There's an Octopus in My Class

The story

Sometimes distance makes the unfamiliar feel even bigger.

A boy decides he does not want to go to school because there is an octopus in his class. He keeps his distance through class, lunch, reading time, and recess.

The less he knows about the classmate he is avoiding, the more certain he becomes that they could never belong together. A conversation on the playground finally gives him a chance to look again.

The story gives children a warm, concrete way to talk about first impressions, assumptions, and the difference between noticing someone and actually knowing them.

Who the book is for

A story children can enjoy and adults can build on.

Families

For conversations about unfamiliar people, quick judgments, kindness, and giving someone a real chance.

Classrooms

For read-aloud discussions about belonging, inclusion, first impressions, and how classmates learn about one another.

Counseling spaces

For helping children examine assumptions without turning the discussion into a lecture or forcing a perfect answer.

Inside the book

Soft watercolor artwork, school-day moments, and a classmate who is hard to ignore.

The illustrations move through the classroom and playground while keeping the emotional distance between the two characters visible.

Interior title page showing the octopus working in class while children play outside — The octopus works quietly in the classroom while the boy stays outside with familiar friends.

Watercolor schoolyard with the octopus visible through a classroom window — The school setting keeps the story grounded in the everyday choices children make around belonging.

Includes a note for parents and caregivers

The back matter helps adults discuss first impressions, social categorization, and the role that respectful contact can play in reducing fear and judgment. It also offers age-aware ways to help children respond with curiosity rather than a quick conclusion.

About the author

Matthew M. Morano, PhD, LCMHC

Dr. Matt Morano is an educator, therapist, parent, and children's book author. His stories give children and adults a memorable way to begin conversations that are often harder to start directly.

More about Dr. Morano