Alex And The Squid

Alex loves books, but he never has any money in his backpack to spend at the school book fair. But when there's a new book about squids and octopuses the animals he loves the most Alex makes a quick decision to sneak it into this backpack and take it home. When Alex doesn't have money for the school book fair, he makes a decision with giant consequences Alex made a decision. In a quick motion, he tucked the book under his arm and walked back to the classroom. And yet, drifting under the current of excitement, something poked and tugged at him. Every year when the school book fair comes around, Alex just can't bear it. He loves books, but he never has any money to spend. But when there's a new book about squids and octopuses the animals he's most fond of at this year's fair, Alex decides to steal it. He sneaks it into his backpack and takes it home. But then the golden giant squid from the book begins to visit him in his dreams, and Alex has to decide how to make things right. . Features a relatable main character who loves books and cephalopods . Deals with the topic of privilege and fairness in an approachable, kid-friendly way . Endnotes provide more information about cephalopods, an author's note, and a social-emotional exercise about making mistakes AGES: 6 to 8 AUTHOR: Meghan Wilson Duff wanted to be a marine biologist when they grew up, but got distracted trying to figure out people and became a clinical psychologist. Meghan's debut picture book is How Are You, Verity? When not writing for children, they teach undergraduate psychology and provide autistic-affirming professional development for schools and mental health professionals. They live in Bangor, Maine, USA. MeghanWilsonDuff.com Nathalie Dieterlé is a children's book author and illustrator whose childhood in Ghana and early years in Cameroon shaped her vibrant artistic voice. She studied graphic design in Paris before refining her illustration skills at the Arts Décoratifs School in Strasbourg. Her work has appeared in nearly eighty children's books, published by major publishing houses in France and abroad - including the US, Japan, China, Brazil, the UK, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Korea. She is based in Montreuil, France. NathalieDieterle.com SELLING POINTS: . LIBRARY SETTING: Set in a school library, with a main character who loves books and a supportive librarian. . SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING: A child steals a book and then grapples with a moral dilemma about whether to return it. . SOCIOECONOMIC REPRESENTATION: Features a main character who cannot afford new books, which will spark conversations about privilege and fairness in an approachable, kid-friendly way. . AUTHOR: Written by Meghan Wilson Duff, the author of How Are You, Verity? Winner of the 2025 ALA Rainbow List Top Ten Books for Young Readers and a 2024 Maine Literary Awards Finalist. . ILLUSTRATOR: Illustrated by Nathalie Dieterlé, an award-winning illustrator whose work has appeared in over 80 books. . ENDNOTES: Endnotes provide more information about cephalopods, an author's note, and a social-emotional exercise about making mistakes