An Octopus Followed Me Home (Paperback)

by Dan Yaccarino (Author, Artist) "An octopus followed me home today, One that I promise to love..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
"With a plot and images fueled by imagination and exaggeration," said PW, this tale is for anyone who can't resist a stray pet. Ages 3-8. (Feb.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-K?Yaccarino's retro colors and shapes tell the story of a little girl who brings home yet another stray?the octopus of the title being only the latest addition to a menagerie that includes crocodiles under the bed, seals in the pool, penguins in the fridge, mountain goats on the roof, and two elephants in the garage. Dad finally has had it and sends his daughter out to take the eight-legged creature back to the sea. She isn't too upset, since she picks up another stray (a dinosaur) on the way home. The rhyming text is graphically expressed in rounded, large illustrations. Flat lime greens, burnt oranges, and mustard yellows highlight the double-page spreads and will carry well for group sharing. Youngsters will delight in the silliness of the pets who take over the house. Pair this with Jake Wolf's Daddy, Could I Have an Elephant? (Greenwillow, 1995) and Hiawyn Oram's A Boy Wants a Dinosaur (Farrar, 1991) for storytime use.?Lisa Falk, Los Angeles Public Library.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (February 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140565329
• ISBN-13: 978-0140565324
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.7 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #637,237 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a whole lot of fun., May 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: An Octopus Followed Me Home (Paperback)

"Can we keep him?" begs a pig-tailed little girl to her pipe-puffing pop. As familiar as this phrase is to millions of parents the world over, the object of her plea is not exactly pet material - a globulous green octopus. Her father's response let's us know that he has been down this road before, as he lists a panoply of pet predicaments that the winsome little lass has already subjected on her family.

The story unfolds in a well-cadenced rhyme that accompanies the off-the-wall illustrations. Yaccarino has a cool, geometric graphic style that evokes the early 1960s. This book is a whole lot of fun.

3.0 out of 5 stars A Pleasantly Funny Fantasy, June 15, 2009

By	Shanna A. Gonzalez (Gaithersburg, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Octopus Followed Me Home (Paperback)

This is a brief, funny fantasy told in rhyme, about a little girl who just can't say no to the exotic animals she runs across, and she invites them home to live with her. The story is told mostly in the form of a diatribe from Dad, who describes each of the animals crowding their home: the crocodile under his bed, the seals in the pool, the goats on the roof. He forbids her to adopt the octopus for which she has requested, and she returns him to the ocean; but then escalates the excitement when she finds a dinosaur and leads him homeward on a leash.

There's not much substance to this story, but it's told in a pleasing limerick-y fashion, and the ridiculousness of the exotic pets wreaking havoc in an ordered home has a rather elemental appeal.

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book!, May 30, 2004

By	Susan L. (Birmingham, AL United States) - See all my reviews

This book is amazing. I taught 2 year olds for years and this was always a favorite. The pictures are simple and bright. It is a great teaching resource. I like to use it as a theme related book during PET week. It flows really well when read outloud. The kids call it the octopus book. If you are looking for a wonderful book to read outloud to your pre-schooler this one is it!