A thrilling and beautifully drawn adventure of a book that I'm sure children will love.

Fred is a lively little squid, who wants to play all the time which is annoying to the other fishes. His friskiness has gotten a bit out of control, so he was sent away. He learns how alone he was and how annoying the types of games he played can be very annoying to others when he met one just like himself and was placed on the opposite end of the playing field. So have a read and bounce along with this frisky squid as he and his friends learned the importance of being together.

It’s quiet time under the sea but Fred, the octopus, is having a hard time keeping still. He wants to bounce and fling, flang, flong and plung, plang, plong and just PLAY around. The other fish warn him that he needs to calm down. He tries, but with no success. They finally tell him to go away. This story can be compared to children with problems sitting still and the others not wanting to play with them. He heads off to find a friend. This is a sad story, especially when you think this could be your child. The solution in the story is easy, but in real life, using this book to help children learn about acceptance of others and helping children to find where they belong. The illustrations are done in muted tones, perfect for depicting underwater scenes

I know some spirited children and adults who will love the enthusiasm of Fred. While this read teaches children the importance of acceptance and getting along with others, the beautiful illustrations provided important details about these creatures of the sea and how they go about quickly altering their shape.

It is a bit of a sad story, as made me think of super active children that no one wants to play with and love, but the book has a great message of empathy and compassion. Recommended as well to parents and educators, helping them to understand children with special needs and what does it mean being different, in general!

It’s quiet time under the sea but Fred, the octopus, is having a hard time keeping still. He wants to bounce and fling flang around. When Fred has that feeling, there’s only one thing he can do: PLAY! But the other fish warn him that he needs to calm down. He tries, but with no success. He has to move and play. Again, the other fish put him down for his inability to stay still. That’s when he takes off in search of someone who wants to play with him. He does find that someone, so they head back to impress the other fish with their plan.

Cons:
This didn’t really feel like a good solution to Fred’s problem. It had a happy ending but didn’t feel realistic.

Pros:
The illustrations are very appealing and totally add to the story.

I think this would be a great book for teachers to read to younger students and use to start a discussion about how children are different and how these differences should be appreciated. In the story, Fred learns that he is not the only one that is very energetic. He uses that energy which he and his new friend have to make a fun time for the others in the sea. The illustrations are so colorful and are sure to engage younger children.

The artwork was very unique and beautiful in an oil painting sort of aesthetic, and the bright colors would keep a child's interest easily. The story was cute (and a little sad!), but my only real complaint was that the text is very small on some pages! It can be hard for small children learning to read to focus on tiny text, so I would strongly recommend upping the font size for readability's sake in the finished copy.

This is one of the best children's books I've read in a while. The writing and illustrations are stunningly engaging, and the message is so important. Fred the Octopus is a little more active than the other sea animals and has a hard time being accepted. He builds a friendship and is better able to engage with the other animals. Gorgeously told, I think every child would benefit from reading (or being read to) this warmhearted tale. Author and illustrator both have something to be proud of.

Thank you to Janna de Lathouder, Anne Schneider, Clavis Publishing, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review.

This a cute children’s book that I requested so I could read it to my four year old granddaughter. Needless to say, she loved the story and adored Fred. That’s an honest review from a person in the target audience.