Best Kids Books about Octopus (2026)

Octopuses are the closest thing the ocean has to escape artists, and kids notice. The best kids books about octopus mix true stories, lyrical tales and fact-packed readers, so there is a pick for every young reader. We compared octopus books by reading age, grade level and format, with more picks for fact-loving kids.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	The Octopus Escapes by Maile Meloy	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
2	Inky's Amazing Escape by Sy Montgomery	9.6/10	Buy on Amazon
3	Ink! by Stephanie Warren Drimmer	9.6/10	Buy on Amazon
4	The Secret Jobs of Ocean Creatures by Claire Monroe	9.6/10	Buy on Amazon
5	How to Hide an Octopus by Ruth Heller	9.6/10	Buy on Amazon

1

The Octopus Escapes by Maile Meloy

Maile Meloy·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

The Octopus Escapes is a lyrical tale of an octopus captured for an aquarium who makes a daring nighttime escape, from a best-selling author.

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Pros

• Reading age 2 to 6 years with grade level Preschool to 2
• Lyrical story of escape and the pull of home
• 40 pages, the longest storybook here

Cons

• Published May 11, 2021
• No Word Wise statement in the listing
• Single story with no backmatter facts

2

Inky's Amazing Escape by Sy Montgomery

Sy Montgomery·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Inky's Amazing Escape tells the true story of Inky the octopus, who escaped from a New Zealand aquarium, with octopus facts woven into the narrative.

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Pros

• True story of a real aquarium escape
• Reading age 3 to 6 years with grade level Preschool to 3
• Facts about octopuses woven into the narrative

Cons

• 32 pages, the shortest storybook here
• Reprint edition; check the listing for the current one
• No Word Wise statement in the listing

3

Ink! by Stephanie Warren Drimmer

Stephanie Warren Drimmer·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Ink! is a National Geographic Kids Level 3 reader with 100 fun facts about octopuses, squid and cuttlefish.

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Pros

• 100 fun facts about cephalopods
• Level 3 reader for grades 2 to 4
• 48 pages, the longest reader here

Cons

• Reading age 7 to 9 years suits older kids only
• No Word Wise statement in the listing
• Fact format has less story than the tale picks

4

The Secret Jobs of Ocean Creatures by Claire Monroe

Claire Monroe·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

The Secret Jobs of Ocean Creatures is a seek-and-find ocean encyclopedia with 50 illustrated creature profiles, hidden objects and jokes.

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Pros

• 122 pages with 50 illustrated creature profiles
• Seek-and-find hidden objects on every spread
• Jokes that work for read-aloud

Cons

• Octopus is one creature among 50, not the focus
• No Word Wise statement in the listing
• Independently published

5

How to Hide an Octopus by Ruth Heller

Ruth Heller·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

How to Hide an Octopus is a camouflage nature hunt through the pages, finding the hidden octopus, crabs and tropical fish.

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Pros

• Camouflage hunt format invites rereading
• Reading age 3 to 6 years with grade level Preschool to 3
• Classic All Aboard Book format

Cons

• Published April 29, 1992, the oldest edition here
• 32 pages
• No Word Wise statement in the listing

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More picks to compare

• Octopus Escapes Again! by Laurie Ellen AngusMarine biology picture book, ages 4 to 10, 32 pages.Check on Amazon
• Octopus Shocktopus! by Peter BentlyRhyming octopus tale, ages 2 to 5, 32 pages.Check on Amazon
• All Things Octopuses For Kids by Animal ReadsPhoto fact book, ages 6 to 12, 100 pages.Check on Amazon
• Octopus Facts for Kids by Boris WalkerIllustrated fact book, ages 8 to 18, 84 pages.Check on Amazon
• Octopus and Squid: 100 Big Questions by Ellie Marsh100 question pages, ages 7 to 12, 108 pages.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published, collected 22 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs story and learning, reading features, value and age fit. For kids books, age fit means the listed reading age and grade level.

How to choose the best kids books about octopus

Match the reading age

Start with the listed age. The Octopus Escapes lists reading age 2 to 6 years, Inky’s Amazing Escape and How to Hide an Octopus list 3 to 6 years, The Secret Jobs of Ocean Creatures lists 5+ years, and Ink! lists 7 to 9 years. Most ages are marked as from customers, so compare with how your child reads.

Story or facts

Pick the format your reader loves. The Octopus Escapes is a lyrical tale of a daring escape, Inky’s Amazing Escape tells the true story of an aquarium escape, Ink! packs 100 fun facts into a Level 3 reader, The Secret Jobs of Ocean Creatures hides facts in seek-and-find spreads, and How to Hide an Octopus is a camouflage nature hunt.

Check the format

Picture books run short: Inky’s Amazing Escape and How to Hide an Octopus list 32 pages, The Octopus Escapes lists 40 pages. Ink! lists 48 pages as a Level 3 reader, and The Secret Jobs of Ocean Creatures lists 122 pages for readers who want to linger.

Before you buy

• All five picks list a reading age; compare it with your child’s current level.
• Inky’s Amazing Escape is a reprint edition; check the listing for the current one.
• Ink! is a Level 3 reader aimed at grades 2 to 4.
• The Secret Jobs of Ocean Creatures is Book 2 of 6 in its series.

Frequently Asked Questions

What age are these octopus books for?

Reading ages run from 2 to 6 years up to 7 to 9 years. The listings mark most ages as from customers, so compare with how your child reads.

Are these stories or fact books?

Both. The Octopus Escapes and Inky’s Amazing Escape are stories, Ink! packs 100 fun facts, and The Secret Jobs of Ocean Creatures mixes facts with seek-and-find.

Is Inky’s story true?

Yes, the description says Inky escaped from a New Zealand aquarium, and the book tells his story with facts about octopuses woven in.

Which book suits a new reader?

Ink! is a Level 3 reader aimed at grades 2 to 4. The picture books suit read-aloud for younger kids.

Still deciding? Our top pickThe Octopus Escapes by Maile Meloy

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Related lists

See every picture books list and all kids and teens lists. Also see our best kids books about whales. Also see our best kids books about pirates. Also see our best kids books about unicorns.

More lists: browse kids and teens books and middle grade books.