I'm the Best Artist in the Ocean! [Hardcover]

Kevin Sherry (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

The squid that charmed a nation is back . . . and he?s making a big mess!

Not only is this irrepressible squid the biggest thing ever, he?s also the best artist in the entire ocean. He squirts ink, for goodness? sakes, and there aren?t many animals in the ocean who can do that! This squid is making a masterpiece that is sure to wow his fellow fish. But perhaps they aren?t as pleased as he would think?

The giant squid that garnered starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus for his larger-than-life performance in I?m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean is sure to delight fans with this lively and fresh follow-up that includes a double gatefold spread featuring the squid?s impressive artwork!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Sherry's (I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean) giant squid with the outsize ego is back, this time asserting his peerless artistic talents. Having shown his skill at drawing both abstractly and from life, the squid declares, I'm making my masterpiece! The book itself, however, packs less of a punch. Although the character's manic eyes, cavernous smile and irrepressible self-esteem still exude plenty of charisma (especially after he paints himself a mustache midway through), there's no compelling narrative arc or antagonist this time out; each spread is just another chance for the squid to show something else he can draw or another style he can adopt. When a double-gatefold reveals that the canvas for the squid's masterpiece—or, as he calls it, his mess-terpiece—is the whale from Biggest Thing, it's a nice joke, but probably not a big enough one to bring down the house. Ages 3–5. (June)
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From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2ûThe blue giant squid introduced in IÆm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean (Dial, 2007) returns to challenge the art world. Drawing readers underwater for simple demonstrations of artistic skill, the creature happily splashes his ink across page after page of a watercolor-washed sea world. ôI can draw ANYTHING!ö he shouts to all listening ears. Changing expression with the smallest alterations in his bulbous eyes, the enormous squid has a childlike enthusiasm that encourages youngsters to follow him as he exhibits his artistic flair. HeÆs unstoppable by fish or shark, and turns a whale into a canvas for a four-page foldout of Picasso-inspired art. ThereÆs no deep plot here. A mildly threatening shark from cut paper and angry and ink-bedaubed clownfish provide all the drama, all in a lush background of purples and blues. A pleasing additional purchase.Mary Elam, Forman Elementary School, Plano, TX
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dial (June 12, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803732554
• ISBN-13: 978-0803732551
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 11.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #695,453 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars By Far the Absolute Best Children's Book Ever Written, December 15, 2008

By 

John Steed (Deer Isle, Maine) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: I'm the Best Artist in the Ocean! (Hardcover)

This is my favorite children's book.

It's so much fun to read aloud. And there's just something silly and fun about an octopus say "I'M THE BEST. ARTIST. IN THE OCEAN" The Octopus lends himself nicely to voices, there's plenty to talk about: different ways of painting, making a mess, perspective...


Don't be turned off by the straight-laced spoil-sport who gave it two stars. This is a great book.

I mean, look at the cover. That's a funny mustache.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A BIG hit with my daughter, December 28, 2010

By 

Amy Ebelhack "Amy Ebelhack" (Charlotte, NC USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: I'm the Best Artist in the Ocean! (Hardcover)

Unlike many of the other reviewers, neither my daughter nor I had read I'm The Biggest Thing in the Ocean when she dragged this book off the library shelf one day. As a result, I can't comment on how it compares to its predecessor, but I can say that my daughter is crazy about this book. Just loves it. She asks for it when she wakes up, multiple times throughout the day, and every night before bed. "Shark!" she says, asking for another reading. When we're not actually reading it, she still enjoys recounting the plot in her own way: "Paint! Shark! Stop! MESS." Clearly, this book has connected with her, and she is deeply fond of it.

For my part, I can't say it's my favorite book ever, but it's painless enough for repeated reading, and the illustrations are charming. There's something endearing about that giant blue squid, especially when the shark chastises him for his mess, and we see him standing (swimming?) there temporarily speechless, his mouth agape. It's hard not to feel a little sympathy. And I did enjoy seeing his "mess-terpiece" at the end, along with the notes regarding what inspired it. Whether or not it compares favorably to I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean, for our part, it holds its own nicely.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun read-aloud, July 19, 2008

By 

S. Kleinman-Dominguez "Elementary School Medi... (Fort Lauderdale, FL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: I'm the Best Artist in the Ocean! (Hardcover)

The giant squid is hysterical. The first book is better with inferencing skills, but you can do a lot with this one as well. Pair with other ocean books and ask lots of higher order questions..

-Could he really paint underwater?
-What could he use for paint? (Octopus ink:))
-Why is he quiet when the shark goes by? (First book)
-Would all these animals live in the same ocean areas in real life?
-Do squids have mustaches?