Izzy, in pigtails and pirate hat, is the captain of her crew, even though she doesn't have a mascot, and she's leading her friends on a treasure hunt. Is it buried jewels? Nope: where X marks the spot, Izzy finds Oscar, a goofy purple octopus, and her mascot problems are over. The first order of business is training Oscar to be a traditional pet, and though he has superior intelligence and stunning camouflage abilities, his invertebrate body and fishy diet make it a tricky process. After an incident involving Izzy's mom, Oscar's ink-squirting abilities, and an awful lot of shouting, the slippery cephalopod makes a break for it. Izzy takes a tumble in the pool as she chases after him, but just in the nick of time, a certain eight-legged friend comes to her rescue. Though the text is occasionally disjointed, most kids will be delighted by the absurd premise and Dockray's soft, colorful illustrations, which sneak in lots of visual humor, thanks to Oscar's minimal, yet unmistakable, facial expressions. A list of octo-facts closes the volume.

K-Gr 2 Izzy, the pirate captain, has always wanted a pet. One day, she and her friends stumble upon a rather nontraditional pet, an octopus, whom she names Oscar. He eats too much and inks her mom, but when a man goes overboard, Oscar comes to the rescue, saving Izzy and another friend who can't swim. This exciting story is full of rich vocabulary, beautiful pencil and dye illustrations, and belly-laugh humor that young children will love. The images are colorful and eye-catching, while not overpowering. The characters' facial expressions are funny and speak volumes. The back of the book also contains a list of fun "Octofacts." Izzy & Oscar has the potential to appeal to children of all genders, while offering girl empowerment through Izzy's pirate captain narrative; she's a young and quirky, modern-day Anne Bonny. This title would make a great segue into a STEM discussion on animal camouflage and octopi traits. VERDICT A good addition to any library or classroom collection, making for a fun read aloud or independent reading selection. Kaitlin Connors, Virginia Beach Public Library