I also enjoyed the depictions of Mrs Fyfe (Vinnie’s mom) and Aunt Bets: two independent women who both run successful businesses and make their own way in the world, without men to support them. Vinnie is drawn into a world revolving around cloth that she finds out is not so nice and genteel. However, a mysterious person posts reports in the papers with her drawings before Charlie can. Reports that no one else should know about, pictures no one else can have seen. Who is the mysterious writer? Foster was also a producer via his involvement with the Sea Change Project, [12] and his wife, Indian environmental journalist Swati Thiyagarajan, was production manager for the film. [13] Neglia, Matt (10 January 2021). "The 2020 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Nominations". Next Best Picture . Retrieved 26 January 2021.

The two mysteries of the story meet in a grand finale, where human characters reveal their true colours, just as Ghost is losing hers. At the heart of the story is Vinnie, who blossoms into believing in herself under the care and nurture of Aunt Bets who constantly encourages her to ‘get doing’- a positive message for all of us. Her friendships with Charlie and Temitayo are beautifully developed and each character has a fully developed personality and ‘story’ of their own. The ‘baddy’ is truly sinister- no one would want to meet him anywhere- making the twists of the plot full of tension. I really enjoyed ‘Darwin’s Dragons’ (and ‘The Secret Deep’), but in ‘My Friend the Octopus’, Lindsay Galvin has written an absolute treasure! The cover is beautifully illustrated with fold out flaps to explore, making an enticing start to an excellent book.

LabMeCrazy! Science Film Festival". www.unav.edu/web/labmecrazy. 4 February 2021. [ permanent dead link] Brighton’s Aquarium attracts crowds to see its latest exhibit, the devil fish. Vinnie and this giant octopus communicate through their mutual understanding of colour, which inspires Vinnie’s drawings of it. Vinnie’s initial hesitancy and despair at being abandoned by her mother lifts as her life soon changes in mysterious ways. She blossoms with new friendships, the sea air, and a very natural intuitive ability to learn and grow. Soon a set of mysteries unfold concerning her mother’s sudden disappearance. Vinnie, who was always close to her single mother, was suddenly left in the care of her aunt when her mother had important business in Paris. She's had to adjust to the new life without being joined at the hip with her mother. Bit by bit, she becomes more independent and forms local friendships, including the octopus in the local acquarium. At the heart of the book is the friendship between Vinnie, Charlie and Temitayo. I loved all three children – their resourcefulness, loyalty and strong sense of right and wrong. I particularly liked Temitayo’s ambition and her commitment to carving out her own path in life and not just accepting the staid and restrictive future that others had planned for her.

Our heroine learns so much about the octopus I couldn't help but think about three other middle grade books where the main character connects with sea creatures. The Line Tender is about sharks, Song for a Whale is about whales, and The Thing About Jellyfish Child labour during Victorian times is something children are regularly taught about, but which often focuses on chimney sweeps or factory workers. By introducing the girls caught in the fashion trade, Lindsay Galvin exposes the cruel conditions endured and the consequences of fulfilling the caprices for a certain style or trend. Parallels can be drawn with today’s ‘fast fashion’ and the exploitation of cheap labour to meet this demand. Author Luke Palmer introduces his new book, Play (Firefly Press) about four boys growing up together, the challenges, the friendships, and what hap... Vinnie's clothes aren't really suitable for cooking, riding her Aunt's bicycle or wandering around an aquarium and her mother certainly wouldn't approve of swimming. She makes friends with Charlie (wannabe reporter) and Temitayo (the ward of an English gent who lives with a lady in Brighton).The (K)helpful forests of South Africa". CapeNature. Archived from the original on 25 March 2021 . Retrieved 19 November 2020.

The book also shines a spotlight on the terrible working conditions of industrial Victorian Britain, particularly in regard to child labour. In a series of dark scenes, we witness the true cost of high fashion. Foster describes the effect of this mentorship-like relationship the octopus provided him, teaching him a lesson on the fragility of life and humanity's connection with nature. [8] This transfers to Foster creating a deeper bond with his son, Tom Foster, as his son develops as a diver and marine biology student.

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Author Guy Bass introduces SCRAP, about one robot who tried to protect the humans on his planet against an army of robots. Now the humans need his... So many, my typing fingers can’t keep up with my imagination. I’m currently drafting my third historical animal focussed adventure which is out in 2023 — all I can say is this story features the sea once again, plus one of my favourite and most beloved animals...and it is very icy!

When she is not writing, she can be found reading, running or practicing yoga. She has a degree in English Language and Literature, is fascinated by psychology and the natural world, and teaches Science. Lindsay hadn’t written creatively since childhood until the idea for her debut novel The Secret Deepsplashed into her mind, and she now she’s hooked. As with Darwin’s Dragons, the cover and inside flaps by Gordy Wright, are worth a mention and are works of art in their own right. The illustration and information is just breath-takingly displayed. Giardina, Carolyn (11 March 2021). " 'Minari,' 'Trial of the Chicago 7' Among American Cinema Editors' Eddie Awards Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 11 March 2021. The incredible octopus, Ghost, serves as a central character, revealing its astonishing capabilities and emotional depth: it helped that I had read several octopus non-fiction texts prior to this. I felt like I already knew Ghost. The bond between Vinnie and Ghost is particularly heartwarming, drawing readers even closer to this fascinating animal.

What to know

Lindsay Galvin’s second middle-grade adventure, set in 1893, introduces talented artist, twelve-year-old Lavinia (Vinnie), as she helps in her aunt’s Brighton tearoom, awaiting the return of her milliner mother from a mysterious Paris trip.