Review--NICKY'S NOCTURNAL OCTYPUSS

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 Fresno, California with her husband and two children. As a family, they have traveled all over the world. She is currently working on the first of her novels, In Search Of, due to be out at the end of 2009.
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.
She currently resides in Foresthill, California with her husband and two children.
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