The incredible Oik the crab by James Nott

Little Steps Publishing, 2018. ISBN 9781925545302
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Oik the crab lives on the Great Barrier Reef and he is cheeky. Actually, Oik is rude! He teases a sea slug, is rude to a clownfish and ignores a lionfish. Oik's mum and dad are not happy. They remind Oik to be kind to the other sea creatures or he will not have any friends. Before you know it, Oik insults a seahorse and makes a threat. Mother crab is shocked and Oik is grounded. It is time for the adult crabs to migrate and Oik is left on his own. His mum and dad hope this will make Oik change. A freak accident causes Oik to lose an arm. Will this accident help Oik see how mean he has been? Will it help him change his behaviour?
The incredible Oik the crab is a lovely story about treating others well. Each chapter sees Oik changing and becoming a better crab. Readers will see other sea creatures wanting to help Oik instead of avoid him. The story also informs readers of the repair and action needed to support the health of the Great Barrier Reef.
The incredible Oik the crab is packed full of positive themes and ideas. It is a great first chapter book and its large format, hard cover and colourful illustrations make it a rather special addition to any library. It would make an excellent read aloud or bedtime story, offering many discussion points including how to treat others, believing in yourself and everyone is responsible for the environment in a small or large way. The descriptive language and character descriptions would also be good for reading in the classroom during Child protection lessons, Health, Science, Geography or English. This story is highly recommended for readers aged 4+ with an adult and independent readers aged 8+.
Kylie Kempster