Meet the Cephalopods: Octopus, Squid, Cuttlefish, Nautilus

Gr 4-7–Answers, experiences, mythology, fun facts, and humor all combine to create an informative overview of cephalopods. With short blocks of text, complementary illustrations, and information grouped into topics, this book is good for browsing or as a complete read-through. The text has been translated from Swedish and is thorough without being dull, though at times it can be a bit formal. The length of the text is a good match for the attention spans of the target age group. Several short true stories are included on full-page spreads. Myths are debunked, and fun facts plus definitions and applications are sprinkled throughout with a good dose of humor in text and illustrations. Topics range from basic anatomy, variety comparison, survival, mating, and death. The page on mating does include a couple of relevant male anatomical terms. The illustrations overall have a pleasant, consistent color palette in which blocks of color help to organize the information. Most of the ­illustrations are ­scientifically accurate, and when ­appropriate, a bit of artistic license adds humor by giving the subjects relatable personalities. The end pages contain an index and list of scientific names for common species, which encourages further research, however there is no bibliography of sources.