Consider the Octopus

March 1, 2022

Gr 5-7-JB is 12 years old and facing a long summer at sea as the only kid on the NOAA deep sea research vessel Oceania II, where his mother is the lead research scientist. JB gets tasked with inviting scientists and students to an environmental summit on board to raise awareness of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and hopefully reestablish funding for their mission. The invitations include Dr. Sidney Miller, a renown marine biologist. But Sidney Miller is also the name of a 12-year-old girl who is desperate to escape her dreaded summer camp, and is now, thanks to JB, the recipient of the mistaken invitation. Sidney is not going to let this opportunity go; she accepts the invitation and hatches a plan. JB, flummoxed by his mistake, agrees to sneak her onboard. From hiding out in a nest in the ship's laundry room, to serial impersonation of a renowned scientist, Sidney, JB, and their friends lurch from hilarious crisis to crisis, staying barely one step ahead of the adults-until the fateful day Sidney is discovered. With nonstop action, a surprisingly effective ending, and empathetic characters, this is a fast, fun read. VERDICT A sure winner for readers interested in the environment and adventure, or even just in adventure.-Gretchen Crowley

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 18, 2022
Faith in coincidence buoys this optimistic, seafaring comedy of errors, told from two cued-white 12-year-olds’ alternating perspectives. Jeremy “JB” Barnes is the seasickness-prone son of a lead scientist aboard Oceania II, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration vessel on a mission to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Meanwhile, ocean-obsessed Sidney Miller is desperately trying to avoid going to summer camp. When Jeremy is tasked with inviting scientists to attend an impromptu publicity campaign, he mistakenly invites Sidney, who, with assistance from her Jewish nana (a believer in synchronicity and the philosophy of tikkun olam, or “repairing the world”), conspires to board the ship. Rather than admit his error, Jeremy sneaks Sidney in under the name of a no-show student. Mistaken identity and slapstick comedy mingle with grim facts about microplastics and marine debris, culminating in the duo’s attempt to lure a world-famous environmental reporter to the campaign to raise global awareness for the cleanup effort. In their latest collaboration, Baskin and Polisner’s (Seven Clues to Home) upbeat eco-adventure combines fiction with real-world issues and affirms that kids can bring about change. Ages 8–12. Agents: (for Baskin) Katelyn Detweiler, Jill Grinberg Literary; (for Polisner) Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.

July 29, 2022
Grades 4-7 The last thing Jeremy Barnes (JB) wants to do is spend the summer studying the Great Pacific Garbage Patch with his mom and a team of scientists aboard the Oceania II, a marine research vessel. To help the team secure more funding for their research, he is tasked with contacting world-renowned scientists for a summit being held in conjunction with a SEAmester for high-school students. A case of mistaken identity leads to one of these invitations going to Sidney Miller, a girl desperately trying to avoid going to summer camp. When Sidney arrives at check-in with her pet goldfish, Rachel Carson, JB realizes his mistake but panics and brings her on board. Another teenager quickly realizes that Sidney does not belong, prompting JB to involve them in a plot to help Sidney hide in plain sight. All is well until one fateful field trip brings everything to a halt. Told in alternating voices, Consider the Octopus is a fun, slightly madcap, summer adventure on the high seas with a strong environmental bent.

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July 1, 2022
Jeremy's mom tasks him with inviting famous scientists to a symposium on her sea-bound research ship, which is testing out a tool for cleaning up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. He mistakenly sends adult scientist Sidney Miller's invitation to twelve-year-old podcaster Sidney Miller, who needs to fill her summer with educational and interactive experiences so her parents don't haul her off to camp. Jeremy agrees to smuggle the younger Sidney (and her goldfish, Rachel Carson) onto the ship instead of admitting his mistake, and the two commit to keeping her presence a secret from the adults onboard. Gregarious Jeremy, who is more interested in sports than science, and introverted Sidney, who has become entranced with the concept of synchronicity, quickly go from mismatched odd couple to dedicated friends with a shared secret. They eventually get caught, of course, but not before their social media advocacy brings the media coverage Jeremy's mother needs to keep her project funded. Nuanced layers of story take the book beyond its initial quirkiness: Jeremy's reaction to his parents' divorce, Sidney's close relationship with her grandmother, the challenges of sustaining interest in long-term scientific work. The narrative's nonlinear structure, with sections alternating between Jeremy's and Sidney's points of view and flashbacks that develop the characters and reveal how they got to the ship, makes for an engaging read; and the nautical setting is richly developed. Sarah Rettger

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from February 15, 2022
Sometimes a huge mistake might just help save the world. After his parents' divorce, seventh grader Jeremy "JB" Barnes finds himself spending the summer with his mom aboard the Oceania II, a scientific research vessel. Homesick and far away from his friends, JB can't wait for his time at sea to be over. Lonely Sidney Miller plans to spend a quiet summer in Seattle with her grandmother but can't believe her luck when she receives an invitation to attend a clean water summit focused on bringing attention to the plastic pollution crisis consuming the Earth's oceans. Sidney quickly realizes that a clerical error is responsible for her invite--the message was intended for adult scientist Dr. Sidney Miller--but decides that a series of meaningful coincidences means that she is fated to board the Oceania II and make an impact. JB's and Sidney's paths collide, and they become fast friends and allies. Now, they'll need to find a way to bring global attention to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and the vital work scientists and environmental activists are doing to solve the problem--before Sidney's stowaway status is discovered. With heart and humor, JB and Sidney remind readers of the difference young people can make when they take the lead on environmental activism. Superlative writing and character development uplift this timely story. Central characters are assumed White. An inspiring tale of friendship and conservation. (author's note) (Fiction. 9-14)

COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2022
Jeremy's mom tasks him with inviting famous scientists to a symposium on her sea-bound research ship, which is testing out a tool for cleaning up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. He mistakenly sends adult scientist Sidney Miller's invitation to twelve-year-old podcaster Sidney Miller, who needs to fill her summer with educational and interactive experiences so her parents don't haul her off to camp. Jeremy agrees to smuggle the younger Sidney (and her goldfish, Rachel Carson) onto the ship instead of admitting his mistake, and the two commit to keeping her presence a secret from the adults onboard. Gregarious Jeremy, who is more interested in sports than science, and introverted Sidney, who has become entranced with the concept of synchronicity, quickly go from mismatched odd couple to dedicated friends with a shared secret. They eventually get caught, of course, but not before their social media advocacy brings the media coverage Jeremy's mother needs to keep her project funded. Nuanced layers of story take the book beyond its initial quirkiness: Jeremy's reaction to his parents' divorce, Sidney's close relationship with her grandmother, the challenges of sustaining interest in long-term scientific work. The narrative's nonlinear structure, with sections alternating between Jeremy's and Sidney's points of view and flashbacks that develop the characters and reveal how they got to the ship, makes for an engaging read; and the nautical setting is richly developed.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)