It is not easy being an octicorn (for the uninitiated, that's half octopus, half unicorn, and as far as Octi knows, he is the only one). This means he doesn't really fit in on land or at sea, but that doesn't stop him from wanting to make friends. He has got plenty of appealing talents: octicorns can juggle, dance, and play water sports, and they are especially good at hugging. I know I look different than everyone else, but that's okay, Octi says, before cautiously asking the reader if, just maybe, they want to be his friend. The illustrations are primarily black-and-white with occasional dashes of color a blue spot in the sky when Octi says blue is his favorite color, or his red juggling balls. Octi himself, drawn in a thick black line, is a peculiar little guy. With his deer-in-headlights grimace, his mismatched eyes, and his weird physique, Octi is offbeat and lovably awkward, and his heartfelt plea for friendship is sure to be met with excited affirmation.--Reagan, Maggie Copyright 2016 Booklist

The offspring of an octopus mom and a unicorn dad, Octicorn really needs a friend. With a grim expression, line-drawn body, and mismatched eyes, Octi is still a cute little critter with remarkable self-awareness. Octi is sad to be the only one without an invitation to a cupcake partyand grasps how unusual it is to be one-of-a-kind as a species. Octi speculates about how Mom and Dad may have met ("maybe a personal ad") and reveals the perils and bonuses of having four legs and a sharp protrusion from the head. The playground merry-go-round is a challenge, but juggling and roasting marshmallows are a snap. What Octi doesn't do, unfortunately, is narrate a story that goes beyond the novelty of a book-length character introduction. By the book's end, all readers know about Octi is that it's exceptionally lonely, and not in an endearing way that invites more interest. Rather, Octi seems desperate in a way that makes the concluding invitation for hugs and friendship a call for pity instead of excitement. The doodle-simple illustrations, which seem to have been enhanced with some splashes of color in the book's transition from self-published Kickstarter project to major publisher release, only add to the feeling that this was a thin idea unable to transcend its one-joke premise. There may be plenty more adventures for Octicorn; here's hoping that they'll be more amusing than awkwardunlike this introduction. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Octi the octicorn has a horn on his head and four legs. He speculates that he could be the result of his father placing a personal ad: "Unicorn seeks Octopus for fun, friendship, and possible strange-looking offspring." Of course he's cute as can be, with a doodlelike body (picture a tentacled Pac-Man ghost with a party hat), googly eyes, and a slightly anxious, clenched grin. But it's important for Diller and Lowe, who created and self-published Octi's story several years ago, to assert that he's an outsider-Octi's cubby at school is the only one without a birthday card invite-so they can catalogue all the reasons why he'd make a wonderful friend (his horn is great for ring toss and making s'mores, less so for catching beach balls). "In the end," he says, appealing for sympathy that he doesn't really need, "we all want the same things: cupcakes, friends, and a jet ski." There's no denying Octi's star power, but the book is little more than a listicle, and readers may wonder when the real story is going to start. Ages 4-8. Agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.