The illustrations are beautiful, and the tiny details like the headphones, the colours, the framing. I hesitated at the use of ‘alien’ with regards how Leo felt about himself and the octopus – that they were from a different planet, in a way, to those around him. But one terrible November day, the lives of Daniel and his family are changed forever when an accident renders Daniel a shadow of his former self. The octopus keeper is not judgmental, he is observant and curious, recognizing those same traits in Leo.

Leo and the Octopus — Isabelle Marinov Leo and the Octopus — Isabelle Marinov

As Daniel retreats into himself, his family slowly begin to fall apart, without this bright boy at the heart of their lives. The sensitive descriptions throughout the book of what it is like to have autism are accurate and perceptive on so many levels" (Professor Tony Attwood, author of Asperger's A Guide for Parents and Professionals ).There are also the reversible octopus toys which are happy one way and sad another - this book would link well to these and could be used to act as a physical demonstration of children’s feelings - children with particular sensitivities could have one placed on their desk and they could then flip it to how they are feeling to subtly show others how they feel. Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc. Through Leo, Isabelle Marinov provides the reader with many facts about octopuses, and we learn about them as he does. Photos of this book really don’t do it justice; the front and back covers have a brilliantly fluorescent orange that jumps off the page. Not everyone can read social cues, or infer how someone else is feeling: how much simpler things could be if we just telegraphed our feelings more directly, like by turning a specific color when we felt a particular way.

Octopus Fact File - Twinkl - Educational Resources KS1 Octopus Fact File - Twinkl - Educational Resources

Lastly, the choice of making some words in bold shows emphasis on certain key phrases or vocabulary. When he meets Maya the Giant Pacific Octopus he builds a friendship that assures him he is not alone. Spelling Seeds have been designed to complement Writing Roots by providing weekly, contextualised sequences of sessions for the teaching of spelling that include open-ended investigations and opportunities to practise and apply within meaningful and purposeful contexts, linked (where relevant) to other areas of the curriculum and a suggestion of how to extend the investigation into home learning. Another great aspect of this story is the idea that even a huge, seemingly scary animal has feelings. Maya is an octopus, and the more Leo learns about her, the more he thinks that perhaps he isn't alone in this world, after all.Leo and the Octopus is a brilliant book for building empathy; it really raises awareness of what life is like living with autism. These intelligent creatures live across the world's oceans and are easily identifiable from their eight arms and large, bulbous heads.

Leo and the Octopus - Farmyard Books | Brand Partner with Leo and the Octopus - Farmyard Books | Brand Partner with

Especially at aquariums (or even zoos) where animals are caged in or stuck, it can be easy for children to assume that the animals are nothing more than stuffed animals that can move.

Sensitively illustrated by Chris Nixon, this story looks at how young Leo often is overwhelmed by his senses: lights become too bright, noises too loud. I can certainly see how Leo was fascinated by Maya, and I believe that children of all ages reading this book will be too, making this a great book to read alongside an ocean-based or environmental topic. Maya is an octopus, and the more Leo learns about her, the more he thinks that perhaps he isn’t alone in this world, after all.

Leo and the Octopus by Isabelle Marinov, Chris Nixon

This book is a fantastic conversation starter to help kids 4-8 think about the ways we are all unique in the way we respond to the world around us and how friendships are made. A masterfully told story with many layers added by the thoughtful illustrations about a boy named Leo who is neurodiverse (later revealed in a note by the author to be on the autistic spectrum).

She is also a teacher and has extensive experience working with autistic children and their families and caregivers. A book which should be read in every class to highlight Autism, Special Educational Needs, Friendship with the added extra of learning facts about octopus'. This text explores issues around neurodiversity and provides opportunities for discussion as well as exploring strategies to cope in a neurotypical world. Sometimes he wished he could squirt water at all the things that annoyed him to make them disappear. Leo and the Octopus is a beautiful story about finding comfort in others, even when differences divide you from others.