Oliver Octopus and the Unwinnable Game - by Ben Okon (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"Life's not fair!" Sue Stingray is a master at playing darts...but she can't understand why her friends have stopped playing with her until Oliver Octopus challenges her to her own Unwinnable Game. Studies show that by age four, humans (like Sue) learn to view "fairness" as equality (equal distribution), but developing true empathy requires an understanding of equity (equal opportunity) as well. Join Oliver the Octopus as he streeeeeeeetches his octopus arms and his thinking to help Sue Stingray repair her friendships.

This motivational reading book teaches children AND adults to:

● Be more fair, even when 'fair' isn't so obvious

● Build empathy, compassion, and emotional regulation

● Make a better world for yourself and others

● Stand up for what's right

For the nerds, the research behind the theme: By age 4, many children intrinsically understand fairness only as "equal distribution" (Blake, 2017). But equal opportunity (equity) is often more fair and usually results in "more equal societies" that "do better in health, education, and nutrition" (Vandemoortele, 2012). It's also critical to developing empathy and compassion (Nakkula and Toshalis, 2006) which leads to better emotional regulation and language skills (Ornaghi, Conte, Grazzani, 2022).

Review Quotes

-Reader's Favorite (5 Stars)

"Families now have the answer to their prayers...a book that explains the concept of "fairness" in a colorful, carefully crafted way that kids (and adults!) can understand."

-M.C., Amazon Reviewer