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 beautiful story about finding comfort in others, even when differences divide you from others. Leo wonders if he’s on the ‘ wrong planet‘. He feels like an alien, battered by a world that is ‘ too bright’ and ‘ too loud’. What’s more, it seems as though the other children do not understand him. It leads Leo to retreat to his cardboard box, where he might read and feel safe.

Endorsed by Professor Tony Atwood, author of Asperger’s Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals Leo struggles to make sense of the world. He doesn’t understand the other children in his class, and they don’t seem to understand him. But then one day, Leo meets Maya. It seems that books (and films) revealing the astonishing complexity, intelligence, and emotional capacity of octopuses are having a moment. This story and others lead me to root for that trend and hope it expands and sustains. This story has so much going for it in fostering empathy and awareness of neurodivergent children, but it is much more than that. Even with the neon orange color accents, the tone and pace of the text and the images create a subdued, supportive, and engaging structure for readers of all kinds to dive right in to the story, and into the discussions it could spark.The story itself never uses the word autism - only that Leo has difficulties with 'living on the wrong planet' and feeling like an 'alien', that he doesn't know much about friendship, is shown to have sensory sensitivities, becomes heavily interested in information about his new octopus friends and then infodumps on the new child who joins the story later. When an impromptu trip to a chip shop seems to briefly engage Daniel with the real world, the family decide to revisit their Chip Shop Championships, on a quest to find the best chip shop in the country. Before I even had a chance to put this book on display in my class library, children were asking me about it. There’s just something about the fluorescent orange that really gets them! Themes She is also a teacher and has extensive experience working with autistic children and their families and caregivers. One day Maya turns red for scared, and Leo has to rescue her from too many people. He knows just how she feels!

I was graciously offered a physical copy of Leo and the Octopus, and I was very excited to read it. Such a sweet story with a powerful message. Leo and the Octopus is a brilliant book for building empathy; it really raises awareness of what life is like living with autism. ✭✭✭✭✭”

LoveReading4Kids Says

I think this book would work well at the beginning of the school year to introduce how people respond to different stimuli and could be used to discuss ASD and SEN, and the general idea of ‘difference’. This story shows a strong relationship between an octopus and a child with autism. The text has strong PSHE and science links. This text explores issues around neurodiversity and provides opportunities for discussion as well as exploring strategies to cope in a neurotypical world. The story also encourages children to be curious and reflect on their relationship with the natural world. Links and themes: He doesn’t enjoy the world outside his bedroom. It’s too noisy, too bright, and too confusing. He’d rather read a book inside his large cardboard box house he has made. In this three-week Writing Root, children will receive a letter with a cuddly toy octopus from Leo, the main character, asking them for advice. They will explore and discuss how everyone is different and how it is important to be considerate and respectful to how individuals feel. They will celebrate the uniqueness of individuals, discuss the importance of inclusion and indirectly explore some of the considerations around autism. Children will have opportunities to talk about their feelings and what can trigger different feelings in different people. They will explore a range of emotion adjectives and the non-verbal cues that can accompany them. They will then go on a journey with Leo to investigate and learn all they can about octopuses. They will learn a range of skills building towards writing a fact file exhibiting all they have learned. This will be published as a brochure for the London Aquarium. Children will have opportunities to explore writing in simple past and present tense, using plurals and different sentence types. This Writing Root will be enriched by planning a trip to an aquarium to look at octopuses firsthand. A great non-fiction book to accompany this unit is Obsessive about Octopuses by Owen Davey. Synopsis of Text:

The story itself is sweet and simple. A child feeling out of place and finding friendship with an animal is so realistic that I couldn’t help but fall in love with Leo. Following his journey to finding a friend, I’m certain, can be very relatable to many children and adults. After all, animals, especially misunderstood ones, just want someone to reach out and show some compassion. This is exactly what Leo does with Maya. What I also loved is how Leo doesn’t just stop with Maya, the octopus, but he also is able to share this interest in octopuses with another child. 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. 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’. Overall, I loved this book and can see myself reading it to my son, once he’s a bit older, and having discussions about how sometimes people can make friends easy, some need more help, and what we can do to help. I would recommend this picture book to young children and to parents to read to their youngsters about how being different is okay, and how can we show acceptance and care to everyone.One afternoon Leo notes that a particularly large, noisy crowd is stressing out Maya. (Read this wonderful book to discover how he knew that.) His empathy and concern allow Leo to solve his own puzzle, figuring out how he might support and protect his new friend. Leo's experience with Maya (being curious, non judgmental, and learning more) allow him to apply those strategies with an actual human, one who appears curious, too. The public aquarium offers a respite and a potential friend. Colors and sounds are muted. If you've ever been to a public aquarium you'll slide right into Leo's experience: water and creatures move at a slower pace, voices are muted, and water plants offer gentle motion while staying anchored in their places.

With fun activities, colouring and tips to help children explore what autism means, alongside guidance for parents and caregivers. 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 Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals). Text Rationale: Leo knew exactly how Maya felt. Sometimes he wished he could squirt water at all the things that annoyed him to make them disappear. Isabelle MarinovMaya 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. Win a copy of the book and a mood-changing octopus plushie! An excellent picture book to help classes in KS2 understand and empathise with how children on the autistic spectrum experience the world’