Also an Octopus

Description

Every story starts with nothing, so ... why not an octopus who wants to fly in a spaceship? A delightfully meta picture book that will set imaginations soaring. From Benji Davies, the illustrator of The Storm Whale and Grandad's Island, comes a metafictive story about ... how to build a story! First, a story needs a character. So why not a ukulele-playing octopus? And since this is a story, the octopus has to want something - maybe it dreams of travelling to faraway galaxies in a purple spaceship. But every character needs an obstacle to overcome, and when the octopus sets out to build its own spaceship out of glue, umbrellas, glitter and waffles ... well, he doesn't have much luck. Could there be another character that could help? Debut author Maggie Tokuda-Hall sets up a funny, smart and warm-hearted story all about storytelling, then hands the baton to imaginative readers, who will be more than prepared to take it away.

Maggie Tokuda-Hall has an MFA in writing from the University of San Francisco and a tendency to spill things. As a longtime children's bookseller she has read her fair share of stories, and she is always hungry for more. Her favourite animal is an octopus, or else an elephant. She lives in San Francisco, USA. Find her online at www.prettyokmaggie.com and on Twitter as @emteehall. Benji Davies is an animation director and award-winning illustrator, whose picture books include the Bizzy Bear series, The Storm Whale and Grandad's Island, which was shortlisted for the Association of Illustrator's prestigious World Illustration Awards. He lives in London with his wife, Nina. Find him online at www.benjidavies.com, and on Twitter and Instagram as @Benji_Davies.

"This is a smart and uplifting look at how stories work and the power of imagination - paired with bright colours and a very cuddly octopus in a cosy red hat. One for the creative kids out there (which is to say, all of them)." Irish Times "An innovative picture book about how to build a story [...] Funny and smart, this book will fire up youngsters' imaginations." Aldershot News and Mail "[...] a clever spin on story building, using the legs and body of the octopus of the title for help. Young readers will be more than inspired to create their own." Armadillo [...] for a bit of surreal fun, with, perhaps a few light-hearted lessons in story telling theory there is Also an Octopus. The Herald