This book was amazing, very interesting and I loved every minute that I spent with reading it. I will definitely be buying it and hopefully one day I can read it for my kids.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

"Amazing Octopus: Creature from an Unknown World" by Michael Stavaric is a captivating journey into the depths of the ocean, exploring one of the most enigmatic creatures of the sea—the octopus. This book is not just a mere collection of facts; it's an interactive odyssey that invites readers, especially the young and curious, to ponder the similarities between the vastness of the ocean and the mysteries of outer space.

Stavaric's narrative is educational and engaging, making it accessible to a wide audience. The book delves into the evolution of octopuses alongside humans, raising thought-provoking questions about our shared history with these "true aliens" of our planet. The term "cephalopods" is explained in a manner that is as entertaining as it is informative, shedding light on why these creatures have such a peculiar name.

The illustrations by Michèle Ganser are a standout feature, complementing the text with vivid imagery that captures the otherworldly essence of the octopus. The book's design encourages interaction, making it a dynamic read that goes beyond passive learning.

With a perfect blend of humor, fact, and narrative, "Amazing Octopus" stands out as a non-fiction work that is as unusual as its subject. It's a book that promises to amaze not just children but adults as well, offering a fresh perspective on the oldest and most intelligent creatures of our world.

"Amazing Octopus: Creature from an Unknown World" is a beautifully crafted book that serves as an amusing and informative guide to the fascinating world of octopuses.

It's a delightful exploration that is sure to spark curiosity and wonder in readers of all ages.

The octopus is my favorite animal and I was so excited to get the ARC of this book!

I loved this book, I didn't feel like I was reading a factual book, it seemed like I was talking to a friend about my favorite animal.

I adored the art in this book, pointillism is one of my favorite art styles, it's so versatile and it really showed how weird the octopus is as an animal!

I didn't learn anything new about the animal, but the author's theory about space and how animals came onto the planet was... unique.

Amazing Octopus is an odd little book! It's like an ADHDer's fever dream. At its heart, it was about octopuses, but the author jumped from topic to topic, and often, the topic didn't have anything to do with octopuses! It starts by talking about space and how Earth may have been formed. It does lead into the evolution of sea life, including octopuses, but it seemed like an odd place to start a book about them. Most of the illustrations are very beautiful and intricately drawn, but they are all in black and white. At least a few colored illustrations would have been a real plus but I suppose they wouldn't have fit in well with the odd space theme the author tried to tie in. I was hoping to learn a few new things about octopuses but found nothing new in this book.

Thank you to Pushkin Children's Books and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.

I loved this book. It was amazing and made me realize how much I enjoy the casual writing style. It's a scientific book for children that's mostly about octopuses.

It has fun activities for children. The author lists eight things and asks the reader to do the same in response to a specific question. I really enjoyed them myself. It has some delightful jokes too. I also appreciated the German quotes at the beginning of each chapter.

I loved the way the author talked in this book, like we are friends. I believe it's an excellent way to address the intended age bracket. I would say this book suits 6-year-olds to 12-year-olds.

The illustrations are out of this world, or maybe just from the unexplored bottom of the ocean. They are done using Pointillism, and they are all gorgeous. They are black and white and, what I am assuming, gold.

The only thing I didn't like is the origin of the universe theories and how creatures came about the earth. They do not align with my beliefs and what I know to be true.

I still highly recommend it with parental guidance. I would love to purchase myself a copy to finish reading it, and because it's that beautiful.

As a big fan of all things aquatic, I was excited to see what 'Amazing Octopus' held in store. Sadly, beyond some really great illustrations, there wasn't a lot more. Translated from German, I found the prose incredibly clunky and in a lot of cases kinda weird English - ie just not things we'd say! I also found Stavaric's style a little jarring - as they swing from really interesting facts to rambling weak puns. It's a shame because the book looks great, it was sadly a case of style over substance.

Having looked at some of the other reviews, I wonder whether I just didn't get this one. I was immediately attracted to the cover and I loved the illustrations throughout but...I don't know. I just didn't get it. It was like a stream of consciousness and I found it difficult to keep track of what I was reading. I have no idea who this book should be aimed at or even where it would sit on the book shop shelf. The illustrations are lovely though.

“Octopuses, as we know by now, are cephalopods—their legs, or rather their tentacles, are directly connected to their heads. This may give them a somewhat sack-like appearance to our eyes. Basically, they only consist of a huge head, two big eyes and eight arms, which are equipped with suckers on the underside. So it is not surprising that octopuses are also often called “aliens”. Moreover, they have no skeleton”

My thanks to Pushkin Children’s Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Amazing Octopus’ by Michael Stavarič and illustrated by Michèle Ganser. It was translated from the German by Oliver Latsch.

This book is intended for Middle School readers (aged 8-12) and seeks to introduce them to the amazing world of the octopus.

It opens with a section on outer space and the beginnings of life on Earth, then moving onto the evolution of cephalopods.

The author addresses his readers directly as if teaching a class and includes a few quips, jokes, and anecdotes. I especially enjoyed the amusing alternative version of Metamorphosis. I felt that this style made the book more of an interactive experience. He presents a few picture puzzles as well as their solutions following the main text.

Also included are suggestions for further reading as well as films and online resources. I found Michèle Ganser’s highly detailed black and white illustrations were very striking

Overall, I found ‘Amazing Octopus’ an amusing and informative guide to these fascinating creatures. Perfect for its age group though even as an adult I still found it an informative introduction.

This is a beautiful book with so many gun and interesting facts about the octopus. I'm already trying to work out how to fit it into our curriculum. The pictures are beautiful and written in a way that educates but is also for children. A fabulous read.

This informative book, great for all ages, is wonderfully insightful, focuses on the cephalopod, the octopus.
Readers will enjoy the amazing illustrations that accompany brilliant facts on the origin of the species, types of cephalopods, the interesting ways the octopus has influenced scientific advancements, and much more.

This is such a beautiful book that it is difficult to even put into words the magic it contains. Written in a wonderfully personal and conversational voice, this book invites young readers into the wonders of octopuses, humanity's role in nature, and the cosmos all at once. Not only does this book teach you about nature, but it truly changes your perspective on the wonders and mysteries that our wide world contains.

What a beautiful book! It may be advertised for children but people of all ages can enjoy this. It's interesting and full of illustrations and exercises to be done.

<i>Thanks NetGalley and Pushkin Press for an advanced copy of this book </i>

The title and cover instantly intrigued me, and I'm glad I picked up AMAZING OCTOPUS. Translated from German, it's aimed at children but I did learn a lot, and not only about octopus. It touches on multiple topics even if it doesn't explain them, but at least the author encourage the reader to ask question and learn by themselves. The book was truly interactive, first in the writing because the writer / narrator is directly talking to the reader, but also because it offers different activities, which is quite nice. And can we talk about the beautiful pointillism illustrations?

But even if I think it can be a great book to give to children, I had a few issues with it. First I felt like it didn't focus that much on Octopuses, because the narrative was a stream of consciousness, which I didn't mind at the beginning, but it quickly became annoying and hard to focus on the subject. Moreover, I couldn't figure out what age was it for? It seemed to be for young children but sometimes the vocabulary was difficult I felt like, but maybe it's caused by the translation.

In the end, AMAZING OCTOPUS is a nice children non-fiction that is hard to categorize, it can appeal to both children and adults!

Wow! This is certainly a book with a difference … fascinating , curious, quirky , beautiful ….

For lovers of cephalopods, the Amazing Octopus by Michael Stavaric is a natural history / marine life cornucopia of facts about this incredible eight legged ( or is it armed ) creature.

Michael Stavaric’s prose is entertaining and informative - written in the first person as though he is actually talking to the reader which makes it more unique for the reader( an online audio link would be great ) Oliver Latsch’s translation is pitch perfect

The ‘ power of eight ‘ is a common theme in relation to facts and puzzles to solve and of course a nod to the eight legs of the octopus. This book isn’t just focussed on the octopus but provides a wide range of information ; rather like having a discussion with an eccentric relative who goes off on tangents but still enthrals.

Michele Ganser’s illustrations are superb and provide such detail and character. They would be amazing in poster format or in an exhibition.

This isn’t your usual non- fiction book for children or teenagers - or even adults . In some senses it’s difficult to pigeon hole a readership but working with upper Ks 2 it feels spot on for the 10-14 range of natural history enthusiasts or anybody who wants to learn more about these incredible creatures.

Another winning publication gem from Pushkin Press

This book was so adorable, I loved everything about it, the illustrations were so well done, they suited the book perfectly, the story was amazing as well. I’m sure the kids are going to be just as enthralled with this amazing book as I was. I will definitely recommend! Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this early copy

Every child loves facts about octopuses. This is a book that hooks the child in with the colourful photographs and diagrams. Then the children will be excited to read all the amazing facts. I would use this in reading lessons and as a writing task for non-chronological reports or the diary of an octopus.

Very insightful and illustrative. Really wish I had a physical copy became this looks beautifully designed.

Amazing Octopus is an AMAZING READ!

We have never come across a non-fiction book which reads like this one. It is packed with wonderful facts, as any non-fiction book worth it's salt should be, brimming with information and yet it is all written by Michael Stavarič as a chatty narrative in a story-esque (we know this isn't a word but when you read the book you will see that it should be) manner that presents all things octopus in the most beguiling way.

If you expect lists of facts laid out in tables and charts with labelled diagrams and photographs, you are barking up the wrong shipwreck because this book spins a charming tale and interweaves everything you would ever need to know with humour, delectable adjectives and there is no way you could ever reach the end without a) learning a great deal about these amazing creatures, b) falling in love with the beautiful illustrations by the very talented Michѐle Ganser, c) being in awe of the intellectual ability of octopuses and d) feeling relieved that you are not a mother octopus - they devote themselves so completely to protecting their eggs that they do not eat, eventually dying of starvation and exhaustion when her babies finally hatch.

There are interactive sections and we learned so many facts unrelated to octopuses whilst reading, we feel that we would probably qualify for Mensa now!

A brilliant book, 8 is our new favourite number.

Thank you to Net Galley and Pushkin Children's Books for sending this eBook for review consideration. All opinions are our own.

This is a book all about octopi and their life cycle. I picked this up because octopi have always been some of my favorite animals. They’re super smart and adaptable and just pretty. I’m super glad I got a chance to read this.

The book is full of all kinds of information on octopi that is really informative for beginners just starting to look into them and things that are interesting for people that already know some information.

There is artwork scattered all throughout the book that is absolutely gorgeous. It’s good a while since I saw such beautiful art in a book. There are also fun activities at a couple of points for readers.

Overall I highly recommend this book for readers of all ages. It is extremely well written and like I said that art is beautiful. Will be looking up more works by the author in the future.

I really enjoyed reading this book which, at first, seems to be for children but instead is very charming and full of beautiful drawings. The world of cephalopods and all the interesting facts about them.

Mi sono davvero divertita a leggere questo libro che, inizialmente sembra per bambini ma invece é molto affascinante e pieno di disegni bellissimi. Il mondo dei cefalopodi e tutte le curiosità che li riguardano.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.