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The Benefits of Being an Octopus
Escrito por Ann Braden
Narrado por Amy Melissa Bentley
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Comece a ouvirDescrição
Seventh-grader Zoey has her hands full as she takes care of her much younger siblings after school every day while her mom works her shift at the pizza parlor. Not that her mom seems to appreciate it. At least there's Lenny, her mom's boyfriend — they all get to live in his nice, clean trailer.
At school, Zoey tries to stay under the radar. Her only friend, Fuchsia, has her own issues, and since they're in an entirely different world than the rich kids, it's best if no one notices them.
Zoey thinks how much easier everything would be if she were an octopus: eight arms to do eight things at once. Incredible camouflage ability and steady, unblinking vision. Powerful, protective defenses.
Unfortunately, she's not totally invisible, and one of her teachers forces her to join the debate club. Even though Zoey resists participating, debate ultimately leads her to see things in a new way: her mom's relationship with Lenny, Fuchsia's situation, and her own place in this town of people who think they're better than her. Can Zoey find the courage to speak up, even if it means risking the most stable home she's ever had?
Ações de livro
Comece a ouvirDados do livro
The Benefits of Being an Octopus
Escrito por Ann Braden
Narrado por Amy Melissa Bentley
Descrição
Seventh-grader Zoey has her hands full as she takes care of her much younger siblings after school every day while her mom works her shift at the pizza parlor. Not that her mom seems to appreciate it. At least there's Lenny, her mom's boyfriend — they all get to live in his nice, clean trailer.
At school, Zoey tries to stay under the radar. Her only friend, Fuchsia, has her own issues, and since they're in an entirely different world than the rich kids, it's best if no one notices them.
Zoey thinks how much easier everything would be if she were an octopus: eight arms to do eight things at once. Incredible camouflage ability and steady, unblinking vision. Powerful, protective defenses.
Unfortunately, she's not totally invisible, and one of her teachers forces her to join the debate club. Even though Zoey resists participating, debate ultimately leads her to see things in a new way: her mom's relationship with Lenny, Fuchsia's situation, and her own place in this town of people who think they're better than her. Can Zoey find the courage to speak up, even if it means risking the most stable home she's ever had?
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Avaliações
Zoey is one of those girls who tries to blend in at school and go unnoticed. She doesn't have time for regular 7th-grade stuff likes clubs and stuff like that. She barely has time for homework as she takes care of her three younger siblings while her Mom works. They live in a trailer with her Mom's current boyfriend and his Dad. It's actually a step up for them.
I read this book in one sitting and then had to wait a couple days before writing a review. Zoey's lifestyle(in rural Vermont) is one shared by (probably) millions of US kids today and that in itself is heartbreaking. Let's put it this way if you placed these characters on the South Side of Chicago or any other urban area it all plays out the same. I think this paired with anything by Jason Reynolds or Angie Thomas would make for some interesting discussions on social justice in the US and or how we can help those around us who are struggling. It's books like this that can change how this generation of kids think about wealth and poverty and hopefully will encourage them to be kind to their peers.
Highly Recommend for ages 10 and up.
Please note that I received a free advance ARC of this book from the Kid Lit Exchange without a review requirement or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that, I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
The Benefits of Being An Octopus By Ann Braden
September 4, 2018
I read this book in one sitting and then had to wait a couple days before writing a review. Zoey's lifestyle(in rural Vermont) is one shared by (probably) millions of US kids today and that in itself is heartbreaking. Let's put it this way if you placed these characters on the South Side of Chicago or any other urban area it all plays out the same. I think this paired with anything by Jason Reynolds or Angie Thomas would make for some interesting discussions on social justice in the US and or how we can help those around us who are struggling. It's books like this that can change how this generation of kids think about wealth and poverty and hopefully will encourage them to be kind to their peers.
Highly Recommend for ages 10 and up.
Please note that I received a free advance ARC of this book from the Kid Lit Exchange without a review requirement or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that, I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
The Benefits of Being An Octopus By Ann Braden
September 4, 2018
I received an ebook copy of THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS via netgalley. Boy am I glad I read this book. It is a must have in the middle-grade classroom and school libraries. The main character, Zoey, allows children who live in poverty to see themselves in a book. Something they may have never experienced before. It is well-written. The characters are likable. All the praise this book has received so far is right on. You must pre-order this book. I am getting a copy for our elementary school library and recommending it to our intermediate-grade teachers.
Zoey and her mom have been homeless before. Now they live in Lenny's clean, well-organized trailer. Zoey has taken on responsibility for her three younger siblings while her mother works, and her school work often isn't done. After a teacher puts her in the debate club, she realizes that she can't always hide.
This book was SO amazing! It covers some really tough topics in a really great way for the age group it is written towards. It touches on gun control, domestic abuse, bullying and teaching that even though you might be young you still have a voice and need to use it. Zoey is such a strong, intelligent main character and I instantly felt for her and her situation. She learns to stand up not only for herself but for her mother and her friends. I also really loved her teacher and hope there are some out there in real life like her. I would love to see all middle and even high school students reading this book. There is so much to learn from it!I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Skyhorse Publishing and Netgalley!
It is a rare book indeed that ever gets a 5 from me, but The Benefits of Being an Octopus deserves nothing less than top marks. It’s heart wrenching and believable and thought provoking and brutally honest. I absolutely love Zoey and at multiple points in the story wanted to applaud her courage and resilience and how she absolutely became her own hero. I could not put this book down and you won’t be able to either. Get yourself a copy asap; you can thank me later.
I was immediately drawn to this book because of the cover. It's simple, yet colorful and aesthetic, and it fits the vibe of the story very well!The Benefits of Being an Octopus follows Zoey, a seventh grader who doesn't have time to deal with crushes or even homework. She's too busy taking care of her younger siblings while her family barely scrapes by. But one of her teachers forces her to join the debate club, and Zoey can't stop thinking how much easier life would be if she was an octopus with eight arms and the ability camouflage. Surprisingly, joining the debate club helps Zoey see things in a different light and with everything going on at home, at school, and with Zoey's best friend Fuchsia, that's exactly what she needs.This was quite a quick read and the writing style was very engaging. The narration was authentic and it really sounded like everything was from a seventh grader's perspective. Although I understand that the age factored in, I personally still felt a little frustrated at the simple terms the narrator thought in, even towards the end.Another frustration factor was regarding character development. It was definitely there, but it didn't quite pick-up until the 70% mark, and waiting for it was quite a task. I think the author captured the binary thinking of younger students very well; in fact, I really loved how I could truly empathize with the main character, even though I may disagree with them. This book really made me look at people beyond their arguments, and it points out that what's frustrating about politics aren't the people on the other side, it's close-mindedness by anyone and often, everyone.Regarding the rest of the characters, I'm not sure I felt as much love for them as I could have. I think that some of them could have been fleshed out more and I'm not 100% satisfied with how much backstory I got. Fuchsia was a character that could have used more screentime and personality before she became a plot device.The plot was very interesting overall, though I did feel like it got a little messy. The book bounced between subplots, and I think the resolution tying them together was a little weak, and I'm not sure how satisfied I am.Overall, I'd still recommend this book to everyone, and I think even adults could learn a lot from this book, which really makes the reader take a step back and look at both sides of every coin.