Love, Agnes: Postcards from an Octopus

by Irene Latham, Thea Baker (Illustrations)

Agnes has a beak that can crush bones and arms and stretch wide as a car―but that doesn't make her a monster! After she comes across a postcard, Agnes, a giant Pacific octopus, strikes up a correspondence with various other creatures below―and above―the waves. Readers will delight in this unlikely introduction to the octopus life cycle.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Science, Nature, Juvenile, Humor

32 pages, Hardcover

Published October 1, 2018

About the author

Irene Latham is a poet and novelist who was born the middle child and first daughter of five kids.

Irene has lived all sorts of places and traveled worldwide. Since 1984 she has called Birmingham, Alabama, home.

She thinks growing up with three brothers was great preparation for raising her three sons. She also thinks getting a sister was one of the best things that has ever happened to her.

Irene is proud to be the only leftie in her family of origin AND in her current family.

According to Irene's Dr. Seuss' MY BOOK ABOUT ME, she has wanted to be writer since she was eight years old.

She also wanted to train a horse that her sister would ride to victory in the Kentucky Derby. That hasn't happened. Yet.

Irene didn't take a single writing course in college.

Reviews

[Julie G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've decided not to review illustrated picture books on here unless they're particularly special to my family, and this one is special.

Love, Agnes is the weirdest little book. It doesn't even make sense that the protagonist, a female octopus, is receiving and sending postcards from the sea.

Why wouldn't the paper disintegrate in the water? What are they using for postage? How have the recipients received the cards?

My questions went unanswered, but by the end of this book, I was bawling.

The artwork is stunning, and this is the third octopus who has shown up in my life in a week. I don't know what that means, but when I Googled “octopus,” I found this: "the spirit of the octopus is considered to have powerful, psychic abilities." Other traits associated with the octopus: focus, talent, innovativeness, change.

This book has a healing energy to it that I think our planet needs right now.

Special.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Absolutely adored the illustrations in this picture book - the attention to detail was fantastic (right down to the barnacles on the pier). I'd love a print or two of some of these pages! The story, however, was a bit more of a jumble of octopus-related facts and snarky messages between a human boy, Agnes the octopus, another octopus(?) and some crabs. I just wasn't sure where this story was headed while I was reading it. Is it supposed to teach the reader about octopodes? Be a funny back-and-forth between sea creatures? Teach the reader to be nicer to their siblings? I'm not sure. But it was worth a read for the pictures!

[Orla Hegarty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have just ordered this book as a gift for a young extended family member. I really enjoyed all of this book...the illustrations/story/morality/science.

If you have 4 - 8 yo on your gift list I would recommend checking out this book.

[Megan Farve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of Love, Agnes: Postcards from an Octopus from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book takes place below a peer and features Agnes the octopus, a boy named Andrew, and other sea faring friends. The illustrations by Thea Baker were vibrant and three-dimensional, unlike most children's books. They catch the eye and bring detail to the underwater world that is filled with more than just blues. You'll find yourself staring at the illustrations long after you have read the text.

I really liked this book. It not only touches upon the difficulty for children to express their emotions, but it also is educational in nature. It teaches children about feelings as well as the life-cycle of an octopus. It even ends with pages filled with octopus facts and additional resources for those children that find themselves wanting to know more about Agnes the cephalopod. The only negative I have for this book is that at one point the octopus "jetted superfast", which I thought was redundant.

This story begins with Agnes the octopus receiving a postcard from Andrew, a boy who is having trouble expressing himself to his older brother, Jack Henry. Agnes mistakes Andrew's accusations of Henry being a monster for him calling her a monster and immediately writes him back explaining that just because she can look scary looking, that she is not a monster. She then settles into her newly found home; a large jar beneath the pier.

Agnes then receives another postcard from the previous resident of the jar, McKenzie, who flaunts her youth and anger at Agnes. However, Agnes was not scared of threats, so she penned a replay stating that she had more important things to do than fight for a stinky jar. She swims away and finds a pile of rocks to nestle in.

Agnes then takes a nap, however upon waking she finds another postcard from a crab that is none to happy with her eating habits. Feeling defeated, Agnes forgoes her meal. She then writes the crab back and declares that she will leave the crabs alone if they will just be a little quieter while scurrying across the ocean floor. Agnes then lays her eggs and takes a nap.

Upon waking, Agnes finds yet another postcard from McKenzie the octopus teasing Agnes for having been chased out of the jar. She swims away only to find another postcard from Andrew who is feeling helpless about expressing his feelings about his brother. At this time, Agnes's skin starts to change colors from a vibrant red/orange to a creamy pink. Agnes writes Andrew back, once again stating that her name is Agnes, not nobody (who the card is addressed to), and offers the idea of swimming to counter anger and sadness.

At this point in the story it is easy to see that Agnes is disappointed at how fast her eggs are growing up, so she writes them a postcard wishing that they could stay eggs forever. Then the eggs hatch, but while they are swimming away Agnes writes them one last postcard, offering them advice for their journey. Agnes's job is done and her skin turns white. Then she receives her final postcard from Andrew.

Andrew explains that he never meant Agnes was a monster and that he did not think that she was nobody, that the letters had been a way of explaining his feelings for his brother, Jack Henry. He says that he looked up information about octopuses and he thought she sounded really cool. He then thanks her for advice on swimming lessons and says he is starting them next week. At this point, Agnes writes her very last postcard.

Agnes's last postcard explains what a great life she has had and how now it is time for her to say goodbye. She is grateful for the life she has led. The book ends with Agnes having passed on, however, the last few pages are filled with facts and additional resources concerning octopuses.

[Garrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is oddly surreal. It's basically about a dying mother octopus writing postcards to various people and getting nasty responses back. Like, what even is this concept?

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I personally like this one because I resonated with Agnes's irritability and overreaction to the small things (especially things that, in hindsight, are clearly not directed at her). I don't know that this is something that young children could appreciate about the book, though. So the grumpy tone throughout could be a bit confusing for younger readers.

I'm glad, as the story progresses, the energy changes. When Agnes gives out positive energy (the postcards aren't so aggressive), she receives positive energy (postcards). Versus when she was giving out negative energy, she was receiving really annoyed/grumpy cards. I'm not sure if her softening was due to her having babies or perhaps just ripening with old age.

I'm not going to lie, the ending was quite sad and I wish they could have shown her more places in the ocean.

[Paige Dillard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book made me laugh and cry. Octopuses are my favorite ocean animal and after having read this book I realize that octopus mothers are AMAZING.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book by Irene Latham surprised me. I thought it was going to be a sweet picture book, an imaginary tale between an octopus and a lonely boy, but it is much more. On one level, meeting Agnes and seeing how she acts through the story follows the actions of a real octopus. Also, Thea Baker's illustrations show the real look of an octopus down to the rectangular eye-shape and other ocean features are realistic as well as appealing. Irene has added more about octopuses and an "additional reading" list at the back.

In the story, Agnes appears to be looking for a home to rest, but finds it blocked by, "what?", a postcard. It's from someone named Andrew, who seems to be calling Agnes a monster and signing himself "your nothing". His mom says he can't do that, but he's going to do it anyway, apparently just not tell, but drop the card into the ocean.
Agnes, alarmed, replies by postcard with indignant words and the admonition to look further for octopus information. She also receives a card from MacKenzie, a younger octopus, telling Agnes that the jar is hers, please get out. Gliding along, after such unpleasant encounters, Agnes finally finds a pleasant rock pile and, safely hidden, she lays her eggs. Within the words and the illustrations, there are hints of what is coming. Agnes writes to complaining crabs that she will leave them alone if they stop "skittering and scuttling near" because her babies need rest. She signs it "Exhausted" and the picture of her shows a faded red with blotches of pink.
Readers might begin to notice changes and may wonder what happened to that boy. They won't be disappointed. Agnes performs her last realistic act of caring, for the babies, and then writes one more postcard to Andrew. If you're intrigued, I am not surprised. Each page made me want to know "What now?" My final feelings connect as a mother, that Agnes does what every octopus does, has the babies and nurtures them with love. In the end, she also manages to show her caring ways by helping Andrew, a boy she will never meet. Will we act to help without thinking of future thanks? Agnes did.
As I wrote in the beginning, Irene Latham has written a nuanced story that will surprise, and that you will love. Young readers may want to respond to Agnes with a postcard.

[Storywraps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Agnes is a giant Pacific octopus. One day she discovers a random postcard on the ocean floor and decides to respond to it. Pen in tentacle she becomes quite a prolific corresponder. She writes postcards to other seafaring animals and to the human that was responsible for the original postcard that she found.

The postcards introduce the young reader to the lifecycle of the Agnes. She imparts information about her life and her feelings through her series of her writings. This is a fun and ingenious way to be educated about this (according to the dictionary) - cephalopod mollusk with eight sucker-bearing arms, a soft saclike body, strong beaklike jaws, and no internal shell. Now that's a great definition for you.

I love the illusrations. They are expressive and vibrant pulling the reader into the story and enriching the text greatly. The author has cleverly included further information for exploration of this species citing websites and books that readily available for that purpose. I like the book a lot and would definitely recommend it.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This lovely picture book would be fun to share with young readers who would like to learn more about this fascinating ocean creature. This narrative is presented in the form of postcards between Agnes, a giant Pacific octopus, and correspondents above and below the waves. Readers go along with Agnes as she moves from place to place taking care of her wonderful eggs that will become her babies. The end of the book presents more factual information and a list of resources for further research. This could be a great mentor text for informational writing.

[Victoria Whipple · Rating 5 out of 5]

Readers get to know Agnes the giant pacific octopus through a series of postcards which she exchanges with humans, crabs, and other octopuses. Readers also get to learn about the giant Pacific octopus in general through a charming and engaging story. Research (shared in the backmatter) has shown that octopuses have distinct personalities, and Latham has given Agnes a very distinct and appealing personality.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agnes is an octopus who, after finding a random postcard in the ocean, decides to send her own postcards to various other ocean creatures. The book also touches briefly on the lifespan of an octopus.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love, Agnes: Postcards from an Octopus by Irene Latham, illustrated by Thea Baker. PICTURE BOOK. Millbrook Press (Lerner), 2018. $19. 9781512439939

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

On the ocean floor, an octopus finds a postcard from a kid on shore accusing her of being a monster. The octopus writes back, explaining its anatomy to the kid. Then the octopus gets a postcard from another octopus accusing her of stealing her house. The octopus replies that she will leave the house she found. After a few postcards, the kid on land and the octopus come to an understanding.

It took a minute to figure out that the postcards were from a variety of people and creatures, not just one. It seems like the postcards with the kid are the anchor and provide the education about an octopus, so I’m not sure why the other postcards are there. The other postcards aren’t just unnecessary, the are unnecessarily cruel, each attacking the octopus in some way. My kids liked the book, but both commented on how mean everyone in it was.

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book depicts the life cycle of an octopus in a fun way. With postcards from humans, crabs, other octopi, Agnes shares her story of what they eat, where they live, how many eggs they have, taking care of the eggs and finally her death after they hatch. The postcards were fun, but my grandson was most interested in the eggs and the babies. Perhaps because his mom is pregnant right now. There is a lot of information at the back of the book, but it seems to be too detailed and difficult for the children the story is aimed at. The illustrations are large, colourful and detailed and tell the story as well as the text. We enjoyed reading this book together and I can see it being a hit in primary classrooms. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting concept that isn't executed particularly well. One day an octopus named Agnes finds a postcard written by Andrew, a young boy who is angry at someone and decided to write about it. Agnes mistakenly believes the postcard is for her and responds, but that postcard is read by another octopus. A chain of postcards between Agnes and various sea creatures follows, ending with an exchange between the octopus and the original boy. Over the course of the book facts about octopuses are included and there is an extensive "More about Octopuses" section in the back, along with a page of suggestions for further reading. This will appeal to young readers interested in octopuses, but most kids will find the writing uninspired.

[SaraKat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't decide if I liked this book or not. The art was great, but the epistolary style of postcards being written by various living things to other living things was weird. I ended up appreciating it for some of the cuter parts. Agnes goes through the last portion of her life in this book and showcases a little about what female octopuses experience as they find a place to lay eggs and watch over them. The end pages include a lot of information about the octopus that helps explain the story a bit. I did appreciate her advice to Andrew "You can't be sad or mad when you are swimming." :) It is quite true that having a hobby to enjoy saves you from being sad or mad. I also laughed when Agnes knocked eight times on the rock pile. he he he

[Mark Robison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another GR reviewer wrote, "This book is oddly surreal. It's basically about a dying mother octopus writing postcards to various people and getting nasty responses back. Like, what even is this concept?" I'd write something almost exactly the same but instead of not liking it, I thoroughly enjoyed it for this exact reason and concept!

It's a picture book for small kids with, indeed, a surreal plot and it ends with sadness, followed by a brief 2-page description of how cool real octopuses are — and you realize that everything in the book is real (except the postcards). It's a neat way to demonstrate how awesome octopuses are — they have three hearts!

Not for everyone but I enjoyed it. Thanks to my GR friend Julie for the tip!

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Childrens Picture Book. Agnes the octopus comes across what likes a new home, but it is blocked by a postcard. She reads it, gets offended by it (even though it's not addressed to her), and responds. She then starts writing postcards to other animals as well. Very strange story that seems to exist mainly to share facts about octopuses, including that they often die after the eggs hatch. The illustrations are amazing, bright and colorful. The back matter includes interesting information about octopuses, including giving more detail to some facts mentioned in the story.

[Alexis Johnston · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is very much fiction, it tells a story of a octopus and other creatures writing letters to one another. The art throughout the book is very simple, the focus meant to be on the story. Honestly, the book was not my favorite, it seemed to have no true point to me. Agnes, the octopus, finds a letter from a human but then she struggles to find a home and THEN she has babies, it was hard for me to find the theme, and I think this is why there was simple art because the story had so many directions. For a child to read this, I think, would be difficult.

[Alicia · Rating 1 out of 5]

A picture book with nonfiction qualities yet doesn't quite meet the requirements of being a teachable story about octopi since there are random postcards being shared between creatures in the sea and kids above land. It wasn't funny and it wasn't thematic, it just seemed like a jumble of messages without any cohesion. Was it about the life cycle of an octopus? No. It wasn't about ocean conservation. It wasn't about the ecosystem of the ocean. It was a jumble of it all without the awkward postcards being exchanged that are passive aggressive.

It did not work.

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art in this book is beautiful. I love the colors. The story is funny while hitting some sweet notes and teaching a little bit along the way. I laughed several times at the contents of the postcards, sometimes snarky, being sent here and there under the sea. Good extra info about octopuses at the end of the book. Enjoyable read.

I received a free digital copy of this book via NetGalley.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I get why my boyfriend likes octopuses so much! Agnes is fascinating. I enjoyed getting facts and story mixed in together; each was balanced perfectly and never felt heavy handed or forced. And the illustrations made me want to dive right in! Would definitely recommend to octopus lovers of all ages.

I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

[Lucy Branam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, Agnes: Postcards from an Octopus starts out funny and ends bittersweet. Its narrative is a good example of how understating the situation of others can lead us to have a better upstanding of the person (or octopus) themselves.

Included at the end is a helping of interesting, true facts about octopuses.

[Danae · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really cute way to talk about the real life cycle of an octopus, with an interesting story.

Word of caution before reading out loud to a group, because the ending is rather sad and slightly grim, so I would say that this story is more of a one-on-one experience, where you can explain what is happening with great detail.

[Alyssa Gudenburr · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was conflicted with this picture book. Many of the messages were hateful and I believe the octopus dies at the end. On the other hand, some of the messages apologized for the angry words and the octopus writes love to her children. This book was an interesting concept but I am not sure it would make a good read aloud to children.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Agnes discovers an angry postcard, writes a surly one back, and keeps receiving and sending postcards from various creatures. Most of them are angsty, although the last few are a bit better. Overall, I decided that I didn't like the angriness exhibited in the missives and didn't think this book had much value for our octopus unit.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Art and educational intentions wonderful. Story and postcard premise weird & not easy to parse even if one could suspend disbelief. Still, if one child learns to treasure octopuses (yes, not octopi or octopodes, read the back matter), it's worth it. Otoh, there are even better books about them for the same audience.

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute book that takes science narrative to another level as it presents a correspondence between an octopus and a boy (and some other sea creatures) while presenting facts about animal behavior, and the near-shore environment.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agnes the octopus sends postcards to the people on the dock explaining her home, he eggs and life of an octopus. Facts and what happens after an octopus lays her eggs is sad. Good story about the ocean life of the crabs and an octopus.

[Angie Quantrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a WONDERFUL book! I love how it is told through text and postcards. True information is shared in a fictional story (of course, a real octopus would not send postcards). Beautiful illustrations!