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The underwater world of cephalopods comes to life with lots to learn, while an adorable character has his own, little adventure to experience along the way.

This book is all about cephalopods, which is much more exciting than a reader might first think. It begins with Grimpy, a cute dumbo octopus, who leaves his darker depths of the ocean to take the reader on a swim, while introducing all sorts of cephalopods along the way. Each one is interesting, and this comes across with excitement as Grimpy happily tells the reader about each and every one. Until he realizes that he's not sure what his special talent is.

This is a cute read and written with the younger end of the middle grade audience in mind. Even stronger chapter book readers will have no problem diving into this read. The adorable dumbo octopus insures a light and enjoyable read. He's cheerful, friendly, and always enthusiastic about each cephalopod he introduces. It's contagious, especially since the variety of creatures is vast. Some change color, others squish through the tiniest space, while others can speed through the water with sudden bursts. I learned more than a few things along the way and was surprised how interesting these creatures are.

Grimpy speaks directly to the reader with a fun tone. The creatures are easy to identify and their specialties are well-illustrated. This is never dry even in the illustrations but lets the life of the ocean come across with energy. While some facts might be familiar, quite a few are eye-opening. And it's easy to understand and sympathize with Grimpy as he notices that none of these talents seem to apply to him. But he has his own surprise for the reader at the end.

It's a great way to introduce readers to sea life, while showing them how exciting it can be. I'm looking forward to seeing where the next books in this series lead.