Octi the Octopus Faces His Fear

Octi the Octopus is the second in a series of seven books by Joanne M. Weber. Flabby Rabbit was the first creation, born from a childhood story Joanne wrote for her own children over forty years ago. Joanne and Ken's daughter Kendra agreed to illustrate. After many rejections because they had their own illustrator, Joanne decided to self publish. Flabby Rabbit became an instant favorite of many children. Joanne and Kendra decided to keep going in this series of rhyming stories, each with its own message of good living to the readers. Octi the Octopus addresses the issue of fear. When after one reading to her two and three year old grandchildren and hearing them grasp the issue of dealing with fear, Joanne was encouraged to press on. Kendra's watercolors once again blend beautifully with the story, delighting children of all ages. It is especially gratifying to chuckle together with teen age grandchildren over this book. I believe it is encouraging them to write too. As stated in Joanne's biography on the cover, this is a goal for both Joanne and Kendra. Encouraging young writers and artists has its own reward. Joanne was encouraged to write since she was about ten years old. Kendra also began to sketch when she was very young. She sees the critters, then puts them to paper. Careful outlining is the final step to bring the work to life.