Leo and the Octopus

Product Information

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. With fun activities, colouring and tips to help children explore what autism means, alongside guidance for parents and caregivers.

What a wonderful book. Isabelle Marinov handles autism with incredible sensitivity, whilst somehow also conveying so much about what it’s like to see the world through the eyes of a child who has Asperger’s Syndrome. Both Leo and Maya are fully developed characters, and their blossoming relationship is a joy to read. 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. 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.

The keeper invites Leo to touch Maya. When he does she turns white. This means she’s calm, and likes Leo! That’s another amazing thing about the Octopus. Their colour shows how they are feeling. Leo wishes people were colour coded too. 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 An excellent picture book to help classes in KS2 understand and empathise with how children on the autistic spectrum experience the world’

Endorsed by Professor Tony Atwood, author of Asperger’s Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals Leo and the Octopus is a beautiful story about finding comfort in others, even when differences divide you from others. 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:

LoveReading4Kids Says

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.