Ollie is a young octopus who lives with his parents Orla and Orson in a beautiful reef under the sea, portrayed here in glowing colours. It is a happy life full of fun and friendship and the love of his parents until one day his mum Orla becomes very ill. She has an illness that 'you can't get better from' and very sadly, she dies. Both Ollie and his dad Orson are completely bereft, and as the story is told from Ollie's point of view, we learn all about the feelings this event has brought on and the questions it has caused in his mind. Sadness and pain, and loss and anger are uppermost, and he doesn't want to play or go to school: 'His head was spinning and his heart was hurting.' Life has lost its colour and even his own bright yellow-ness has faded. Dad tries to help, and because Ollie doesn't want to hurt his hurting dad, he bottles up all the feelings inside. It is only when he and dad are able to talk again at the level they both need that dad can suggest they go and talk with some of Ollie's friends about their feelings. And so, Kian the killer whale, Mika the manatee, Nicky the narwhal,and Deedee the dolphin join in the conversation with Ollie and Orson and talk about their many different feelings about the death of someone they have loved. These feelings are very specific and well explained - guilt, anger, sadness, shock, worry, and loneliness, and the friends also talk about how these feelings find expression in one's body with things like tummy jitters or feeling frozen or foggy. After all this, the friends come up with eight (like an octopus's arms) different feelings they have discussed and eight different ways of coping with them. In the end, Ollie is feeling some better, although he and his dad know that healing is going to take a long time and much effort, and that never, never will they forget Orla. The text is very movingly written, and the illustrations outstanding. A beautiful book that will provide comfort and solace. There is a picture of Ollie that can be photocopied for colouring-in and some questions that can be used in schools or by parents or carers. Available from Amazon, from book shops or from the publisher: www.jkp.com.