Walker Books

Book title: The Keeper of the Octopus by Neridah McMullin

Reviewer: Charlotte Snedden 

Despite a significant portion of Australians living near the water, it can be difficult to introduce younger audiences to the current struggles our native aquatic ecosystems are facing. Neridah McMullin addresses these challenging concepts in her highly engaging children’s book, The Keeper of the Octopus.

After Pippy Cocklebiddy’s mother has passed away, she is left struggling with feelings of grief and abandonment as she waits for her father to return home from the sea. Surrounded by the ocean, Pippy explores her local surroundings accompanied by her numerous collections of local friends and animals, being rescued after falling from her ship by a mysterious, large creature. Revealing her mother’s secret, her Uncle Isaac encourages Pippy to follow her mother’s footsteps to become the keeper of their local gigantic octopus, Octavia. Supposedly one in a long line of legendary octopuses who have kept their village safe, the arrival of a mischievous group of Italian fishermen sees Pippy overcome her fears to continue to protect not only Octavia, but their entire local aquatic ecosystem.

McMullin’s passion for aquatic life flows through every sentence, where interesting facts about various sea creatures are dispersed amongst charming descriptions, from coral to seals, sharks and birds. Depicting the dangers of overfishing in a manner engaging for children is not an easy task, but McMullin’s writing easily simplifies the concept for young readers, showing the importance of all marine animals in the ecosystem, as well as the dangers that can occur when the balance of species is changed. The depictions of drag nets and overfishing is appropriately horrifying, and the evocative language has continued to stick with me long after finishing the novel.

Magical realism is a fascinating genre and The Keeper of the Octopus uses its conventions perfectly to create an interesting setting. Hobgoblins live in people’s houses and assist with cooking, and her albatross friend constantly guides her away from danger. Well known for being superstitious, McMullin flawlessly links the various beliefs of fisherman to the genre, resulting in an exciting climax.

I was particularly taken by the depiction of Alzheimers/Dementia, which can be a difficult topic for children to understand. With a growing aging population, Australian children will increasingly be encountering people who are struggling with its effects, and the depiction of Uncle Isaac (who sometimes has “lost his words”) is heart breakingly accurate. This links nicely to the wider theme of community that McMullin depicts, where the village continues to support Uncle Isaac throughout his difficult periods and assists Pippy with feeding Octavia. It is this collection of interesting characters (both human and animal!) that ensures that Pippy is able to build her confidence and courage, enabling her to ultimately protect both their village and their sea environment. Children will find much to enjoy in The Keeper of the Octopus, which succinctly reminds them: “You don’t have to be big to care for something. You only have to be big of heart”.

Loved reading about The Keeper of the Octopus? Imagine the impact of helping a child discover their first favourite book.

By supporting Booktober, you’re helping the next generation in Western Sydney and regional NSW find their voice - and maybe even write the books you’ll be reading in the future.

Donate today at booktober.org.au/donate

Or Support a Bookworm like Charlotte at booktober.org.au/users/charlotte-snedden

Reviewer’s bio:

Charlotte’s writing has previously been published in ARNA, Gems Zine, Kill Your Darlings and the anthology novel Everything All At Once (Ultimo Press). She is a WestWords Academian, has also won the Ultimo Prize and been shortlisted for the Inner West’s Young Creative Awards.

As a musician, Charlotte has performed throughout Sydney, received her AmusA in Musical Theatre (Distinction) and released her original music online.