The Octopus

Poor Barney has chicken pox, and he's itching something awful. Thank goodness Grandpa knows how to help! His famous anti-itch stories will have Barney feeling better in no time—especially the story about how Grandpa bravely battled a fierce octopus with a toilet plunger one dark and stormy night . . . .

The creator of the popular beginning readers about Minnie and Moo and Elvis the Rooster, Denys Cazet captures the humor and warmth between grandfather and grandson with this zany story-within-a-story delight.



About the Author:


Denys Cazet is the author and illustrator of more than 25 picture books for children, including Never Spit On Your Shoes, winner of the California Young Readers Medal.

The books about Minnie and Moo are his first for beginning readers. He was inspired to tell stories about the silly cow best-friends when he passed a herd of cows in which all but two were facing the same way. The other two stood next to each other, facing in the opposite direction from the rest of the cows. He immediately dubbed the two nonconformists Minnie and Moo and imagined the adventures two cows who were loyal friends rather than followers of the herd. Mr. Cazet is currently writing I Can Read Books featuring Elvis the Rooster from the farm on which Minnie and Moo live.

Mr. Cazet was an elementary school teacher for 25 years, and has also been a school librarian and elementary school media specialist. He remains active in his local elementary school parent and advisory committees. A California native, Mr. Cazet lives with his family in the foothills of the Napa Valley.