Good Thing You're Not an Octopus! [Hardcover]

Julie Markes (Author), Maggie Smith (Illustrator)

Book Description

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

It"s a good thing
you're not an
octopus!

If you were an octopus, you would have eight legs to put into your pants!

Follow one little boy through his day as he playfully considers how mealtime, bath time, nap time, and many other activities would be different if he were a bird, a tiger, or any number of baby animals. At the end of the day he realizes that the best thing of all is to be himself!

Julie Markes's first picture book is charmingly illustrated by Maggie Smith.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"You don't like to get dressed in the morning? It's a good thing you're not an octopus. If you were an octopus, you would have eight legs to put in your pants!"

The world of small children is filled with day-in, day-out challenges and tiresome activities. If someone's not telling you to get dressed, they're making you eat lunch, climb into the car seat, or take a nap. However, young humans should count their blessings. Baby birds have to eat worms for lunch. Tigers may not ever have to climb into a bathtub, but that's because their mothers are always licking them clean! And imagine being a shark when it comes time to brush your teeth--all 200 of them. Julie Markes hits her mark with this clever picture book, which will probably make at least a few human children appreciate their relatively simple daily routines (at least when compared to shoeless caterpillars). Maggie Smith's playful, detailed illustrations bring every character to life, with continually changing expressions even on the faces of the protagonist's many stuffed animals. Smith's artistic humor, combined with Markes's wise, wonderful text, will make this a favorite among kids and their parents, who may even want to expand and personalize the game for their own daily skirmishes. (Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie Coulter

From Publishers Weekly

First-time author Markes serves up a bit of inventive psychology for dealing with an uncooperative child in this subtle picture book. The unseen caretaker of a preschooler with a penchant for eschewing any idea of a daily routine presents the boy with alternate scenarios that make his own lot seem palatable. As the pajama-clad protagonist grins from beneath his bed covers, the narrative reads, "You don't like to get dressed in the morning?/ It's a good thing you're not an octopus./ If you were an octopus, you would have eight legs to put in your pants!" The boy then envisions an octopus struggling to get dressed on the bed next to him. Similar scenes unfold as the boy realizes that being himself--and doing what's asked of him--is better than being any of the animal characters he imagines. In a simple question-and-answer format, Markes addresses a common and frustrating challenge for parents and suggests a disarming, nonconfrontational solution. Smith (There's a Witch Under the Stairs) uses a crisp watercolor palette to depict a realistic setting filled with child-friendly touches (car seat, bright toys and books) and lots of humor. (Don't miss the shark brushing its teeth.) Ages 3-6.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1st edition (February 20, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006028465X
• ISBN-13: 978-0060284657
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 9.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #709,790 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good thing you are a child!, March 6, 2001

By 

Karen Bazik (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Good Thing You're Not an Octopus! (Hardcover)

This is a great book for any parent who has struggled to get their young child ready in the morning. Ms. Markes cleverly compares children and animals engaging in the same activities such a dressing and eating. My son and I particularly enjoyed the caterpillar putting on shoes. It made his task of putting on only two shoes seem a lot easier. As a teacher I highly recommend this book for early readers. The text is simple and repetitive and the pictures are colorful and engaging. Ms. Smith's illustrations show the child as a master of the task at hand. As my son would say, " I can do that! It's easy."

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Charming and Engaging, April 29, 2001

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: Good Thing You're Not an Octopus! (Hardcover)

As the first page of this delightful new picture book states: "You don't like to get dressed in the morning? It's a good thing you're not an octopus. If you were an octopus you'd have eight legs to put in your pants." Julie Markes has taken some of those time consuming tasks, little ones are learning to do and written a wise and humorous book that will make them glad they're humans. Imagine if you were a caterpillar with sixteen feet and had to put on your shoes everyday, or a shark with 200 teeth to brush before bed. And, for those who hate naps, it's a good thing you're not a bear who has to take a really long nap, for the entire winter. With her easy to read, repetitive text and Maggie Smith's colorful, detailed and expressive artwork, children will be able to "help" you read this engaging book in no time. Good Thing You're Not an Octopus makes a wonderful addition to all home libraries and is a story pre-schoolers will want to read and share again and again.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book's a Good Thing!, April 4, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Good Thing You're Not an Octopus! (Hardcover)

I read this to my four-yr-old daughter tonight for the first time and guess what -- we had to read it another thre times over, until she could say along with me: Good thing you're not a ...shark/bird etc. She loves acting everything out too, eg when the story reads, "Good thing you're not a bird," she makes me be the Mommy bird and she's the baby bird, and I have to come along and feed her worms for lunch...mmmm yummy! This is an excellent book for reading together and interacting. Highly recommended.