Everyone Wants an Octopus Book! is a thought-provoking picture book about how everyone deserves to see themselves in books.
Inky the octopus wants to read a book with a character that looks like them. With their best friend, Quack the duck, they scour every shelf, but all they seem to find are more books about ducks! Why aren’t there any stories with octopuses? They decide maybe it’s time for one.
Author: Liz Ledden
Illustrator: Makoto Koji
Publisher: Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing (Bright Light)
ISBN: 9781761210846
Release date: 20 March 2024
Order online: here!
Schools: can order via Australian Standing Orders
Teachers’ Notes: available here
Goodreads: Add and review!
PODCAST INTERVIEWS:
To celebrate the release of Everyone Wants an Octopus Book! I hosted a ‘takeover’ episode on Dani Vee’s Words and Nerds podcast, along with two fellow authors published by Hardie Grant’s Bright Light imprint, Dr Zewlan Moor and Sandhya Parappukkaran. We chat diversity and representation in kids’ books, how we present tricky topics in kid-centric ways in our picture books, stories we want more of – and lots more!
You can also hear me chat all about Everything Wants an Octopus Book! (plus other writerly things) with the effervescent Ken Williams on kidlit podcast Reading with a Chance of Tacos!
And in non-audio chats, I had an online interview with Just Write for Kids in their Quick Six series! Check it out for some behind the book insights, the story’s underlying message, favourite scenes and more:
REVIEWS:
‘Ledden’s sparse yet thought-provoking text will ignite critical thinking from even the smallest child … This picture book is an essential addition to the diversity section of any library and a thought-provoking read for children 3+.’
CBCA Reading Time
‘A great message about acceptance and representation in the world in a wonderfully illustrated read full of colour and movement.’
Telarah Public School Library
‘I love the whole vision of this book – to create an inclusive story … Everyone wants to make a connection to the stories they read, especially children.’
Little Rainbow Reads
‘Told in fresh and funny dialogue … engaging and thought-provoking.’
My Picture Book Heart
‘Author Liz Ledden and illustrator Makoto Koji have crafted a powerful book here. One that could be a conversation starter across age groups.’
Get Kids Booked
‘There’s a whole lot of cuteness happening in this little slice of bookish goodness!’
Our Bookish Days
‘Congratulations Liz and Makoto on a magnificent picture book, we love it!’
Gleebooks Kids (Glebe)