Description "I'm the finger octopus. Keep sucking your finger so I can grow bigger." I suck my finger. It doesn't matter if Mom wraps it in a bandage or my sister rubs mustard on it—nothing works. When I get sleepy, my finger ends up in my mouth before I even realize it. That's why the thumb on my left hand has swollen up and grown a callus, looking really ugly. It looks just like an octopus's face. 'This is so embarrassing. I wish this octopus would just disappear.' I pressed down hard on the octopus with my fingernail. Then it cried out, "Ouch, that hurts!" And it spoke to me. "I'm the finger octopus. You've sucked your finger so much that I've grown this big. Keep sucking your finger so I can grow even bigger." Oh no, what should I do? Can I make the finger octopus disappear? Overcoming a Thumb-Sucking Habit Through Self-Determination "Finger Octopus" tells the story of a child with a thumb-sucking habit who, after the finger octopus appears, decides through sheer willpower to break the habit. Children have vivid imaginations and often believe their imagination could become real. The child in "Finger Octopus" believes that if they keep sucking their finger, the finger octopus will just keep growing bigger. The child grows anxious, imagining that the octopus might grow so huge that they won't even be able to leave the house. So even when the finger octopus begs to be sucked, the child holds back. In the end, when the finger octopus begs for one final suck, the child gives in—and discovers that it 'no longer tastes good.' Because the child made the decision on their own and acted on it, sucking their finger has lost all meaning. Now the child walks into elementary school with a bright, confident expression. A child who accomplishes something through their own effort gains higher self-esteem, and with each new experience, grows more confident in tackling anything. "Finger Octopus" beautifully portrays how a child's self-esteem grows through the process of overcoming a common habit. A Compelling Story That Empowers Every Child The story, narrated directly by the book's young protagonist, describes something that could never really happen—yet it feels more real and more moving than many ordinary tales. Readers naturally understand the frustration of not wanting to suck your finger but doing it anyway without realizing it, as well as the fear and anxiety of having a finger octopus suddenly appear. The finger octopus, who only speaks when the child is alone, feels a little maddening, and watching it gradually fade away brings a real sense of satisfaction. When the child sucks their finger one last time, and the triumphant finger octopus fills the entire page, readers can't help but root with all their heart for the child to finally defeat it. In the end, the child—having overcome the thumb-sucking habit entirely on their own—walks hand in hand with their mother to their elementary school entrance ceremony, looking proud and happy. Even after closing the book, the child's final words linger in the heart: "After that, I never sucked my finger again. Maybe it's thanks to the finger octopus." "Finger Octopus" will surely bring strength not only to children with a thumb-sucking habit, but to every child facing challenges big and small.