Octopus

The orange paper octopus faces us with its arms spread and three hearts glowing inside it.

Fold 3, ages 8 to 10FOLD3AGES 8–10Fold 3 · Early Reader
Ages 8–10

OctopusEight Arms, Three Hearts

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Words to know

octopus
a soft sea animal with eight arms
arm
a long part an octopus uses to grab
heart
the body part that pumps blood
suckers
round cups on an octopus's arms
beak
the hard part of the mouth, where the arms meet
camouflage
colors and shapes that help an animal hide
siphon
a tube that water shoots out of
hatch
to come out of an egg
The orange paper octopus sits on a reef at the lower left, with open sunlit water above and to the right.The orange paper octopus sits on a reef at the lower left, with open sunlit water above and to the right.The orange paper octopus sits on a reef at the lower left, with open sunlit water above and to the right.The orange paper octopus sits on a reef at the lower left, with open sunlit water above and to the right.

This is an octopus.

An octopus lives in the sea. No octopus lives in a pond or a lake.

The orange paper octopus sits on a reef at the lower left, with open sunlit water above and to the right.The orange paper octopus sits on a reef at the lower left, with open sunlit water above and to the right.The orange paper octopus sits on a reef at the lower left, with open sunlit water above and to the right.The orange paper octopus sits on a reef at the lower left, with open sunlit water above and to the right.
Mila Hello, octopus!
Omar Can we see what you can do?
The orange paper octopus stretches its eight arms out in all directions, touching shells and pebbles.The orange paper octopus stretches its eight arms out in all directions, touching shells and pebbles.The orange paper octopus stretches its eight arms out in all directions, touching shells and pebbles.

An octopus has eight arms.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight!

A close-up of an orange paper octopus arm, its round suckers pressed against a seashell.A close-up of an orange paper octopus arm, its round suckers pressed against a seashell.A close-up of an orange paper octopus arm, its round suckers pressed against a seashell.

An octopus can taste with its suckers.

The suckers can taste the things they grab!

The orange paper octopus rests on a rock; one arm is shorter, with a small new tip growing back.The orange paper octopus rests on a rock; one arm is shorter, with a small new tip growing back.The orange paper octopus rests on a rock; one arm is shorter, with a small new tip growing back.

A lost arm is no problem for an octopus. It can make a fresh one!

The orange paper octopus glows from inside, showing two small hearts, one bigger heart and thin blue lines of blood.The orange paper octopus glows from inside, showing two small hearts, one bigger heart and thin blue lines of blood.The orange paper octopus glows from inside, showing two small hearts, one bigger heart and thin blue lines of blood.

An octopus has three hearts.

Thump, thump, thump!

How many hearts do you have?

The orange paper octopus seen from below, arms spread like a star, with a small dark beak in the middle where its arms meet.The orange paper octopus seen from below, arms spread like a star, with a small dark beak in the middle where its arms meet.The orange paper octopus seen from below, arms spread like a star, with a small dark beak in the middle where its arms meet.

An octopus has a beak. The beak is the one big hard part.

The orange paper octopus squeezes its soft body through a narrow gap between two rocks.The orange paper octopus squeezes its soft body through a narrow gap between two rocks.The orange paper octopus squeezes its soft body through a narrow gap between two rocks.

An octopus has no bones, so it can squeeze. It can fit into any gap bigger than its beak.

Omar Could you fit in that gap?
The paper octopus is changing colour: one half is still orange and the other half is speckled grey-brown like the rocks.The paper octopus is changing colour: one half is still orange and the other half is speckled grey-brown like the rocks.The paper octopus is changing colour: one half is still orange and the other half is speckled grey-brown like the rocks.

Most octopuses can change color. They can make bumps on their skin, as well.

Coral rubble with an octopus hidden in it, its bumpy, speckled skin matching the stones around it.Coral rubble with an octopus hidden in it, its bumpy, speckled skin matching the stones around it.Coral rubble with an octopus hidden in it, its bumpy, speckled skin matching the stones around it.

Can you spot the octopus?

Its skin can look like the rocks. This is called camouflage.

The orange paper octopus shoots away, leaving a dark cloud of ink in front of a curious little fish.The orange paper octopus shoots away, leaving a dark cloud of ink in front of a curious little fish.The orange paper octopus shoots away, leaving a dark cloud of ink in front of a curious little fish.

Most octopuses can squirt ink. The ink hides the octopus as it slips off.

Where did it go?

The orange paper octopus zooms through the water, arms trailing behind and bubbles puffing out.The orange paper octopus zooms through the water, arms trailing behind and bubbles puffing out.The orange paper octopus zooms through the water, arms trailing behind and bubbles puffing out.

An octopus can fill up with water. It jets the water from its siphon and zips off!

Swish!

The orange paper octopus peeks out of its rocky den beside a small pile of empty shells.The orange paper octopus peeks out of its rocky den beside a small pile of empty shells.The orange paper octopus peeks out of its rocky den beside a small pile of empty shells.

Lots of octopuses live in a den. A den can be a crack in the rocks.

Octopuses often pile the shells from lunch by the den.

The orange paper octopus spreads its arms like an umbrella over a small crab on the sand.The orange paper octopus spreads its arms like an umbrella over a small crab on the sand.The orange paper octopus spreads its arms like an umbrella over a small crab on the sand.

Most octopuses live and hunt alone.

They munch on crabs, clams and fish.

Run, crab!

In an aquarium, the orange paper octopus twists the lid off a glass jar with a crab inside.In an aquarium, the orange paper octopus twists the lid off a glass jar with a crab inside.In an aquarium, the orange paper octopus twists the lid off a glass jar with a crab inside.

An octopus in a tank can open a jar!

This one twists the lid to get the crab inside.

The orange paper octopus reaches one arm toward a diver's open hand.The orange paper octopus reaches one arm toward a diver's open hand.The orange paper octopus reaches one arm toward a diver's open hand.

In one test, octopuses in a tank met two humans. The humans had on the same clothes. The octopuses could tell which one fed them!

A brown octopus with fine dark lines walks across the sand carrying two halves of a coconut shell.A brown octopus with fine dark lines walks across the sand carrying two halves of a coconut shell.A brown octopus with fine dark lines walks across the sand carrying two halves of a coconut shell.

Some octopuses lug coconut shells across the sand. Then they hide inside!

Mila Would you hide in a coconut?
A striped brown-and-white mimic octopus spreads its arms wide like a lionfish on the sand.A striped brown-and-white mimic octopus spreads its arms wide like a lionfish on the sand.A striped brown-and-white mimic octopus spreads its arms wide like a lionfish on the sand.

The mimic octopus can pose as a flatfish. It can even look like a snake!

A mother octopus in her den blows water over long strings of tiny white eggs.A mother octopus in her den blows water over long strings of tiny white eggs.A mother octopus in her den blows water over long strings of tiny white eggs.

A mother octopus sits with the eggs. She puffs fresh water on them and scrubs them.

Hundreds of tiny see-through baby octopuses drift through sunlit water full of plankton.Hundreds of tiny see-through baby octopuses drift through sunlit water full of plankton.Hundreds of tiny see-through baby octopuses drift through sunlit water full of plankton.

Then the eggs hatch!

Many small octopuses drift for a long time.

A huge reddish, wrinkly giant Pacific octopus spreads its arms in a kelp forest beside a much smaller diver.A huge reddish, wrinkly giant Pacific octopus spreads its arms in a kelp forest beside a much smaller diver.A huge reddish, wrinkly giant Pacific octopus spreads its arms in a kelp forest beside a much smaller diver.

This octopus is huge.

Its egg was as small as a grain of rice!

A tiny octopus, about the size of a fingernail, sits in a little shell next to a pebble.A tiny octopus, about the size of a fingernail, sits in a little shell next to a pebble.A tiny octopus, about the size of a fingernail, sits in a little shell next to a pebble.

Some octopuses are still small when they are adults.

This one hides in a shell.

A cut-away view of the ocean from a sunny reef down into the dark deep sea, with octopuses at different depths.A cut-away view of the ocean from a sunny reef down into the dark deep sea, with octopuses at different depths.A cut-away view of the ocean from a sunny reef down into the dark deep sea, with octopuses at different depths.

Octopuses live in seas all across the world.

Some live in sunlit water close to land.

A cut-away view of the ocean from a sunny reef down into the dark deep sea, with octopuses at different depths.A cut-away view of the ocean from a sunny reef down into the dark deep sea, with octopuses at different depths.A cut-away view of the ocean from a sunny reef down into the dark deep sea, with octopuses at different depths.

Some live in water with ice on top. Some live down at the bottom.

It is as black as ink down there!

The orange paper octopus sits on a coral reef and waves one arm hello.The orange paper octopus sits on a coral reef and waves one arm hello.The orange paper octopus sits on a coral reef and waves one arm hello.

What would you do with eight arms?

Omar I would hug eight pals at once! Would you?
The orange paper octopus waves goodbye from the door of its den in golden evening light.The orange paper octopus waves goodbye from the door of its den in golden evening light.The orange paper octopus waves goodbye from the door of its den in golden evening light.

So long, octopus!

Mila What do you want to ask the octopus?

Test time!

  1. How many hearts does an octopus have?

    Show the answer

    Three.

  2. What can an octopus taste with?

    Show the answer

    Its suckers.

  3. Does an octopus have bones?

    Show the answer

    No, it has no bones.

  4. What tube can an octopus jet water from?

    Show the answer

    Its siphon.

  5. What do some octopuses hide in?

    Show the answer

    Coconut shells.

Look at the octopus

The end

Octopus: Eight Arms, Three Hearts

See the printed pages
Front cover of Octopus: Escape Artist of the Sea, Fold 4The next fold upOctopus: Escape Artist of the SeaFold 4 · Explorer · Ages 10–12 All six books

For grown-ups

Your child reads this book to you. Before you start, read the eight Words to know on page 3 together: they are the words the book needs before your child's phonics lessons reach them. Nearly every other word sounds out with first-grade phonics: short vowels, blends, sh, ch and th, and silent-e words. The reading pages use full-page pictures with one to three short sentences in a cream caption card. When a word stops them, sound it out together. If it is one of the eight Words to know, point back to it and its picture on page 3. The quiz on page 30 has its answers printed upside down. A child just starting to read can begin with Fold 1, Go, Octopus, Go! If your child wants more, Fold 4, Octopus: Escape Artist of the Sea, tells the same facts in more depth.

The next step for a child who reads alone. Short sentences, a picture on every reading page, the tricky words taught before the story starts, and a quiz at the end.

Ages
8–10
Trim
6 × 9 in
Pages
32
Words
548
Reading grade
1.7
See the printed pages

From the octopus facts episode of our video series. All six books tell this fact too.