Octopus novel authoring coming to Whidbey
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, October 20, 2026
The author of a bestselling novel about an unlikely friendship between a widow and a giant Pacific octopus will visit Oak Harbor this week as part of a community reading program.
Shelby Van Pelt, author of “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” will appear at the Oak Harbor Yacht Club at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22. The event is part of Sno-Isle Libraries’ annual Sno-Isle Reads Together program, which encourages residents of Snohomish and Island counties to read the same book and come together for discussions and activities.
Van Pelt, who was born and raised in Washington, published her debut novel in 2022. The book became a bestseller and attracted readers with its unusual narrator, Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus who has little patience for the humans who keep him captive in an aquarium.
The story follows Tova Sullivan, a widow who takes a job cleaning the fictional Sowell Bay Aquarium at night. Keeping busy helps her cope with the loss of her husband and the mysterious disappearance of her 18-year-old son, Erik, who vanished from a boat in Puget Sound more than 30 years earlier.
As Tova mops floors and tidies up the aquarium, she develops an unlikely friendship with Marcellus, a curmudgeonly octopus who knows considerably more about the people around him than they realize.
Marcellus eventually pieces together what happened to Tova’s son and tries to help her uncover the truth. The novel explores grief, friendship, family connections and the possibility of finding hope after loss.
The book’s Pacific Northwest setting and its intelligent, eight-armed character make it a fitting selection for a community reading program in a region closely connected to the marine environment.
Sno-Isle Reads Together is designed to bring residents together through shared stories and conversations. In addition to appearances by Van Pelt, the library system is offering book discussions and marine and nature-themed events inspired by the novel.
The program also gives readers an opportunity to hear directly from the author about her characters, the inspiration for the story and the experience of writing her first novel.
Van Pelt will appear at the Rosehill Community Center, 304 Lincoln Ave. in Mukilteo, at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21, before visiting Oak Harbor the following evening.
An online author event is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 28. Registration information is available through Sno-Isle Libraries.
“Remarkably Bright Creatures” is available at local libraries in print, eBook and audiobook formats, allowing residents to participate in the program even if they haven’t yet read the novel.
The Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation is supporting the program.
The Oak Harbor event will take place at the Oak Harbor Yacht Club, 1301 SE Catalina Drive. More information about Sno-Isle Reads Together and related events is available at sno-isle.org.