Once there was an octopus who only had five tentacles. His name was Fin. He wanted three more tentacles, but his parents said he just had to live with having only five.
He felt embarrassed because all his other octopus friends had eight tentacles, and he even asked his parents if he could get the other three for his birthday. His parents thought he could be unique with only five. Fin did not like that idea.
His birthday was in three weeks, and he thought his best friends forgot about his birthday because he didn’t know about any party. He spent all his time in his cave because he felt embarrassed that he was missing three tentacles. He had one best friend named Bianca the Catfish, who was missing half of her tail.
But then he overheard Bianca the Catfish say, “I can’t wait for Fin to find out about his surprise party!”
It must be for Finny, Fin thought. Finny was an angelfish who had a lot of friends. I’m not having a birthday party this year, my friends haven’t planned it yet. I’m going to ask Mom and Dad about a birthday party.
“No, honey, you can’t have a birthday party this year because we’re going on vacation,” his mom and dad said.
Come on! Fin thought to himself.
“I don’t want to go on a vacation. I want a party.”
Just then, his mermaid friend, Ariel, came to his house cave.
She said, “Come to the coral reef with me.”
Fin and Ariel swam to the coral reef, and all his friends were there.
They yelled, “SURPRISE! Happy birthday!”
“Is this for me?” Finn asked.
There were seaweed and sea plants everywhere. There was all of his favorite food, like clams and slugs. There was a coral cake.
“Yes!” they all said.
“Thank you, thank you. I wasn’t expecting a party. But why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because it was a surprise, and we know you like surprises!”
“I still wanted to know about it in the first place, but thank you.”
“Also, look at your present,” said Bianca the Catfish.
He opened his present. It was three foam tentacles. Finn realized that he liked the way he was before, and that he didn’t need any foam tentacles.
“Thank you! But I don’t want foam tentacles anymore. I like the way I am!”
“Me too!” they all agreed.
They all had a dance party and put lights on the tentacles and made them glow, and they all had a nice evening!
THE END
What a complete story- foreshadowing, tight and succinct!
Amazing 8 year old- maybe I can meet her someday?
I love the seaweed decor at the party and that Fin’s fav foods are clams and slugs!! The idea of Fin’s friends offering him foam tentacles is so thoughtful!
When you are a friendly octopus who people enjoy, they don’t think about your missing tentacles!
They like you anyway!!
I’m so happy that Fin accepted himself for who he is at the end of the story. Also, its great that he realized that his friends like him no matter how many tentacles he has. What a great moral to the story! I loved it!