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A fish and an octopus take a dive deep into the world of fancy footwear.

Fish approaches Octopus with an enthusiastic “Guess what?” “Do I have to?” Octopus replies. Fish reveals a surprise twist: “I have fish feet.” (Accompanying illustrations depict Fish with a pair of yellow feet.) Octopus is skeptical: “That is impossible.” Even when Fish thrusts its toes directly in front of Octopus’ face, Octopus pretends not to see them. More hijinks ensue as Fish puts on colorful socks (“Nonsense”) and stylish disco shoes (“Rubbish”). At every turn, Octopus explains that fish cannot do these things because fish do not have feet. Fish remains innocently (and hilariously) unfazed. Tension builds as Octopus gets more and more irritated and eventually tells Fish off. Fish finally agrees to cool it but first gives Octopus an unexpected gift: colorful socks and stylish shoes (for Octopus’ tentacles). Now they can dance together! This expertly paced graphic novel proves disco is far from dead under the sea. Miller puts a refreshing spin on the odd couple pairing, with Octopus undergoing a quick change of heart and joining the fun. The simple backgrounds allow readers to really focus on the small details that change from each single-page panel, especially the facial expressions. The question of how Fish even got feet goes unresolved—a brilliantly bizarre touch.

Funny from start to fin-ish. (Graphic early reader. 4-8) -Kirkus

A very overexcited and silly Fish tells his grumpy friend Octopus that he has fish feet, and Octopus, using repetitive words, tells Fish that it’s simply not possible. In full-page spreads with comic-style speech bubbles, Fish begins to demonstrate that yes, he has feet. With his fish feet, he can wear colorful socks, fancy shoes, and even dance disco. In a humdrum manner, Octopus keeps saying Fish cannot have feet and so he cannot do any of the things mentioned. Disappointed, Fish seems to finally register Octopus’s words and presents his very serious friend with a present: eight of his very own special shoes and socks. Octopus is delighted, and the two decide they can try being more serious tomorrow. This is an Early Reader “I Can Read” graphic title that introduces beginner readers to comics in its most simplistic format. Miller’s humorous text and delightfully bold illustrations perfectly capture the odd-couple relationship of these undersea creatures. The beginning of the book includes a “How to Read Comics Guide,” as well as definitions and examples of basic comic components.

VERDICT An early introduction to comics and goofiness for youngsters; a great addition to children’s library collections.– School Library Journal

Fish has a hard time convincing Octopus that he has sprouted feet in this I Can Read Comics title. Readers will observe that Fish obviously has feet—with toes—but Octopus says his friend must be imagining things. He remains earnestly incredulous throughout the story while Fish enthusiastically says he can now wear colorful socks, stylish shoes, and dance. But when Fish gives his pal a surprise gift of socks and shoes for each of his tentacles, Octopus saves his seriousness for another day. Bubblegum-pink and citrus-orange characters stand out on their deep teal-green background spreads with easy-to-read white speech bubbles. A fun read-aloud could be achieved with a new reader taking the role of Fish, who has slightly easier to read dialogue, while a more experienced reader reads as Octopus, who uses more advanced words like impossible, ridiculous, and nonsense.

Either as a shared reading experience or for graphic novel readers looking for a quick read featuring silly and serious characters, this buddy book is sure to please. - Booklist