Divya Srinivasan

Octopus leaves her cave in a lively reef because she is shy and the seahorses there find her fascinating, but when she finds a quieter, more peaceful spot she misses her home and friends.

A young narrator describes herself as many things at the same time -- a girl, a granddaughter, Indian, American, both selfish and generous, mean and kind -- and these seeming contradictions are precisely what makes her a unique individual.