The Mermaid and the Octopus: Band 04/Blue (Collins Big Cat) Paperback – Illustrated, 4 Jan. 2006

Fun and funny.

this book is great, a good story and brilliant illustrations as per the norm from julia Donaldsonhowever my daughter is 5yrs old and it was not until we started reading the book that I realised that this book is for a much younger age group, so while we enjoy this book she is able to read this for herselfit was difficult to guage the age group that this book was suitable for when purchasing but having read this with my daughter I feel as a story book it is more suitable for younger children - toddlers would love this book

well pleased ideal for early years to read with them or read alone for early readers nice and clear text and pictures

This may be a good class teaching book. It is aimed at students learning to read and discuss the content with a class. As a parent of 4 & 6 year old girls it is hugely disappointing as a bedtime story. Short, with few words and no extended plot. Only 15pp of story (no Donaldson rhyming or great art) and less than 200 words. For teaching it may be exciting. But, I'm disappointed as a scientist and octopus lover - they are so intelligent; they can learn in 1 trial so that beats a dog by a huge margin and cats by infinity - that it doesn't reveal the true characteristics of octopuses. (Octopii, which I called them for years, is supposedly wrong, by the way since it's Greek not Latin I'm told). They are often so hunted for food by man that they should not be portrayed in a negative light in children's books. True, they are more likely to kill a shark than be killed by one, but they would hide from a mermaid.

'The Mermaid and the Octopus', by Julia Donaldson & Anni Axworthy for the 'Collins Big Cat' reading programme.👀 'LOOK INSIDE' above gives an idea of the content.From the back cover:~'A story about a mermaid and a greedy octopus, filled with colourful illustrations.'

My daughter is just 6 & easily reads this book, but she is a very good & confident reader. It's a nice first reader for younger kids, maybe 4 years & up if you're in the British schooling system, 5+ if in the American.