Secrets of the Octopus by Sy Montgomery

Secrets of the Octopus

Sy Montgomery, Warren K. Carlyle IV

Disney Publishing Group · Paperback · September 23, 2025

Take an illuminating journey into the life of the octopus, one of nature’s most intelligent and complex animals.

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Who it’s for
Vivid imagery and warm storytelling make the octopus’s intelligence and strange brilliance a pleasure to explore.
Themes
Octopus intelligence, Camouflage and adaptation, Octopus research and conservation
Genres
Marine Life, Marine Biology, Animal Behavior

About this book

Take an illuminating journey into the life of the octopus, one of nature’s most intelligent and complex animals. Come closer than ever to these elusive creatures, thanks to insights from an international bestselling author—working with the founder of OctoNation and the world's top octopus researchers—all enhanced with vivid National Geographic photography.

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The companion to the popular National Geographic Disney+ special Secrets of the Octopus, narrated by Paul Rudd, this beautifully illustrated book explores the underwater world of the octopus—a creature that resembles an alien lifeform, but whose behavior has earned it a reputation as one of the most intelligent animals on the planet. This journey into the world of the octopus will reveal how the large and capable brain of these creatures occupies their whole body–not just their heads—and they can actually adjust their genetic makeup to respond to the demands of the environment. It will allow readers to watch them change shape and color in order to camouflage themselves more effectively than any other species. And it will divulge how octopus mothers give their all in order to bring forth a new generation. With this offering, acclaimed author Sy Montgomery—known, thanks to her bestselling book, as the “octopus whisperer”—returns to the species she knows and loves, offering current and compassionate stories about the scientists on the front lines of octopus research and conservation. Working with her is Warren Carlyle—founder of OctoNation, the world's largest octopus fan club—who add 16 "octoprofiles" to this beautiful book. For all animal lovers—and especially those drawn to this magical marine being—this will be a book to relish, for both its fascinating imagery and its charming storytelling.

Octopus Up Close

Vivid imagery and warm storytelling make the octopus’s intelligence and strange brilliance a pleasure to explore.

Come here for

  • A closer look at octopus behavior, camouflage, and remarkable brains
  • National Geographic photography alongside stories from researchers and conservationists

Expect

  • Compassionate storytelling from Sy Montgomery
  • Sixteen octopus profiles and an underwater world in pictures

Where it sits

Marine Life68%
Marine Biology64%
Animal Behavior41%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Marine Life
  • Underwater Photography
  • Animal Behavior
Authors
Sy Montgomery, Warren K. Carlyle IV
Publisher
Disney Publishing Group
Published
September 23, 2025
Format
Paperback
Theme
Octopus intelligence · Camouflage and adaptation · Octopus research and conservation
Reading lane
Marine Life