Many seventh graders spend their days worrying about friendship drama, their appearance, or their killer homework. But there are millions of kids in our country whose worries are related to their safety or who are living in serious poverty. We don’t see those kids in books often enough, which is why I was eager to read THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS.

Zoey has her hands full taking care of three younger siblings after school every day while her mom works at the pizza parlor. It’s hard and thankless work, and Zoey often finds herself in challenging situations that require patience and quick thinking beyond her years. They live with her mom’s boyfriend, Lenny. He’s the father of her youngest sibling. Her other siblings have a different father, and Zoey has never met her dad. Lenny’s trailer is the nicest place they’ve ever lived, and her mom is eager to please her boyfriend, even when it means she has to behave neglectfully toward her kids.

At school, Zoey does her best to stay under the radar, even though her demanding home life means there’s no time for homework. Her only friend Fuchsia lives in foster care, so neither of them fit in with the kids at school.

Zoey thinks life would be easier if she were an octopus. Eight arms to handle all her siblings. Amazing camouflage to help her hide at school. But as much as she’d like to be invisible, Ms. Rochambeau, the debate teacher has her in her sights. Even though Zoey comes to school unprepared for class and has to rush home to take care of her brothers and sister, Ms. Rochambeau for some reason encourages her to join the debate team.

And even though she doesn’t have the confidence to participate, Zoey learns a lot. She quickly realizes that her mom’s relationship with her boyfriend is psychologically abusive. And then suddenly Fuchsia’s living situation becomes dangerous too. Meanwhile, a crime has been committed at school, and everyone is blaming the weird kid, Silas, whose dad rides around with a gun in his truck.

But Zoey knows the truth about all these problems, the biases, and the difficult solutions that those around her don’t seem to have the power to correct. Will she have the courage to speak out, even though it risks everything? Her relationship with her mom, the most stable “home” she’s ever had, her friend’s life, and getting negative attention at school.

THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS is an inspiring book about personal empowerment and stereotypes as it relates to poverty, class, and those who own guns. Zoey reminded me of a lot of kids that I grew up with who had to work to help their family survive. Those kids didn’t do well in school. They were never prepared and were always harassed by teachers for their lack of seriousness about their education. I always wanted to stand up for those kids, but I was only confident enough to give them pencils and paper. Luckily, Zoey has Ms. Rochambeau who could see something in her that no one else could see and who went “the extra mile” to support Zoey so that she could grow into a kid who could solve her own problems and help those around her see how to help themselves. THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS also explores the danger of stereotypes by showing us that not all gun owners are bad people and being poor can squelch your potential by limiting your ability to fit in and feel confident.

I highly recommend THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS for its authentic and open examination of poverty, domestic violence, and finding inner strength to deal with hopelessly challenging situations for ages ten and up. It is a great story for those who are living in poverty to see themselves in a book and for those who aren’t who might be able to see their struggling classmates in a new light. What the book does best is to illuminate the divide in our country by showing how we all talk past one another. Zoey thinks through and understands the complex biases that cause so many problems for us all. Maybe we can all learn something from her.

For those who are very sensitive, the psychological abuse and gun violence may be disturbing, and it would be best to read this book with a thoughtful adult so they can discuss Zoey’s situation. THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS is an excellent classroom discussion book and is an important addition for library collections.

Hopefully, everyone will at some point find a Ms. Rochambeau in their life (we all need one!) and, even more importantly, be a Ms. Rochambeau for someone else.

Find THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS at your favorite bookstore on September 4th, 2018 or request it at your local library.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an arc of THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS.

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Ann Braden writes books about kids struggling to find their voice amidst the realities of life. Ann founded GunSenseVT, a grassroots group focused on championing the common ground on the issue of guns in Vermont, which recently helped pass landmark gun violence prevention legislation. She also founded the Local Love Brigade, which now has chapters all over the country sending love postcards to those who are facing hate. Ann is the co-host of the children’s book podcast, “Lifelines: Books that Bridge the Divide,” along with Pakistani American author Saadia Faruqi, and is a former middle school teacher. Ann lives in southern Vermont with her husband, two children, and two insatiable cats named Boomer and Justice. To connect with Ann, check out her website or find her on Twitter.

Posted by Michelle Leonard.