Led by his insatiable sense of curiosity about the ocean around him, Inky the octopus was an explorer from the day he hatched. When an injury led him to crawl into a lobster trap, the octopine creature found himself hauled up onto land, and taken to New Zealand's National Aquarium, in Wellington. Here he recovered, enjoying his time with the games and puzzles given to him by the staff. Eventually though, his natural inquisitiveness led him to explore once again, and he discovered a way to escape, and make his way home to the sea...

As someone who adores all things octopode, I remember when Inky and his escape was on the news, back in 2016, and how wonderful I thought it was, that this clever creature made such a successful break for freedom. As is so often the case, truth is stranger (and more wondrous) than fiction. Picking this book up, I though how delightful it was that author Sy Montgomery, who wrote The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration Into the Wonder of Consciousness, should be the one to present this story to the picture-book set! Her narrative is engaging and informative, and is paired with charming mixed-media illustrations from Amy Schimler-Safford. An afterword gives more information, as well as a (very brief) list of further reading ideas. All in all, an excellent work of picture-book natural history, recommended to all young animals and nature lovers. ( )