documentary. Octopi are marvelous creatures, both in their weird biology and their incredible intelligence. Numerous anecdotes have them use tools, enjoy beauty and create artistic work, be able to personally connect to the people they encounter. That is amazing from a completely non social creature that can rarely live more than a year. In terms of intelligence, no animal or man comes close in that small time span. Author Luke Palmer introduces his new book, Play (Firefly Press) about four boys growing up together, the challenges, the friendships, and what hap...

In 2018, Craig Foster began free-diving in a cold underwater kelp forest at a remote location in False Bay, near Cape Town, South Africa. [4] [5] The location was near Simon's Town on the Cape Peninsula, [6] which is exposed to the cold Benguela current of the Atlantic Ocean. [7] My Friend the Octopus is children’s historical fiction at its best. Lindsay Galvin brilliantly evokes the Victorian era, encompassing fashion, leisure activities, attitudes to women, and the disparity between rich and poor. Victorian Brighton comes alive with its bathing huts, the aquarium, and Italian ice cream served in shells. I also enjoyed the depictions of Mrs Fyfe (Vinnie’s mom) and Aunt Bets: two independent women who both run successful businesses and make their own way in the world, without men to support them.

A gripping Victorian mystery with a touching connection between a young girl and an octopus at its heart, My Friend the Octopus effortlessly blends exciting adventure with a rip-roaring historical mystery and non-fiction elements. 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. But she isn't hearing anything from her Mother, then a letter arrives, but so does Mr Jeddars. Who is he really? Why is he looking for her Mother?