Children’s Book Review: How the Octopus Got Eight Arms By Yvonne Arroyo

HOW THE OCTOPUS GOT EIGHT ARMS
Two Arms are Never Enough

By: Yvonne Arroyo

Illustrated By:  Carl Wanzung

Published: April 12, 2013

HOW THE OCTOPUS GOT EIGHT ARMS tells the funny story of Oscar the Octopus.  When octopus, like Oscar, first came to sea, they only had two arms, like you and me.  The rest of the story is told in rhyme and shares how Oscar met and fell in love with Sharky McGhee, a shark.  Eventually Sharky and Oscar marry and are blessed with multiple versions of themselves and Oscar just doesn’t seem to have enough arms to care for them. So, Sharky hatches a plan to get Oscar some help to handle all these babies.  You will just have to read the book to find out what it is.

I have had the book here for a few months, and in that time our daughter has read it several times.  She shared with me how she really liked the book and that she likes that it features the daddy taking care of the babies.  She IS a daddy’s girl.

The illustrations in the book look like colored drawings and are quite enjoyable, depicting mother Sharky and father Oscar in their daily routines.

If you are looking for a children’s book that depicts a happy marriage and a loving and devoted father as well as one that tells a cute story, this book is for you.

Yvonne Arroyo spent 32 years as a bilingual Spanish teacher for the Chicago and Trenton school systems. She has written several poems and chants for children and currently lives in Vacaville, CA.