But the plot doesn't let us down either. There are several plot lines running side by side and they are all interesting and don't distract from each other. I feel middle grade is at its best when it doesn't talk down to its audience and gets dark... and this one certainly does. For one it involves real science, and nature in all its beauty, but also its cruelty. Yes, I shed several tears. It also shows the cruelty some workers were victim to at the time. You may be familiar to the Matchgirls that went on strike in 1888. In this book we visit a workplace that dies fabric Paris green, used a lot in Vinnie's job as a milliner. Paris Green was made by combining copper acetate with arsenic. And we get to see quite a few side effects working with these toxins can have on a young girl, including death. We also get to experience a cruel manager, including beating his employees. So that is certainly something to be aware of. Vinnie is a fantastic artist always designing hats for her mother, but this changes when she is rushed off to live with her aunt.

Octopus Teacher' Lets Filmmaker Into Secret World". Voice of America – English. 9 September 2020 . Retrieved 17 October 2020.The incredible octopus, Ghost, serves as a central character, revealing its astonishing capabilities and emotional depth: it helped that I had read several octopus non-fiction texts prior to this. I felt like I already knew Ghost. The bond between Vinnie and Ghost is particularly heartwarming, drawing readers even closer to this fascinating animal. Decades ago, as a child, I read a book about a guy who befriends an octopus, becoming aware of its intelligence and curiosity and then having to live through the drama of his friend dying. My Octopus Teacher is basically the same thing, only it's a documentary. Octopi are marvelous creatures, both in their weird biology and their incredible intelligence. Numerous anecdotes have them use tools, enjoy beauty and create artistic work, be able to personally connect to the people they encounter. That is amazing from a completely non social creature that can rarely live more than a year. In terms of intelligence, no animal or man comes close in that small time span. Author Guy Bass introduces SCRAP, about one robot who tried to protect the humans on his planet against an army of robots. Now the humans need his... What makes this story great is that is has an intriguing plot but also interesting characters that grow a lot throughout the story. Vinnie realises she has had a very sheltered life. Before this she has never been alone. She has never had to do her hair herself, go to the shop, make any decisions, know what she likes... her mother did everything for her. Through the book she comes to realise that the way she lives isn't normal, and that her mother isn't as holly as she was lead to believe. She has to make several difficult decisions, between what is right and between the promises she has made/people she loves. It makes Vinnie a very interesting and real character to follow. SA filmmaker's documentary captivates the world". Algoa FM. 22 September 2020 . Retrieved 26 December 2020.

By the time the pandemic hit this year, my new book Darwin’s Dragons was already finished, printed and ... InterNewsCast (19 September 2020). "Where was 'My Octopus Teacher' on Netflix Filmed?". Internewscast . Retrieved 19 October 2020. Slowly a trust developed... she let me into her secret world... she taught me what could be termed a type of octopus language... she taught me about my own humanity and our connection to nature."Craig Foster started swimming daily in the freezing waters of South Africa's Cape Peninsular in a bid to counter work burn-out, only to develop a relationship with... an octopus. Child labour during Victorian times is something children are regularly taught about, but which often focuses on chimney sweeps or factory workers. By introducing the girls caught in the fashion trade, Lindsay Galvin exposes the cruel conditions endured and the consequences of fulfilling the caprices for a certain style or trend. Parallels can be drawn with today’s ‘fast fashion’ and the exploitation of cheap labour to meet this demand.