I'm a Dumbo Octopus!: A Graphic Guide to Cephalopods by Anne Lambelet

How does the graphic novel style of this book (using illustrations and dialogue) help you understand the facts about the Dumbo octopus better than a regular, text-only?

What was the most surprising fact you learned about the Dumbo octopus that makes it different from octopuses you might see in shallower water?

How does the octopus move through the water? Is it different from how other fish swim?

What are some things the Dumbo octopus eats, and how does it find food in the dark?

The book mentions the "Abyssal Zone." Based on the story, what are three words you would use to describe that part of the ocean?

The book is written in the "first person" (the octopus is talking to us). How would the story feel different if a scientist was narrating it instead?

Why do you think the Dumbo octopus seems so proud of its home, even though it's dark and cold?

If the water pressure in the deep sea is so heavy, why isn't the octopus crushed?

Grimpy mentions that an octopus has nine brains and three hearts. How do these unique features help them survive in the ocean, according to the book?

The book describes various escape maneuvers, such as the cuttlefish's color changes and the female blanket fish's detachable "rainbow cape." Which defense mechanism did you find the most interesting and why?

Why do you think the author chose to make the octopus look so "cute" and friendly in the illustrations?

How does the artist show us that the water is very deep and dark without making the pages hard to see?

If you had to live in total darkness like the Dumbo octopus, which of your other senses (hearing, smell, touch) would you want to be the strongest?

Why is it important for humans to learn about animals that live so deep in the ocean that we can’t easily visit them?

If you could ask the Dumbo octopus one question about its life at the bottom of the sea, what would it be?

Does this book remind you of any other books you have read about the same topic?

Book Talk Teasers:

Read the reader’s theater for I’m a Dumbo Octopus: a Graphic Guide to Cephalopods by Anne Lambelet.

Watch the book trailer on the Texas Bluebonnet Award website.

Read Alikes:

Bayly, Sami. How we came to be: surprising sea creatures. Why is a Deepsea Flounder as flat as a pancake? Why does the Prickly Footballfish have a fishing rod-like light on its head? Dive deep through the ocean zones to discover some of the most unusual creatures from the sea, and find out why they have come to look and behave the way they do. The first book in a new picture book series about unusual animal evolution stories, from award-winning and best-selling author and illustrator, Sami Bayly. (NoveList Plus)

Labrecque, Ellen. Do flying fish really fly?: answering kids’ questions. "Everyone knows that fish swim. But are there fish that fly? You have questions and this book has the answers. Find out about the lives of certain fish and their unique abilities to move through the water"--. (NoveList Plus)

Leigh, Lindsey. The deep!: wild life at the ocean’s darkest depths. "The Deep! is a rollicking survey of animals that live in the deepest part of the ocean created in an exciting graphic nonfiction format. The first-person commentary by the animals themselves cover a wealth of facts from the surface of the ocean to the darkest trenches. And the beautiful full-color illustrations bring them to life. From animal adaptations like bioluminescence and giant flashlight eyes to the habits and habitats of the Pram Bug and Dumbo Octopus, The Deep! will keep readers fully engaged with life at the bottom of the sea." (NoveList Plus)

Scheel, David. Many things under a rock: the mysteries of octopuses, young reader edition. This compelling middle grade adaptation dives deep into the mysteries and misunderstandings of one of our planet’s most enigmatic animals. (NoveList Plus)

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