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About The Escape Artist: A True Story of Octopus Adventure:
When Inky the octopus slipped out of his tank at the National Aquarium in New Zealand, his audacious escape made headlines around the world. Biologist Thor Hanson’s funny, informational text and Galia Bernstein’s illuminating, humorous pictures showcase the intelligence and curiosity of this fascinating creature. For readers who love true stories about animals. Features fun facts about octopuses and additional information about Inky’s escape.
A rock. A pot. Some sand. A light. And those same four walls, day in and day out. Inky the octopus has only ever known his tank at the aquarium in New Zealand. Understimulated and craving answers, he watches the people walk by and wonders where they go—until one fateful day when the lock on his tank is left unlatched. Inky escapes, and he miraculously makes his way into a drainpipe and out to the ocean.
Inky’s story is all true—there really was an octopus who escaped the National Aquarium in New Zealand and returned to the sea, becoming a viral sensation. Award-winning author and biologist Thor Hanson’s rhyming text is funny, engaging, and informative and highlights the innate intelligence of octopuses. Galia Bernstein’s vibrant, tentacle-filled artwork is the perfect complement, capturing Inky’s curiosity, intelligence, and resourcefulness.
Author bio:
Thor Hanson is a conservation biologist, Guggenheim fellow, and author of award-winning books including Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid, Buzz, Feathers, and The Triumph of Seeds. Hanson’s research and conservation activities have taken him around the globe to study Central American trees and songbirds, nest predation in Tanzania, and the grisly feeding habits of African vultures. He served as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Uganda, where he helped establish the mountain gorilla tourism program in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. He has also helped manage a brown bear tourism project for the U.S. Forest Service in Alaska. He co-hosted the PBS Nature series American Spring Live and has appeared as a guest on many programs including Biology Support on WIRED, and NPR’s Fresh Air, On Point, and Science Friday. His popular articles and essays have appeared in such publications as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Times of London, and The Los Angeles Times. He lives with his wife and son on an island in Washington State.