This beautifully illustrated guide explores 30 species of cephalopods (octopuses, cuttlefish, and squids), highlighting their remarkable intelligence, adaptability, and diverse characteristics—from camouflage to venom. The book includes detailed illustrations and scientific classifications. It’s a fascinating and heartwarming read for anyone interested in the natural world.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Sea Wonders offers readers a look into the fascinating world of cephalopods. After a brief overview of who and what cephalopods are, readers are treated to beautiful illustrations of octopus, squid, and cuttlefish paired with a species description. This is followed by a cephalopod field guide that shares their habitat, distribution, their size (with a helpful graphic of the animal next to a human) and a fun fact. Back matter includes suggested books, websites, and videos to learn more about cephalopods. There is also a glossary. This was a fun and interesting read.

Growing up I wanted to be a marine biologist and I would have been absolutely obsessed with this book (and adult me loved it too!). It's beautifully and simply illustrated, with lots of fun and interesting facts about cephalopods. This seems to be intended for the casual marine enthusiast, and it's not written as if it's intended for children, but I think anyone would enjoy flipping through and admiring the artwork. I do wish actual photos of the animals had been included as well.

A beautifully illustrated introduction to Octopus, Cuttlefish, and Squid.🦑 Designed as a coffee table reference the information is basics of some of the species with nice illustrations to accompany. The Catalog at the end is essentially a fact sheet for each species discussed throughout the book and is my favorite feature.

Would be great for grade school/ middle school students who want an introduction to these sea creatures.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an e-arc via NetGalley

As someone who loves octopuses, I was immediately drawn to this book based on its title and pretty cover.

The book presents itself as a guidebook, showcasing thirty unique species and sharing information on their habits and abilities. However, while the concept is promising, the execution didn’t fully meet my expectations. The tone of the text felt geared toward a middle-grade audience, which in itself isn’t a bad thing, but as something being promoted as good for “oceanography and marine biology students, teachers, and professionals” I expected a bit more. The language often came off as being too casual and lacked specifics. There were moments where the phrasing was so vague it was unclear what the authors were actually describing.

The book is divided into two sections, and I found the choice to separate the catalog portion, with the most specific and useful details (i.e., common names, scientific names, size comparisons, habitat information, and fun facts), from the earlier narrative section puzzling. Much of the information I was looking for while reading the front half only appears later in the catalog. Even within that section, there were still elements I wished had been included. For instance, while depth is listed for each species, a visual representation, such as a depth chart along the edge of the pages would have made that information easier to grasp. Similarly, simple range maps could have enhanced readers’ understanding of where each species is typically found.

Another issue that stood out was the inconsistency in how species were presented. Some entries focused on individual species while others covered entire families (e.g., “pygmy squids”), and the scientific and even common names weren’t always clearly visible or easy to reference in the first half of the book. Additionally, the lack of citations throughout the main text, and lack of references in general, combined with the inclusion of non-scientific sources in the “To Learn More” section at the end, left me questioning the reliability of the information. The book promotes having “thoroughly researched scientific facts”; wouldn’t you want to highlight where that research came from?

However, the illustrations are really nice and a highlight of the book. I did find myself wishing that they went a step further; for example, rather than simply depicting the animals, I would have loved to see them engaging in the unique behaviors described in the text. This isn’t necessarily a problem but just think it would have been nice to help depict some of the information being presented.

Overall, I think this book would likely be too simple for readers already familiar with cephalopods, but it could serve as a gentle, visually rich introduction for those just beginning to explore this world. Ideally, it would act as a starting place leading into more detailed and scientifically rigorous works on the subject. However, I do worry about the lack of specific information and scientific backing throughout the book. The absence of clear, accurate sources and explanations could lead to misunderstandings or a skewed sense of how we know what we know. Even for an introductory text, clarity and accuracy still matter, and in this case, their absence undermines the book’s potential as a trustworthy resource.

1.5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley, Chronicle Books, and Princeton Architectural Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

What an eye-catching cover! I got pulled into this ARC like the sucker on an octopus’s tentacle.

I came away with a deeper appreciation for cephalopods, and the illustrations are striking throughout. That said, the structure and layout were a bit confusing.

The title is Sea Wonders: The Octopus, the Cuttlefish, and the Squid, but the animals aren’t presented in that order. After a general introduction to cephalopods, the first creature featured is a nautilus, which doesn’t fall into any of those three groups. The rest appear in the order of cuttlefish, then squid, then octopus, which felt out of sync with the title.

Each animal is split into two sections: a narrative page with an illustration, and a catalog entry at the back with basic facts like size, depth, and habitat. I wish these had been combined into a single spread per animal, more in the style of Dorling-Kindersley. I think it would have been more visually engaging, and also less confusing than reading about an animal without knowing whether it’s larger than a man or the size of a thumb. If the two-section format remains, I’d recommend adding a clear header with the animal’s name on the narrative page, along with a label showing whether it’s a cuttlefish, squid, or octopus.

I’d also suggest a review to ensure the illustrations match the descriptions. For example, one animal is described as having a large yellow eye, but the artwork shows it as green.

I used to write exhibit signage for a large zoo, so I may be pickier than most readers. It’s also an ARC, so some things may still change. But with a publication date of June 3 and my review written on May 31, I’m assuming it’s nearly final.

Thank you to Chronicle Books & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for me honest review.

I absolutely adored the illustrations in this informative book about cephalopods! I love the oceans and the things that live in it, so I was so happy to get this arc. And it was full of great information and amazing art, which really brought it all together. Definitely recommend!

This is a unique foray into another world with adorable and charming images that introduce a variety of octopus and squid. The book breaks down types of squids, cuttlefish, etc., with colorful tables and illustrations. This is perfect for those interested in zoology, oceanography, and more, with content that serves as a great guide for learning, exploring, and studying. From students to divers to couch travelers, this is a delightful book that is perfect for everyone's shelves.

"Sea Wonders" is a beautiful illustrated guide to cephalopods. While informative, this guide book uses easy to understand language for all ages. I can totally see this as something a child would love to read before bed with their parents.

Overall, children and adults will enjoy this gorgeous book!

Thank you to NetGalley & Chronicle Books for the ARC!

Thank you Netgalley, Chronicle Books, Marco Colombo, and Francesco Tomasinelli for sending me this advanced review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a great book! I think there is something here to enjoy for all ages, even adults. The illustrations are beautiful, and there are a few that I wouldn't mind having on my wall.

I learned so many new interesting tidbits about all sorts of tentacled sea creatures. I also didn't know there were that many types out there.

I think this would be a really good book to sit down and read with an older child. The info isn't too deep for them not to be able to understand it, and I think older kids would be able to read it solo with no problem too. I'd say middle school would be the perfect age range to really grasp and understand it.

This would make a really fun holiday or birthday gift for a kid that loves animals.

This book and beautifully illustrated and full of easy to digest facts about these fascinating creatures. I love the way each animal is laid out in a visual reference card to make it very easy to compare and get a grasp of just how big or how small they are.

This is a short, illustrated guide of cephalopods. I’m not sure who the target audience is exactly, because it would be easy for a young child to follow but gives enough information for grownups. I read every book I can find about animals, octopuses being one of my favorite species, and this volume was entertaining and illuminating. At first, I was a little disappointed that there were no photographs, but I was very impressed when I compared Giulia De Amicis’ gorgeous drawings to photos on the internet. They are almost identical, and yet more elegant. Yes, the background is lost, but the illustration seems to bring all the different characteristics to the forefront. The brief text accompanying every species is very informative and I especially loved the catalog section at the end, with all the details about these creatures, including their size (with a handy comparison to humans) and fun facts. A solid read for nature lovers.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Chronicle Books | Princeton Architectural Press.

Many thanks to publisher and author for ARC!

I enjoyed this, I would have preferred a bit more detail, but that's just me! I think for anyone looking for a good overview, or introduction, this book would be great! The illustrations were really well done, and I really liked the artist's style. The writing was easy to understand.

My pre-schooler is currently obsessed with Sea Monsters - Octopus and Squid and Cephalopods! We found several old books in a library booksale that get lots of love in our house. When I saw this book, I knew he would get a lot of enjoyment in it as well!

We really like the full page images of the many unique octopuses followed by information about them. There are far more varieties than we ever imagined! We enjoy the beautiful drawings, but I do wish there were photos as well.

I will say, this book is very long. If you have a young fan of octopuses, be prepared to paraphrase so you can maintain their expected page-turning speed to get to as many pictures as possible!

uch a fun and easy read! It’s perfect for casual marine enthusiasts of a variety of ages. The information is mostly surface level and quick and if you’re looking for a more textbook type description of these animals this book may not be what you’re looking for. The art is a great aspect, especially given how hard some of these species are to catch on camera. It really helps bring these chaotic looking looking creatures to life!

My only qualm is that I’d love more information! The authors drop some really cool facts and then don’t expand on them. I feel like I could have read a whole chapter on the dreams of octopus!

This was such a fun informative book about 🐙 and other sea creatures. The illustrations were so beautiful and I found the jargon wasn't to worry so you can easily follow along.

I found this to be a nice read, nothing with too much jargon. It's a great introduction into cephalopods.

The comparison charts at the end of the book were a great way to see all of the information about the various animals, such a size and locations found. The illustrations throughout are stunning. I also enjoyed the fun facts sprinkled within the stories. An example being that the flamboyant cuttlefish is sometimes referred to as an orchid because of its beauty and movement.

This was such a fabulous read! I love learning about something that I already know a good amount about. The illustrations are stunning. I plan to get this for students to use during our marine life unit. It was amazing! Thank you!

I absolutely love cephalopods. They’re some of my favorite animals so when I saw this for download on Netgalley I had to read it.

This is a very good little book. It has three sections to it. The first is general information about cephalopods, the third is little paragraphs about specific ones with artistic renderings, and the third is scientific information about the species talked about in the second section.

All of the sections are very informative. I knew about going into this but I can see how things good for people just starting to learn about the animals. The second and third sections especially. It had a lot of good information about each animal. (I especially like they included my personal favorite, the vampire squid).

Overall I just loved this. Highly recommend for animal lovers and nature/ocean lovers especially. Good for all ages.

A very cute, informative book that wants to teach readers about a variety of cephalopods.

This short book started with a foreword from the director of My Octopus Teacher, and then moved onto a short section on basic facts about cephalopods like their unique features and what marine creatures are considered cephalopods, then moved onto the main section where it introduced different species of cuttlefish, nautilus, squids, and octopuses (not octopi, according to this book) with fun facts and an illustration for each one. The end had a catalog of each species introduced along with further reading and a glossary.

The illustrations were lovely and captured the colors of each creature and unique features. I’m not sure what the intended audience is because the writing didn’t feel intended for children but the descriptions for each species was pretty brief (no longer than a page). I could imagine this as like a coffee table book. I loved the illustrations, but I would have loved a photo if available just to be able to compare.

Great if you’re interested in cephalopods, or if you just want to learn something new!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC!