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I'm all for supporting my son's obsessions. If I can, I'll get the books, the t-shirts, the coloring pages. Okay, so maybe when my son likes something I go a little overboard. It's my responsibility as a GeekMom to make sure that he has access to his favorite things in all available mediums. Which is why, after watching The Octonauts with him whenever possible, after purchasing him an Octopod Playset for Christmas, and after reading the Wikipedia article which describes The Octonauts as a cross between Star Trek and Jacques Cousteau we were both over the moon to finally read the books.
The Octonauts are the work of Meomi, otherwise known as Vicki Wong and Michael Murphy. The first books were published in the US in 2006 and the UK in 2009, and they were then made into a cartoon in 2010. The Octonauts are a crew of animals who reside in an underwater base that resembles an Octopus, called the Octopod. Their motto, "Explore! Rescue! Protect!" summarizes quite accurately the thrust of each story. The crew resembles the USS Enterprise in composition of staff, with each animal bringing different skills to the team. There is a medic, an engineer, a captain and his first officer, a doctor (of Marine Biology), a cook, a professor who seems to be in charge and presumably funds the operation, and a photographer/controller to record and report all their exploits. The only animal not based in reality is Tunip the cook, one of several "Vegimals" aboard the Octopod.
The illustrations might seem familiar and you'd be right to think so. Meomi are the creative team behind the mascots from the 2010 Winter Olympics, Miga, Quatchi, Sumi and Mukmuk. The artistry in The Octonauts original books carries with it the same playful appearance as the Olympic mascots. Meomi presents characters that are both cutesy and beautiful at the same glance.The artwork translates easily to a coloring page, but is also full of enough detail to make each reading a different adventure. In one story there is an Escher-like moment as the team journeys through a series of caverns and cannot tell up from down. My son spots something new each time. There is a touch of whimsy in not only the artwork but also the construction of of the books. In one instance the Octonauts search the four corners of the ocean. You are required to physically turn the book around 90 degrees on each of four pages, until you have gone 360 degrees, in order to follow them on their journey.
The stories themselves follow the pattern of the artwork: simple but with much contained within. In a brilliant blend of fantasy and fiction, Meomi entertains and educates. On one page there is whimsy, such as Professor Inkling reading a map and saying "Using the cartographic bathymetry to calculate the compasserific coordinates" meaning "follow this old map." On the next page you are given information; in this case, young readers are taught the difference between a stalactite and a stalagmite.Fantasy and fact work side by side in each story, and there is much homage to great stories of the past. I couldn't help thinking of Malificent's thorny barrier as the Octonauts approached the bramblywoods of the Shade King, and there is something almost Tolkien-esque about the shadows choosing to join together and create a shade-ship in order to pass through the shadow forest. The monster searching for a friend, has something of Quasimodo about him.
Spoilers:
The Octonauts and The Only Lonely Monster
This is my favorite of the four original stories. The Octonauts are interrupted in their morning routine by a large Octopus attempting to hug the Octopod. The creature is lonely and so the Octonauts travel the ocean in search of a companion creature. When they discover he is the only one, they help him feel better by describing the ways in which they are unique, teaching him that people with all kinds of differences can be friends.
The Octonauts & the Sea of Shade
This is the most surreal of the four original titles and has been the tale most often requested by my son. In this tale the Octonauts are alarmed to discover that all the shadows of the world have disappeared. Using a special map, they go in search of the Shade King in order to convince him to send the shadows back. They succeed, but only on the condition that they become Shade Ambassadors, to promote shadow appreciation across the globe.
The Octonauts & the Frown Fish
This story sees the Octonauts encountering a sad fish, whom they spend the entire story trying to cheer up. From attempting to understand his language, to having him participate in their favorite activities, all attempts fail. They eventually learn that he is an Upside-Down Catfish and had been smiling with them the whole time. Appearances are not always as they seem.
The Octonauts and the Great Ghost Reef
My son calls this "the scary book," though it isn't a dark tale at all. The Octonauts go in search of a thriving reef, only to find a ghost reef and the last inhabitant, Mr Slowstache, moving out. While trying to find a suitable home for the aging tortoise, Dr. Shellington discovers that the reef is alive and being slowly killed by the creatures living on top of it. The Octonauts teach the sea creatures how to co-exist with the reef.
We were first introduced to The Octonauts through the television show, which is currently airing on Disney Junior, and is just as good as the books themselves. Cute, entertaining and informative. The team of marine biologists who worked with Pixar on Finding Nemo helped translate the books to the small screen, and it is certainly a quality production.
If you get early editions of the books, it is worth noting that there are a few differences between the books and the show that you should be prepared for, as it might be easier to self-translate than explain the changes to a stubborn child. Sauci Dog in the books is Dashi Dog in the cartoon, a change I can only attribute to the usage of the word "Saucy" in various parts of the world. Sausage to Sauci, Dachshund to Dashi, both acceptable names.
However I find it harder to explain the change made to Kwazii Kitten, a female "kitten" in the books and a male "cat" in the cartoon. The core crew is Captain Barnacles, Peso Penguin and Kwazii Kitten, a nice balance when the second mate is female, but in the cartoon the core team is all male. At this point I am used to the voice of Kwazii and so I have a hard time reading the character as a she, but only because the voice of Rob Rackstraw is such a defining feature. Rackstraw incidentally, was the voice of Captain Campion in Watership Down. It's not a change I necessarily have a problem with, but I do find it curious.
The core focus of each story is exploration and the protection of the natural environment. It is clear through these tales that Meomi works to accomplish this through the education of young minds. Make something familiar and friendly, teach a little as you weave a narrative, and you promote great understanding and appreciation.
I was provided with copies of these books for review purposes.