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Review For: Nicky’s Nocturnal Octopus, Written by: Ginny Christensen, Illustrated by: Sandy DiLeo ISBN: 9780982110102, Publisher: Booklocker Author
Ginny Christensen has been writing for as long as she can remember. Nicky’s
Nocturnal Octopus
is the first of her children’s rhyming stories to be published, soon to be
followed by several of her other works. Ginny resides in Illustrator
Sandy DiLeo is a woman of many talents: a musician, composer, teacher, artist,
and now illustrator. She also performs in a rock band with her husband. COPY
OF SYNOPSIS: “Swish, swish, swish go the fish. Nicky has a
chore to do. It is his responsibility to take care of the fish in the
aquarium. He loves them all because they are so beautiful and unique in
their own ways. There is one that is very special, because he is so
different. A surprise ending awaits you, along with interesting octopus
facts.” I’m going to be a bit knit-picky here
for a moment, and forgive me, as I do this with all children’s books. The boy,
Nicky, wakes up to find his octopus from his tank on the couch, eating chips and
drinking a Coke. I think the author could have presented a great opportunity by
having the boy bring the octopus cheese and crackers, fruit, and juice to
instill healthy eating habits with children, showing the octopus better options.
I also, whenever possible, try to leave out brand names, so maybe to change Coke
to soda instead. Lastly, the book seemed to lack closure for me. I
would have liked to have seen the boy awake the next morning with the octopus in
his tank and maybe winking at him to keep the secret between them, or something
to that effect, then keep the last line as she has it. In saying that, this was a delightful
story. The illustrations are just glorious, capturing the attention and drawing
you in. The story itself invokes the creativity and imagination we all felt as
children, making you recall the humorous and crazy thought process we all had
once upon a time. I absolutely love that this story is told in a poetic rhyme
format. Nicky’s Nocturnal Octopus is a charming and wonderful read for
kids of all ages. Kelly Moran Author and Reviewer
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