Octopants

A very sweet little octopus has a problem: they don’t have any underpants! The problem is that poor little octopus has too many legs to fit into any conventional underwear, despite asking at a variety of shops all over the ocean AND online (the illustration of the octopus wrapped up in a fishing line is an excellent visual pun here).

Yet, one day, the little octopus finds the Under-Sea Emporium, owned by a very helpful seahorse who sells everything – onesies for urchins, evening wear for eels and even bobble hats for barnacles. Thank goodness! And when the seahorse suggests that the octopus is looking for something to fit their eight arms, not legs, the search ends in a very different type of garment altogether…

This rhyming text presents a well-realised and delightful story about finding your place with everyone else, even when you might feel different and left out. In the end, the little octopus finds someone to help them, reminding us that with a little bit of help, the right solution can always be found – and there’s no shame in needing a bit of help from time to time, either.

Claire Powell’s detailed illustration provides young readers with lots to look at, but isn’t overly complicated, and the text is minimal enough to appeal to toddlers and preschoolers.