Review: TENDER TEEN
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 16, 2013
This book is a tale about a teenage octopus who just wants to fit in. Olivia is just like any other teen except that she has eight hands, or as she would say six hands and two feet. She cares about her environment and the "creatures" who live in it. Olivia uses her gifts to her advantage. She is a talented gymnast and dodge ball player. She can read six books at a time and feed six friends popcorn at once at the movies. She has the same problems many other teens have like finding the right clothes to wear and being bullied. Olivia just wants to be accepted and loved. She has a lot of love to give because octopi have three hearts! The illustrations are sharp and cleverly done to accompany the story which is told in verse.This book addresses the issue of accepting oneself as unique and special as well as acknowledging the acceptance of the diversity of others. Parents and teachers can use it as a jumping off point to discuss many of the problems young people face in today's world.