School Library Journal Starred Review (Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

K-Gr 2 Ramsey is an Afro-Latino kid with a robust imagination. As he finishes an oversize painting of an octopus, he inadvertently, and to his despair, inspires his grandmother to cook octopus stew. As soon as they are back from the market with a huge, live cephalopod, Grandma sets an ever bigger pot with boiling water for the unfortunate octopus. From this point on, anything could happen. Pura Belpré and Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe honor winner Velasquez will surprise primary grade readers with a story that is as fascinating and hilarious as it is absurd. The English text intertwines with Spanish phrases that provide a multicultural approach and validates the boy's family background. The vibrant paintings, done in oils, strike the eye with large and expressive characters. The setting is highlighted by shades of blue, mustard, and orange that course throughout the pages and add a lively tone to the story. VERDICT A hilarious read-aloud that could be read during a storytime. The back matter contains author's notes, a glossary of Spanish words used in the book, and a recipe for octopus stew. Kathia Ibacache, Simi Valley Public Library, CA

ALA Booklist (Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

When Ramsey's art inspires his grandma to make pulpo guisado (octopus stew), they have no idea that bringing home the biggest octopus from the market will lead to an even bigger adventure. As they wait for it to boil, strange noises come from the kitchen. They investigate, only to find a gigantic octopus, very much alive, which escapes the pot and grabs Grandma. Using smartphone research, art, and his superhero cape, Ramsey manages to rescue her, and he makes a larger-than-life friend along the way. Midway through, an inventive section folds out into a quadruple-page spread, revealing that this whole story is being told by Ramsey to his gathered Afro-Latinx family. Realistic oil paintings bring to life the action and excitement of encountering a giant octopus. Important cultural notes are detailed in the story and pictures through an emphasis on art, storytelling, musical instruments, and more. Spanish dialogue mixes fluidly into the primarily English text, with a glossary providing definitions and pronunciations of Spanish terms. Happily, Velasquez also includes a recipe for octopus stew.

Horn Book (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

With love and humanity--and humor--Velasquez (Looking for Bongo, Grandma's Gift) once again affirms young Black Latinx boys' identities and family experiences. Inspired by her cape-wearing grandson's painting of an octopus superhero, Ramsey's grandmother decides to make pulpo guisado, an octopus stew. Together they go to the market to find the perfect octopus for their dish. Back home, Grandma starts prepping for the stew--and suddenly, strange things start happening in her kitchen. With the exaggerated detail of a tall tale and the pacing and sound effects ("Bloop, Bloop, Bloop, Brrrr") of oral storytelling, Velasquez depicts an intergenerational tale filled with food, family, laughter, and love (fans of Looking for Bongo will find some familiar characters). The oil-paint illustrations effectively convey the story's larger-than-life supernatural elements as well as the protagonists' affectionate relationship; the many shades and features of Afro-Latinx families are displayed, including in a central foldout spread that contains a humorous and effective narrative surprise. An author's note, a glossary of the "non-standard Spanish" used throughout the story (and that Velasquez's own family used at home), and an octopus stew recipe are appended.

Kirkus Reviews

When Ramsey's grandma, who is just a wee bit grumpy, sees his painting of an octopus, she's inspired to make pulpo guisado—octopus stew—and adventure ensues.Ramsey and Grandma, both Afro-Latinx, head to the store, where they find an octopus with wide and expressive eyes—Ramsey suspects it is still alive. He searches his phone for information about octopuses and gets a warning he tries to share with his grandmother, but she is too annoyed at the interruption to listen. Once home, Grandma cleans the octopus, but shortly after the creature is dropped into boiling water, noises come from the kitchen they can't explain. In the kitchen, they see the octopus has escaped the pot. It is now a giant monster Ramsey must fight in order to save Grandma, who is being squeezed by the octopus's arms. At the height of the action, the story is interrupted by Ramsey's father, who declares disbelief in a double gate-fold revealing that Ramsey is telling this story to his rapt family, making it both an entertaining tale in itself and a comment on the power of storytelling. This narrative is related primarily in English with some accompanying, unitalicized Spanish phrases. The backmatter includes an author's note, a Spanish glossary with pronunciation key, and a recipe for octopus stew.A delightful modern tall tale sure to entertain and inspire readers to share (and embroider) their own stories. (Picture book. 4-8)