Thank you @NetGalley for the ARC. This book is a novel in verse and it was beautiful. I loved Pearl so much and felt all her feels. I have depression since I was in middle school but did not know what it was till college. I loved how her parents got her help fast, even though dad was not fully on board. Having her grandfather suffering from depression shows how it can be hereditary and that not everyone knows how to deal with this disease.
This book should be in every school library, well done Bobbie Pyron.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars (Outstanding)
Setting: Florida
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction, Realistic Fiction, and Contemporary Poetry

Bobbie Pyron’s Octopus Moon is a luminous, deeply moving novel-in-verse that captures the raw, often unspoken experience of childhood depression with breathtaking honesty and compassion. Through Pearl’s tender and aching voice, Pyron paints a story of struggle, resilience, and the quiet strength it takes to heal—one small step at a time.

Pearl is a character who lingers in the heart long after the final page. Sensitive and deeply perceptive, she sees herself in the octopuses at the aquarium—creatures that feel everything. She longs to be more like the turtles, protected by a hard shell, immune to the overwhelming emotions that come with starting fifth grade. But life doesn’t work that way, and as school changes, friendships shift, and the weight of the world presses down, Pearl finds herself sinking under the surface.

The novel’s verse form is beautifully evocative, mirroring Pearl’s emotions in a way that feels both delicate and profound. Pyron’s writing never simplifies Pearl’s depression, nor does it rush her journey. The introduction of Dr. Jill and the “Impossible Thing” challenge is handled with grace, allowing Pearl’s path to healing to unfold naturally, bead by bead. The metaphor of the moon—always present, even when not full—perfectly encapsulates Pearl’s discovery that she is still whole, even in her hardest moments.

What makes this book truly special is its authenticity. Pyron draws from her own personal experiences, and that emotional truth resonates in every line. For readers who have faced depression or loved someone who has, Octopus Moon offers both solace and understanding. It’s a story that acknowledges the darkness while gently reminding us that the light is never truly gone.

This book is a gift—one that belongs in the hands of young readers, parents, teachers, and anyone who has ever struggled to find their way back to themselves. Octopus Moon is not just a novel; it’s a lifeline, a reminder that healing is possible, even when it feels impossible. #netgalley #octopusmoon #booked_this_weekend

Octopus Moon is a book I didn't know I needed in my life, but I'm so glad I found it. It is about a young girl named Pearl who is dealing with many changes in her life as she starts fifth grade. She is having a difficult time finding the energy and the willpower to do what she needs and wants to do. The story is written from her perspective in verse as she navigates her life and deals with depression.

"Depression lies."

This was such a touching story which I related to on so many levels. I haven't had depression since I was Pearl's age, but it has been a part of my life for many years. Never thought I'd see myself so much in this ten year old girl.. So much of what she expresses in these beautiful lines of verse is what I feel on my darkest days. It had me tearing up as I read many parts of her story.

Over the years, I have had to learn to cope just like she does with her therapist. I like how the author also shows how depression can be generational and the stigmas against it. She shows how hard it is to have an invisible disease that is only in your own head.

One of the best parts is watching Pearl and her family/friends working together to help Pearl get through the bad and the good days. It was beautiful to see her with such a healthy support system in her life. They are not perfect and it is important to show young readers how everyone learns and grows.

"Love is a verb."

Pearl's fascination with marine life, especially turtles and octopuses plays a big role in the plot too. I enjoyed reading the sections where she got excited about these creatures. It was heartwarming.

I cannot recommend this book enough. It will be great for the middle grade readers in your life, but I also believe adults should read it too. Pearl's story is one I'm sure many people will relate to and one I think needs to be read. Definitely, one of the best middle grades I have read in my life.

Pearl is about to start fifth grade and, though she has her two best friends Mia and Rosie by her side, she is feeling overwhelmed at all the changes it brings. New teachers, switching classes, and a new locker are just a few of the changes. Pearl's biggest problem, though, is the growing darkness that chases her and brings its mean voice in her head. The voice tells her that she's a loser and can't do anything right. It tells her she's a bad friend and a bad daughter and that things will never get better. Pearl tries to be the "Used to be Pearl" who was excited about loggerhead turtles and wanted to run track and be a marine biologist but everything is just overwhelming.

When her family and friends ask her about her changes, Pearl tries to pass it off as being sick or tired or just growing up and having new interests. Eventually one of her teachers reaches out to her parents and they decide to take Pearl to see Dr. Jill, who diagnoses Pearl with depression. At first Pearl is reticent to talk to Dr. Jill, but eventually she begins to open up and tries to do just one "Impossible Thing" each day. Slowly, Pearl finds her way back to herself and discovers that "the best way out is through."

As someone who struggles with depression, I found this novel-in-verse to be a moving and realistic portrayal of depression. A few of my favorite quotes from the book:

"Depression lies. Depression will tell you things about yourself that are not true."

"Gram says love is a verb. It's what you do rather than the words you say."

"It means if you want to get out
to the other side where things
are better, " I say,
"you have to take the steps to get there.
You can't stand still or
pretend depression is something else.
Like a phase.
Or a headache.
And you can't hide away."

"I know having a mental health problem
isn't anything to be ashamed of. And
I know there's more to who I am
than my depression."

This book brought me to tears and made me smile and left me feeling hopeful. It should be in every library, available to every child who struggles with depression or anxiety, or knows someone who struggles. It's a hopeful, but realistic portrayal perfect for middle grade audiences and I give it my highest recommendation! 5 enthusiastic stars


Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really appreciated the honest handling of mental illness in this book, but I had a hard time getting into it. The beginning didn't hook me like other novels in verse that I adore.

What a beautiful Middle Grade novel in verse (my favorite!) about the realities of depression. The depiction of mental illness is so authentic and raw that I knew immediately the author knew firsthand about this topic. This is a book I wish I’d had as a pre-teen, and not only will I be adding it to my 3-5 library collection, but I’ll also be sharing it with the school counselors in my life.

I also loved that this book took place near my hometown! The depictions of the friends and family in Pearl’s life felt, once again, so real to me. Not only does this book talk about Pearl’s struggle with depression during her 5th grade year, but it also tackles some of the common misconceptions that others have regarding mental illness. If someone in your life struggles with depression, this book is an excellent window into what they deal with on a daily basis. It shows what a support system should - and should not - look like, and it even tackles generational trauma, all while appealing and relating to a young audience.

I have, once again, been traumatized by a book for children. The book is honestly wonderful but the depiction is so accurate that it cut DEEP. Fortunately its a short read for adults, but children with depression might need support while reading this one. There is solid information at the end providing support recommendations and assurance for readers that they are not alone.

Pearl is entering fifth grade. Her usual hobbies and likes no longer bring her joy. She can't seem to do much of anything. Her family and friends rally around her.

This middle-grade novel in verse deals with depression with such tender care that it brought tears to my eyes. There are so many kids that need a book like this one that they can see themselves in, or to better understand what others are experiencing.

I think this should be in every school and public library and handed to as many kids as possible.

Thank you to Net Galley, Penguin Young Readers Group, and Nancy Paulsen books for the DRC. All opinions are my own.

"Octopus Moon" is such an important book for middle grade readers. They will see themselves in someone who is working to understand depression. This book hurt my heart as an educator for our youth- and hit my gut when I realized this in many aspects is who I was or still am. I thank Bobbie Pyron for opening her heart, making herself vulnerable, and addressing such an important topic for readers.

I received an electronic ARC from PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group through NetGalley.
Pyron addresses depression in children head on in gentle manner. Pearl can't figure out what is wrong. Nothing brings her joy and she doesn't want to do anything she has before. She hears a voice telling her how awful she is and she can't break free from the exhaustion and fears. She masks this for several months until her parents and teacher connect. They set up therapy and Pearl slowly learns to trust her therapist and believe what she says. By the end of the story, she is well on her way to mastering coping skills and acceptance that depression is a lifelong illness.
Kudos to Pyron for bringing this to readers and offering acceptance and information. The underwater images and water connections will resonate with readers of all ages.

This wonderful middle grade novel-in-verse worked so well for me. Pearl is a fifth-grader who becomes depressed seemingly out of nowhere. She has a great life and great friends, yet suddenly she starts to struggle with things she used to enjoy, like school or her hobbies. She isolates herself from the people around her and struggles with negative self-talk. Throughout the book, we see Pearl try to tackle her depression, helped by the people around her.

I loved this book. The portrayal of Pearl's depression felt raw and real, to the point that it was hard to read sometimes (in a good way). The initial reactions of her friends and family were realistic too. The story offers middle graders a great look at and insight into depression and anxiety, and what we can do to deal with it. I very much appreciated that therapy was integrated into the story, and that it was positively and realistically portrayed. Nothing is solved easily: we see Pearl work hard for every inch of improvement. The crucial point, however, is that there is improvement, and ultimately the book's message does not sugarcoat a difficult issue, but it does offer hope in a realistic way.

There was a fairly large cast of secondary characters, and it is very much to the author's credit that they all felt real and multi-dimensional. Nobody is perfect, but everyone seems willing to learn and change as Pearl changes. Without being on-the-nose about it, the story does a great job showing the importance of a supportive network for people with mental illness.

Overall, this is an engaging, accessible look at depression and anxiety for middle graders (and other age groups too!) that doesn't stigmatize mental illness and that manages an ultimately positive tone with many heartwarming moments. I recommend it!

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a beautiful depiction of a girl not only coming of age but also coming to terms with the idea of having depression. This book covers biases against depression as well as discusses whether or not it is an actual disease. I would highly recommend it to any young person who is struggling with this diagnosis, and I wish it had existed when I was young.

Having a mental illness can feel like you're an octopus. Not that you've got multiple tentacles, although I'm sure some hentai author could have a blast with that, but because octopuses don't have any sensory barriers between their hypersensitive suckers and the rest of the world. They feel everything, and that's what mental illnesses like anxiety and depression can feel like. Pearl develops depression when she's ten, and she can't make sense of the way her world has so suddenly changed. This book is about her exploration and understanding of what it means to be clinically depressed and how to navigate it.

Although Pearl feels more seventh grade than fifth, this still does a phenomenal job of capturing what it feels like to grapple with an invisible illness. At one point her therapist remarks that it would be easier if Pearl had her arm in a cast, and that parallels what I remember telling my mother when I was thirteen - that it would be easier if I used a wheelchair because then people would believe that there was something wrong with me. Pearl's journey is difficult but relatable, and the author mentions in her afterword that she wrote this because it was the book she needed when she was ten.

I hope that it's able to help the children (and adults) it needs to reach. Being an octopus isn't all bad once you learn to cope with it.

A sensitively written and deeply moving novel in verse, Octopus Moon stood out especially to us for its portrayal of a therapist-child relationship., which you don't often see in middle-grade fiction (Rebecca Stead's List of Things That Will Not Change being another standout here), and for the positive coping tools offered by her therapist Dr. Jill. Middle graders struggling with their own depression and difficult emotions will find it poignant and helpful.

I really liked that this showed a younger character (10/11) since I don't come across a lot of books for that age. I also thought it was great to show a character so young get depression and that she learned it is not her fault and it doesn't matter that her life is "perfect". And it was super frustrating to read that her own father didn't even believe she was sick.

I hope this changes, but in the ARC I read when Pearl describes the therapist's office the first time, she mentions a cat laying among tiger lilies. Those are super toxic to cats.

Rosie and Mia unfortunately began to blend together for me. They both had issues with their moms which didn't help.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

CW: stroke, hospital, depression, vomit

This is a deeply moving middle grade novel-in-verse about a young girl navigating depression at the start of fifth grade. Pearl is having a usual summer…until she isn’t. Lately, more and more, she’s overcome by feelings of anxiousness and depression, feelings she cannot control and cannot escape. When all her usual techniques to cope are exhausted, Pearl finally realizes she deserves some help. As Pearl navigates through her journey, we learn what depression is and what it could potentially feel like, how the supportive figures in our lives can both help and hinder progress and some concrete techniques that can support our mental health. Every person who has ever experienced depression needs to read this. Every parent, caregiver and educator needs to read this. Every human needs to read this. It’s a mirror, it’s a window, it’s a sliding glass door, it’s everything. Thank you for writing this, Bobbie.

Outstanding middle grade novel in verse! Bobbie Pyron tells the story of fifth-grader Pearl and her struggle to understand her emotions and to be honest about them with her closest friends and family. Pyron does a masterful job of telling the story of Pearl's depression diagnosis and treatment, as well as the varying reactions of her friends and family. A well-done piece that could serve as a support and eye-opener for middle schoolers and their loved ones!

This book is a wonderful addition to any collection, particularly in regard to mental health. The reader is able to see the progression of depression, which is a beautiful story arc for young people and adults working with them. I see a wide range of audiences -- middle grade readers, counselors, teachers, parents, friends -- all will benefit from reading this book.

"It means if you want to get out
to the other side where things
are better...
you have to take the steps to get there.
You can't stand still or
pretend depression is something else...
And you can't hide away."

I really fell in love with this one. Fifth grade was such a hard year for me, so I really resonated with Pearl, especially when she described herself as "an octopus...There is nothing between me and the world." This story does a fantastic job modeling concrete steps kids (and adults) can take to combat mental illness challenges faced in conditions like depression, to model being active while also acknowledging the unique and legitimate struggles they face. As a neurodivergent person with a neurodivergent spouse, I resonated with the daily struggles, as well as the hope that even in the difficult, there can be good days, growth and beautiful things. I love the encouragement of "I slip 'maybe one day' inside my heart/ and enjoy now"--advice my husband and I try to implement, too. I loved the generational depression representation, and how the story shows others struggling around Pearl--and that she grows to be brave enough to pull out of her shell and encourage them, too. A fantastic mental health and novel in verse read for all ages!

Hope. This middle grade novel in verse is about a 5th grade girl who is dealing with depression. Pearl enjoys watching the loggerhead turtles and octopuses glide through water at the aquarium. And although she wants to be more like a turtle with a tough shell, she finds it easy to identify with the octopuses who have millions of touch receptors and feel everything. Pearl tries her best to pretend everything is fine, but then she starts to struggle with things that used to come easy. After a parent-teacher conference, her parents bring her to Dr. Jill who diagnoses her with depression.
I hope kids will see this as a window book that they can begin to understand some of the things that other students may be dealing with. For other students it may be a tender, mirror book that leads them to seek help and understand their own feelings.