My review will be posted at thebaronessofbooks.weebly.com on Sept. 10, 2018. At this time, I will also post my review on GoodReads and link it on Twitter.

I liked seeing how Zoey balanced her family with deciding what kind of person she wanted to be. Her desire to be a kid who could speak up in class and turn assignments in on time conflicted with dealing with her mom’s abusive boyfriend and caring for her little siblings. However, at times I felt that Zoey was running away from her schoolwork instead of seeing it as another path to success and to be heard, like she wanted.

I’m not sure why, but I have two conflicting thought processes about this book: One, I liked it and found it enjoyable and the characters sympathetic, but Two, I just don’t have that much to say about it. On the whole, I liked it, and it deserves 4/5 stars, but I didn’t feel like it really called to me in any specific way. I would definitely recommend it as a great middle-grade/YA read for those looking to read about kids finding their voices, dealing with poverty, and taking care of their families, because Zoey is an awesome main character.

Zoey doesn't have a chance to worry about the normal woes of seventh grade, like homework and crushes. She's too busy helping her family just scrape by, but with three other siblings, she'd have to be an octopus with eight tentacles to juggle every task. However, one of her teachers forces her to join the debate club and soon Zoey can't help but examine the different sides of the relationships around her.

Zoey is such a strong and complicated character to follow throughout this novel. When she finds herself facing a difficult situation, she reverts to the knowledge of her favorite animal, the octopus, and uses that information to develop defense mechanisms that she believes help move her forward. This works on multiple levels, particularly in that we get to learn some great octopus facts, but also in that it allows her to be a very introspective character for a large stretch. Her point of view on life is so clear from the first page and it propels all the action.

And what a point of view. It's great seeing middle grade fiction tackle economic diversity through a novel that so carefully describes one community's poverty. There are a lot of small details about this that keep the book feeling real. This is no more evident than when exploring emotional abuse with Zoey's mom and her boyfriend. These scenes are difficult to read, but they're written with such empathy and understanding of how this seventh grader would see it.

I really can't say enough great things about this book.

Ann Braden has written one of the strongest debut middle grade novels in a long, long time.

I thought the strongest elements in this story were Zoey's compassionate heart, in the midst of taking care of both herself and her family. She has a harsh living situation, yet, she demonstrates great courage. I will be sure to recommend this book to the right reader and in my book talks to upper elementary-middle schoolers. I will also recommend it to teachers when they ask for books that share diverse stories of empathy.

“All I need is to know something—and I do. And maybe, just maybe, if I do this—and if I can rock it—all the other kids will have their minds blown, and it’ll be completely satisfying to watch. ‘Who would have guessed,’ they’ll say, ‘that Zoey knew so much cool stuff? I had no idea! I thought I knew who she was, but clearly I didn’t at all.’ Maybe Kaylee Vine would even stop holding her nose and switching seats on the bus to get away from me.”

The Benefits of Being an Octopus is a treasure of a book — I absolutely loved it! If I could give it six stars, I would! At its core, it is an inspiring story about finding oneself and empowerment. It may be intended for teens and YA, but it will definitely resonate with adults. It’s an amazing debut novel and I cannot wait to read what Ann Braden writes next.

Zoey is a seventh grader who is working on her debate prep. The assigned topic — what is the best animal and why. For Zoey, the answer is the octopus and she knows many reasons why it surpasses all others. In fact, she is very knowledgeable about the eight-legged creature and even identifies with them at times.

Zoey is responsible for looking after her three younger siblings (ranging in age from infant to four years old) and it takes up a lot of her free time. She is not a great student and doesn’t really care about school. She never participates in class and as she explains, she isn’t the kind of kid that does homework.

Besides being unsuccessful at school, Zoey is bullied by her classmates. She doesn’t fit in and doesn’t seem to care. She also feels unappreciated by her mother, who she sees as having markedly changed since they moved in with her boyfriend Lenny. The reader cannot help but feel for Zoey and the challenging circumstances of her life. But one day her life, as well as those around her, will change when her social studies teacher becomes involved.

Likening herself to an octopus is a psychological coping mechanism for Zoey. She clearly suffers from an inferiority complex, among other things, and feeling that she shares some characteristics of an octopus helps guide her and gives her a perceived edge over her classmates. An added bonus for the reader is that we learn some interesting facts about the octopus.

“The chromatophores right under my octopus skin switch to camouflage. When I slide into the seat, I might as well be made of the same colors as the desk and the metal chair legs.”

“It’s like my octopus body has gotten trapped in a net. But there has to be an opening somewhere. If I can just stay calm and avoid getting tangled up …”

In fact, identifying with the eight-legged mollusk gives Zoey a sense of confidence, hope and courage when she most needs it. She is able to deal with stressful situations by imagining the advantages she has as an octopus.

“I can camouflage myself well enough to blend in with a desk. I just need to camouflage myself enough to blend in with them. I take a deep breath and extend my tentacles. “

“I can still blend in with the eager beavers. I can still pretend I’m like them. Maybe after long enough, that magic wand of confidence will mistake me for them, and give me a bop on the head, too.”

“Could I really be like them? I mean, an octopus can change colors ten times in a matter of seconds, so all sorts of ridiculous things are possible.”

Ann Braden does a remarkable job capturing the voice and temperament of a seventh grader.

“I hate waking them up. It’s like you’ve finally won the lottery of peace and quiet and then you rip that winning ticket to shreds and dump a bucket of angry, screaming monkeys on your head.”

“Silas has the kind of freckles that make you want to connect the dots to form constellations and dragons and things.”

“I slip into the stall that has you’re a slut carved on the side. I used to like to look at it sideways and pretend that it says you’re a slug and that it was carved by a cockroach who was just trying to help his slug friend who was having some identity issues.”

The Benefits of Being an Octopus explores many important and relevant topics - bullying, living day-to-day with poverty, emotional abuse, the gun debate and finding one’s voice (both literally and figuratively). Importantly, it shows how one person can make such a significant difference in a child’s life and its direction, in this case a teacher who cares.

Are you one of those kids at school who just want to blend into the background and remain unnoticed? But as hard as you try you still get picked on and made fun of by the popular kids? This would be Zoey. Zoey lives in a trailer park with her mom, her three younger siblings, her mom's boyfriend, and the boyfriend's dad. Lenny, her mom's boyfriend, seems to have things all together - he has two jobs, he has a car, his trailer is perfectly organized and spotless, and he always makes sure his appearance is perfection. Things may look good to those outside the trailer, but in reality, Lenny is very abusive - not physically, but with words. Zoey's mom works the night shift at a pizza parlor which means that Zoey has to be responsible for four-year-old, a three-year-old, and a baby. Zoey is in seventh grade and way too young to have so much responsibility. She wants so badly to be like the octopus - she needs eight arms plus she wants the ability to blend into the background. Zoey's teacher takes a great interest in her and gets her to join the debate club. Zoey just sits back and observes the others and is so jealous at how confident the other kids are. She wants so bad to be them, but she knows she was not born to stand out. As things start getting worse in her own home, things start getting really bad in her best friend's home also. Will Zoey find her courage and voice to stand up for herself and ultimately give her mom the courage to stand up also? Can Zoey help her best friend, even if it means she has to go back into foster care? Will Zoey find her voice and step out of her comfort zone in front of the debate club peers? Read this incredible story of love, friendship, and finding ones self.

The Benefits of Being An Octopus tackles so many issues facing our kids today... bullying, domestic violence, gun control, and poverty. Ann Braden does a fantastic job of pulling you into Zoey's world from page one and she doesn't let you go until the last page. I wanted so much to wrap my arms around Zoey and also be a cheerleader for her. Towards the end of the story my heart was beating so fast, just like I was in the story with Zoey and her family. I fear that so many of my students at school live just like this and I have no idea what they are going through when they walk out of that school. Zoey has to deal with not having dinner every night, not having clean clothes all the time, and sleeping in the same room with two very much young siblings. This story will grab your heart and hold it until the very end. Do not miss this amazing book!!!

The Benefits to Being an Octopus was a captivating read for me. I loved reading about Zoey and her life. Even after finishing the book I find myself relating Zoey to friends I have known, students I have had or will have, and adults too. Ann Braden has captured the true feeling of how a middle school student may feel when they are juggling more than one should deem fit for such a young soul. Not to spoil the read, but I found myself laughing, crying and wishing so much for the young lady in the story. I wanted to know more about her "friend" who lived next door. I cheered Zoey on through the book. I found myself helping her make plans and rooting for her every thought. I loved how she had adults that encouraged her and helped her find her way. I finished the book wanting more. I almost need a part two to know that she made a great life and maybe even helped others like herself in the future. I am so appreciative to Netgalley.com for allowing me to read an advanced copy and will be adding a copy to my own classroom library! If you haven't pre-ordered a copy you can! Just click the link in the first sentence and enjoy. I surely did!

I received this book as an ARC for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Zoey Albro is little girl with grown-up problems. She lives with her mother and three siblings in a trailer belonging to her mother’s boyfriend, Lenny. Life is difficult for all of them and life with Lenny is even more difficult. The tragedy is that Zoey, initially thinks living with Lenny is some great gift that has been bestowed upon them simply because it is a step up from their old living conditions.
In the beginning of the book we see that Zoey has a fascination with the octopus. Her quote “...because anything that can start out floating around defenseless in the ocean that size--and then defeat the odds to grow into this powerful creature--has to mean business.," is a foreshadow of Zoey herself.
This book gives us a glimpse into rural poverty and the children affected by it. Zoey’s character is three dimensional and believable. There is heartbreak in watching Zoey struggle, while all the chips are stacked against her. She has dirty clothes, her mother is in a toxic relationship, her best friend has similar struggles and she just cannot seem to get her homework in. There is a glimmer of hope when Zoey’s teacher begins to take an interest in her and asks her to join the debate club. The effect of having an adult treat her differently means something to Zoey. However, the real enjoyment, comes from watching Zoey find her voice.
This book doesn’t end with a perfectly clean solution to all of Zoey’s problems, but it does show some light at the end of the tunnel.
I loved that this book provided a voice for children living in rural poverty. I liked that all of the characters were more than just stereotypes of the impoverished. Zoey’s Mom was absentee and allowed her children and herself to be in a bad situation, but Braden shows the reader just why she would end up there. I even got the sense that Zoey’s mom might have once been a kid just like Zoey and therefore it’s not such a big leap to see how she ended up where she did.
Great story. Great writing. Highly recommended.

The Benefits of Being an Octopus (TBBO) follows Zoey, a 7th grader who is trying to survive Middle School but has more responsibilities than most adults. She tries to be invisible but when a teacher, Ms. Rochambeau, recognises part of herself in Zoey everything changes.

TBBO is a relatively short read but packs in many current topics such as friendship, bullying, domestic abuse, gun control, young carers, and poverty.

Zoey lives with her mother, Kara, her mother’s partner Lenny, Lenny’s father Frank, and Zoey’s three younger siblings – Bryce, Aurora and Hector. As her mother works shifts, the responsibility falls to Zoey to care for her siblings at a time when someone should be looking after her. Zoey starts to realise that her mother's relationship with her partner Lenny is not a healthy one, and Zoey finds herself on a path to self-discovery.

What I loved about this book is how it cleverly weaves in psychology, as we get to know the characters, their motivations and the impact of being exposed to an unhealthy domestic environment. We have a direct insight to Zoey’s psychology and the perceptions of the people around her, specifically how she comes to understand how her mother is suffering from psychological abuse and her gradual awakening to how that the situation can change and that she has the power within herself to determine that change.

There is also an interesting but subtle underlying narrative between Frank, Lenny and Bryce. There is not a lot said about Frank, but what is said only demonstrates aggression on his part. When Bryce started to mimic Lenny’s behaviour, I became aware that Lenny may have been mimicking what he had grown up with – an aggressive and domineering father. This is not to condone or excuse Lenny’s behaviour but it exposes how impressionable children are and how important it is for them to have people in their lives who tell them that things can be different. This story is about Zoey’s experience of that very scenario.

I won’t spoil the ending of this story but I will say that the author got the balance right. There is not necessarily a happy ending but a realistic one. For any children/young adults reading this book and facing challenges in their lives they will come to know what is realistic and possible – there are no fairy tales here, no princes or princesses, but the power within ourselves to change our situations.

It struck me that there is nothing melodramatic about this book. Zoey’s situation is entirely believable and more than likely a reality for many: past, present, and future. That is why I would love to see this book in schools. There is a message here for each child or young adult who reads it, no matter who they are or where they come from.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sky Pony Press for providing a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It is evident that Ann Braden methodically planned The Benefits of Being an Octopus as the story is woven together like a tapestry. Readers follow Zoey as she struggles to overcome the challenges of raising her siblings, witnessing her mother lose her voice, being an outcast in school, and combating the effects of poverty. With the guidance of well-meaning adults, including her teacher, and friends, Zoey is able to define herself and encourage her mother to do the same. This is an excellent book that teaches children how layered life can be, but also how most obstacles can be overcome. I cannot wait to read this with my students this year!

I loved this book. But keep in mind, I'm a grown up, so my review may not be as relevant as a younger person's. I remember the middle grades, and seventh grade was not my favorite year in school, nor was it easiest, especially socially. I wanted to the read this book because 1) Octopuses are very cool and 2) I wish there were more books featuring young people living in poverty so that kids who have that experience see themselves in books with realistic, and hopeful narratives and so kids in other situations can related with greater empathy, rather than being the peer who makes fun of them for wearing hand-me-downs or clothes that don't get washed as often. Another plus for me was that the book is in a rural setting. Vermont! Not having a car in small town New England creates really big challenges for getting groceries and getting to work. Public transport is pretty meager if it exists at all.

The main character of Braden's The Benefits of Being an Octopus is a 7th grader name Zoey who takes care of her younger siblings and helps her mom while they live with her mother's boyfriend and his father in his trailer. Zoey goes to school, but generally stays quiet and keeps her head down. She has a friend the trailer park who is also really quiet at school, and another friend who lives across town and has a challenging situation with her mother and her mother's current boyfriend. The strands that are woven together in this book include Zoey being both seen, challenged, and supported by a social studies teacher who wants her to join the debate team and how gun violence and domestic violence affect kids, their families, and the community.

Some reviews mention that the ending doesn't work for them, but I really appreciated it.

4.5 stars

"The Benefits of Being an Octopus" is a very intense and emotional novel about an important and difficult subject.

The protagonist was really well drawn and I liked her development, it felt realistic and didn't seem rushed. I liked how the author managed to deal with such a difficult subject from the point of view of child without unnecessarily simplifying the issues the novel deals with.

The ending was open enough to show that the issues the characters have to deal with aren't entirely resolved, but it still ends the story on an hopeful point.

I just finished reading a NetGalley ARC of The Benefits of Being an Octopus, by Ann Braden, and my emotions are running high. The main character Zoey is one of the marginalized members of our society - her family is living far below the poverty line. She gives incredible voice to her story, although she is reluctant to use that voice. She has been looked down on for so long that she doesn’t believe she has anything to contribute - that is, until an assignment, and a teacher, help to bring out her opinions and her voice. Zoey begins to see her world in a different way, and believe in herself enough to stand up and speak up.I really felt that I could see the world through Zoey’s eyes, and feel her “awakening” from her acceptance of a bad situation to her determination to change her life. The metaphor of the octopus is woven throughout the story so beautifully, and is so significant in understanding how Zoey sees herself. I won’t spoil the storyline, but it is intensely emotional and gripping, bringing me to tears many times. This is a book I will buy and read again, and recommend over and over. I want every teacher I know to read it, and students age 10 and up. This book is full of heart, an empathy-builder, an eye-opener, a world-changer.

The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden tells a realistic story of Zoey, a seventh grade student. She deals with typical struggles of fitting in at school while doing more than her share of the raising of her siblings. Readers will love the teacher who helps her find her inner confidence as Zoey realizes, “Nobody has ever connected me with being important.” This one teacher makes a difference in her life and she is able to confront the issues head-on. An important story!

Excellent book. Readers will be quickly drawn into the lives of the characters. Zoey, her family, and their struggles are portrayed with compassion and honesty. This book will spark meaningful discussions about poverty and abuse in an age-appropriate way.

This is a "big" book as in one of those books that should be read. It's Young Adults but I think it's not an easy-buy for young adults, more for grown ups/teachers/parents who should recommend the read. It's a book to learn from and think about, important in any case.
For me as grown up it was like "oh, I want this so badly" right after seeing the cover and title. It promises one of these rare book gems every reader always is searching and hoping for, and the book doesn't disappoint. Main character is Zoey, and we learn about her life, her responsibilities, her wishes and how life sets limitations to what she is or wished to be for until she starts to find ways without leaving behind what must be done. It made me think, this book and the way the beautiful writing presents the life of a poor teen without holding up a pity card - which made it even more intensive. I hope the book gets the attention it deserves, I hope it's promoted on all places. I' certainly will.

Thanks so much for the publisher for providing a copy and best wishes for an enormous success!!!!

Zoey would like to be a good student in seventh grade, but for now, she's just trying not to draw attention to herself. She likes to do her homework, but she is constantly sabotaged by her living arrangements. Her mother has moved Zoey and her younger siblings into her boyfriend Lenny's trailer, which has some advantages. It's clean, there's usually food, and they can use his car occasionally. On the down side, Lenny doesn't really want to see or hear the kids, and he is very controlling of what Zoey's mom does. Zoey also has to make sure she is home to get her two siblings from school, and pick up her youngest from her mother's work at a local pizza parlor. When she does get her homework done, it often doesn't get to school with her. When the assignment is a debate on what animal is best, Zoey knows she'll do well because she has done a lot of background reading on the octopus. Not only does she forget her notes, but she is leery of speaking in front of the class. If she were like Matt, who rides her bus and seems to have the perfect life, it might be different. Her best friend, Fuschia, can be helpful, but there are some serious issues that Fuschia is facing with her mother's boyfriend. When her teacher tries to find out why Zoey isn't getting in her work, she offers her a way to a better grade-- participate in the debate club. While this involves some juggling to get care for her siblings, Zoey is excited to be able to use her knowledge, and also hang out with Matt. Through the debate team, she starts to see how Lenny is manipulating her mom, and how their situation isn't as good as she previously thought. Eventually, Zoey talks her mother into leaving Lenny's trailer and moving in with Fuschia's mother so that the two families have support without abuse.

Strengths: Reading about the ordinary, every day life of people whose situations were different from my own was always my favorite thing to read, and my students enjoy it, too. Zoey has a lot of responsibility for sibling care, food, and even doing paperwork for her mother, and this also has a lot of appeal to students who sometimes are not even allowed to bike to school. Zoey is realistically portrayed as wanting to be a good student but struggling to find the means necessary to accomplish this. While it is a somewhat sad book, it is hopeful, and Zoey works very hard to improve her own life. This was sort of a millenial version of Warner's The Boxcar Children. My grandparents lived in a trailer park towards the end of their lives, and I can certainly identify more with this experience than that of children with a nanny in NYC, although that sort of books are more windows than mirrors for me. Braden's note at the end of the book about wanting to write so that all children can see themselves portrayed in literature is appreciated.
Weaknesses: The cover will make this a hard sell, and the steps look more like ones that would go up to a house than a trailer.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing, and handing out as a follow up read to Walker's Why Can't I Be You.

The octopus theme is what initially made me interested in this novel by Ann Braden and I think that aspect of the book was done really well. Zoey's way of using the creature as a source of strength is absolutely wonderful. The story gives a pretty realistic view of what it is like growing up poor and in an abusive situation...until the ending. It wasn't done nearly as bad as many others have done in the past (ex: omg just leave, so easy, now life is perfect), but the way Zoey and her family escapes is a one in a million scenario. I would not be as bothered by it if at the end of the book the author had not mentioned part of the reason for writing The Benefits of Being an Octopus was so that kids in similar situations could see themselves in books.
Don't get me wrong, hope is a wonderful thing to have, but endings like the one in this story can lead to false hope, which can be dangerous in these situations. It also leaves things in a place that feels like things are going to go in a better direction...but the realist in me (or perhaps the cynic) could not help but ponder on the new problems Zoey, her friend and her family will now face. The likihood that DHS is not going to end up involved is very slim. The likihood that those kids are going to be allowed to stay in the small living space...very slim.
Outside of that little rant (sorry about that), The Benefits of Being an Octopus is actually a very good book and while I have spent the majority of the review/rant on the poverty/abuse aspects, it touches on several other very important issues like gun control (in a way that actually kind of challenged my feelings on the subject) and bullying as well.

*I received a digital ARC of this book from Sky Pony Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book tells a solid, age appropriate story of poverty and the multiple forms that abuse can manifest. It was lovely to read the story of the main character finding her own confidence and determination to forge her own path and I loved the use of the octopus metaphor.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So... I definitely did not expect to like this middle grade book as much as I did.

It was adorable, and thoughtful, and happily entirely escaped the plague of reading like an after school special. I squirmed and hurt along with Zoey instead of feeling sorry for her or feeling like I was watching her life from the outside. An uplifting read, and especially important for privileged middle school students to be able to see a world outside their own in an way that gives the people/characters agency.

Question, though - not really a spoiler, but just in case - [ Does Bryce have autism? The whole thing about his meltdowns and handing him rocks... it's not described explicitly, but I wondered.

This is a story about Zoey, a young girl living in poverty, whose teacher at school helps her to work up the courage to make change in her life, to remove herself from the types of problems these situations bring, including lack of good food and clean clothes, domestic violence, social isolation, drug use, foster homes, gender inequality, bullying, and her mothers reliance on her help to care for family members at a young age.

I feel that although the story launched straight into it, which caught me off guard, overall, this story was beautifully written, Zoey comparing herself to an octopus, and cleverly using the involvement with debating at school to give her insight into what is wrong at home, and with the way people are treated by different classes.

I was of the opinion this was a story for middle grade readers, but I personally would not recommend it to this age group, as it dives into some topics that not all parents would be happy having their child exposed to. In saying that, what makes this book so good, is that these are real problems that kids (and others) face in their lives, and rather than bury our heads in the sand and pretend they don't exist, it is story to opens our eyes to this type of life.

This is a great book, but I would recommend it for older teens and above, however parents should read this prior to determine if they feel the content is appropriate for their children.