Cowboy and Octopus

If I had to sum up this book in one word, that word would almost certainly have to be "quirky". Not a word I like, but an excellent description of this book :)

The book is a series of very short stories about two paper cut-outs, a cowboy and an octopus. (Boy, you weren't expecting that, were you?)

Mostly, the vignettes are just pure silliness, but there's an element of "What does it mean to be a friend" in many of them as well.

Most of the jokes aren't going to take an adult by surprise (or, for that matter, a lot of little kids), but they set-up and illustrations still combine to make them really, inexplicably funny.

I fully recommend this book to anybody who has a five year old, will have a five year old, once had a five year old, or has ever come within 1000 feet of a five year old.

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LibraryThing member VandyGirl

“Cowboy and Octopus” is a compilation of seven short adventures of the two friends, starting from the first time they meet. They do things that friends typically do, like playing on a see-saw, telling jokes, and dressing up for Halloween.

This story is more than a little silly, but that is truly

its main appeal. It will make children, parents, and teachers laugh out loud. The collage-style illustrations just keep the silliness going. On top of this, it really does teach some good lessons about what it means to be a true friend, like helping each other out, appreciating each other, and telling the truth. K – 2nd grade

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LibraryThing member alliek710

A very funny and entertaining book that will guarantee a laugh out of any child. A great book to just have for variety and a good laugh.

LibraryThing member chron002

Cowboy and octopus are best friends. Several mini stories. Very funny and tells several jokes. Great for 1st graders. I liked the book.

LibraryThing member danusia

OMG! The team of Scieszka/Smith do it AGAIN! Random hilarious exchanges between cowboy and octopus. Each vignette is separate, stands alone as a quick story. Illustrations are in collage form, Big double page spreads for group sharing.Children are taught lessons of friendship, and cooperation.

LibraryThing member roseannes

This was on display at the library and how could I not pick it up? The pictures were so cool! And I love octopii! It did not disappoint. Was fun and funny and the illustrations were fun to look at. It was a really cute, hilarious book about friendship. I think that it would fit well in a unit about

friendship or about multiculturalism since it emphasizes overcoming differences.

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LibraryThing member caroljeanr

didn't care for language, not good for read aloud

LibraryThing member cmbohn

Themes: friendship, honesty, fun
Setting: the playground, Cowboy's house and Octopus's house

Cowboy is trying to seesaw, but it doesn't work with just one person. Then Octopus comes along and the two become friends. This is a very silly book, but it made me smile. If the idea of a cowboy and an

octopus being friends doesn't sound like fun, don't bother with the book. That's pretty much the whole story. Cowboy invites his friend over for a surprise dinner - beans with bacon. Octopus doesn't like beans, but he likes his friend, so he eats one to be polite. There are a few more stories, but they are all pretty much like that. The pictures are great. It's just a fun book about two unlikely friends. 4 stars.

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LibraryThing member nancyken

Cowboy and Octopus maintain their friendship despite different opinions about things like beans and knock-knock jokes and Halloween costumes.

LibraryThing member heby

At first glance I thought this book looked odd and the title was even more bizarre but that is the humour in this book. The collage effect of the illustrations gives the reader a sense that a little boy or girl is creating these short stories. The silliness of the stories are funny in themselves

and made my daughters (age 6 and 9) laugh out loud. We read it three times in a row!

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LibraryThing member kidlit9

Although Cowboy and Octopus have different opinions about beans and knock-knock jokes, their friendship endures.

LibraryThing member eangers

Cowboy & Octopus is a nominee of the 2011 The Monarch Award.

From the author and illustrator pair that brought 'The Stinky Cheese Man' comes the next great pairing- Octopi and cowboys!
Cowboy & Octopus is a collection of short stories by Jon Scieszka that showcase the growing friendship between a

cephalopod and a western character. The story is an easy opportunity to brush up on a fun western twangy accent, while enjoying the little easter eggs sprinkled throughout the book. The stories are humorous and touch on understanding what friends mean, teamwork, and honesty.

The format is collage with a mish mash of media that makes it very captivating to look at. The jokes in the story are funny across a wider audience than just the intended age group of picture books. The illustrations by Lane Smith were a perfect pairing for the text, and the collaging spilled over into each mini-story's title, which made the format flow even better. It seemed the more you look through the book the more the themes of the ocean and the farm are interwoven. It is so well done that it is hardly noticeable at first. Little jokes were sprinkled throughout the book, starting with the dedications from both cowboy and octopus (to who else? octopus and cowboy!). This book really is a treat to read aloud, look over and listen to. A beautiful marriage of illustrator and author, it definitely deserves to be looked at.

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LibraryThing member melscott

Genre: easy book fantasy

Media: collage/ trumpl-lieo

Can it be? Cowboy and Octopus friends at last? These two cut-out characters finally meet and instantly hit it off. But both Cowboy and Octopus have their own unique sense of humor, taste in food, and ideas. Somehow the odd couple find the patience

and thoughtfulness to do what it takes to earn and keep a lasting friendship.

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LibraryThing member Kaitlyn.Johnston

Though the story itself is one of my less favored works by Scieszka, I have to say that the illustrations by Lane Smith are equal parts adorable and impressive. With a unique collage style in place, the book gives a sense of whimsy that would appeal to lower elementary readers, or those who would

find humor in seeing an octopus dressed as the tooth fairy. The story itself has very little plot, simply following the day-to-day adventures and talks between Cowboy and his best friend Octopus. I would suggest using this book for class discussion on illustrators, though the story itself is a bit silly.

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LibraryThing member matthewbloome

To call this anything other than absurdly funny would be dishonest. And Cowboy wouldn't like that. A good primay humor book. I laughed and laughed.

LibraryThing member tona.iwen

Personal connection: I was interested in this story both because of the title and the cutout illustrations on the cover. The story was humorous and I liked the portrayal of the two friends – there is give and take in friendship and this is certainly a good example of a diverse

friendship!
Curricular connections may be made with first and second grade in language arts by having students writing their own knock-knock jokes; and in science, with an octopus research project.

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LibraryThing member lissabeth21

So maybe 2.5... I wanted to like this so much more than I actually did. Some scenes made me chuckle, but for the most part it was too off the wall even for us. The boys didn't really gravitate to it beyond the fact that two characters who are literally and figuratively worlds apart become friends.

It's an immensely funny premise, but just didn't live up to its full potential.

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LibraryThing member efakkema09

Summary: Cowboy and Octopus decide that they will be friends and then have multiple funny, silly adventures together as they tell jokes, dress up in scary costumes, and enjoy a beautiful day.

Critique: This book is a great example of fantasy because there are two unbelievable friends, Cowboy and

Octopus, whose friendship is relatable to many of our own. The result is a funny, fantastical story that students can still relate to. Plot: This book is a great example of using episodic plots because it is really a few short stories with the same main characters compiled to create one book. As a result, there is absolutely no linear plot, but each little episode has it's own "mini plot."

Media: collage

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LibraryThing member quondame

This book explores the results if "octo and the cowboy should be friends", but leaves us wondering if they really should.

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