The Benefits of Being an Octopus

Seventh-grader Zoey lives in rural Vermont and takes care of her three siblings after school while her mom works at a pizza shop; they live now with mom's boyfriend, Lenny, in a nice trailer where everything is neat and organized - but they still struggle to stay afloat, Zoey can't get her homework done or do any after-school activities, and under the surface Lenny wants to control more than just the way his CDs are alphabetized. When Zoey's teacher Ms. Rochambeau insists she join debate - even driving her afterward so she can meet the Head Start bus to get her siblings - Zoey learns about "discrediting your opponent," and eventually inspires her mom to break away from Lenny. A subplot involves Zoey's friend Fuchsia, whose mom is show more planning to move in with someone who threatened her with a gun, and the gun debate in a community of hunters. A stellar novel that shines a light on kids in poverty, and how they can fall - or not - through the cracks.

Quotes

And telling stories means I get to spend time in a world where the person in charge of what happens is me. (16)

"A debate is always about getting someone to look at things in a new way." (Ms. Rochambeau, 61)

"Only you can choose what kind of person you become." (Ms. Rochambeau, 94)

I know how easy it can be for everything to suddenly become a nightmare. (128)

I don't know what to say. How is it possible to have no visible cage around you, but to be so trapped? (208)

"Now that I can see the way out, I want out." (Zoey's mom, 229)

"I think sometimes you need to have your back up against the wall to find out what you're made of. And you just haven't had that happen to you yet." (Zoey to Matt, 243) show less

Powerful look at poverty, domestic abuse, and the possibilities of escape. I like that there were no easy answers, but the characters were still able to start a new life. It's bleak, but there's some significant hope in the corners.

7th grade protagonist Zoey provides most of the childcare/parenting for two of her younger siblings, while her mother works and cares for the baby. They live in the best physical space that they've ever been in -- a trailer park with her mom's new boyfriend, but it starts to become apparent that the price they are paying is for her mom to bear the brunt of a constant stream of verbal abuse. Meanwhile, Zoey has come to the attention of a teacher in her school who sponsors the debate club and wants to show more encourage her to find her own path. This is a tough love kind of book. There's also a situation in which gunshots are fired on school grounds by a different abusive boyfriend, and the school is polarized by gun debates and wrongly targeting a kid who hunts for the incident.

There's a lot of subtlety in this book -- from the subtle ways the boyfriend breaks down her mom's confidence, to the pervasive bullying one of her friends endures, to the friendships that offer small bright moments in Zoey's day. show less

Honestly one of the most engaging and eye opening middle grade books I've ever read. Perfect for getting young minds to either think about those who have to struggle to make ends meet or it's a mirror for others to see that they aren't alone. Seventh grader Zoey doesn't have time for homework or crushes or other fun middle school things - she's barely making ends meet. She has to take care of her three younger siblings every day after school while her mom works and it doesn't leave her much time to be a kid. Changing diapers, soothing tears, giving baths - it's exhausting - but when you're stuck in a cycle of poverty you have to do anything and everything to stay afloat. She wished she could be an octopus so she had eight arms to do show more eight things at once, plus they have great protective defenses. But she's at least grateful that they live in a clean trailer with her mom's boyfriend - but even though they live somewhere "nice" they have to put up with a lot of mean things from the owner. A story of finding your voice, gaining confidence, overpowering the odds, and not judging those who are trying their best. A great book about empathy. show less

I'm not a young adult, a teacher, or a librarian so I can’t say how well this works as a middle grade novel. I can say it worked for me because of the audiobook's excellent narration and the sensitive way it told the story of a young girl holding her family together while helping her mother regain her self-esteem. It described poverty in a realistic manner, showing how it can trap women and children in abusive situations, but still managed to remain upbeat. What I especially liked about it was the emotional honesty of the main character and how she'd imagine herself as an octopus when things got out of hand. It was easy to feel like this was genuinely being told from the viewpoint of a young girl struggling to meet challenges beyond show more her years. show less

This has Newbery written all over it, imo. Issues explored carefully, not simplistically. Controversies explored without straw men. Adults who are real, who are flawed but trying (though not always very hard), who were young once themselves. An admission that there's no such thing as HEA but an inspiration to keep on working towards one.

And lots and lots of potential for classroom and family discussion, for enrichment activities, and obviously for bibliotherapy.

Also, despite being fairly intense, it wasn't too hard to read. There are plenty of scraps of hope, joy, and even humor. I actually enjoyed reading it.

And the thing is, I host a Newbery discussion group. And many of the books we read there are not enjoyable....

This book gave me ALL the feels, and I don't know how I missed it in my middle school book roundup but it is going on the next one. It's an important book in that it will let some children feel represented and understood, and hopefully will afford empathy to others who are not in this situation. It is heartbreaking, challenging, empathetic, and full of grace.

The Benefits of Being an Octopus touches on both non-violent abuse - emotional abuse- and living in poverty. The topic is handled gracefully and carefully and sends a clear message that emotional abuse IS abuse. It also represents the struggles of students living in poverty beyond just the obvious.

Zoey is a strong, mature character - perhaps a bit too mature at times, but she has show more been through plenty to make her grow up fast. Her best friend Fuchsia faces equally challenging situations.

The heaviness is countered by Zoey's imagination. Her favorite animal is the octopus, and she imagines being an octopus with 8 arms would be helpful in accomplishing all that she needs to do. I also loved that a teacher saw something more in Zoey and encouraged (pushed) her into joining the debate club - which led to much of the revelations she experiences. This book celebrates all the difference a perceptive and caring teacher can make in the life of a child.

I know I'm not doing this book justice by this review - it was heartbreaking and lovely at the same time, truly moving, and beautifully written.
This is a book to be read by children and adults alike, and will likely generate interesting conversations.

This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. show less

I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a scary, brave, complicated, important book. It's a book about getting out of abusive relationships, about the gun control debate, about things not being black-and-white, about bullying, about speaking up, about a girl with the weight of the world on her soldiers, and yes, about octopuses, too.

That's one of the things about people on that beautiful tropical island: they can't see who's floating about in the ocean around them. Or maybe they can and they just choose not to look. I don't know.

The Benefits of Being an Octopus is about a 13-year-old girl Zoey who lives with her mother and her three small siblings in her mother's boyfriend's trailer. There is a lot show more of focus on surviving and supporting your family while poor, including the power being cut off, applying for benefits, not being able to wash your clothes, and the other kids at school laughing at you. It's about the bitter feeling when it seems like the other kids are allowed to have Valentine's Day gifts as their biggest problem, but you aren't.

This book was really difficult to read at times, with many parent figures and adults who have failed these children. Some of them were trying their best and ended up doing better, while others were toxic and people you needed to get away from.

I remember thinking several times that these kids (both Zoey and some of her classmates) sound older than they are, that their debate club sounds like something we'd have at college, but then I realised that I have the wrong view on 13-year-olds and they are more mature than I'd think. I'm glad that they are, but it's sad to feel like they have to be. There were so many things in this book that in an ideal world kids Zoey's age shouldn't have to deal with.

Overall, this was a difficult that very important book that deals with many different issues that some real kids have to deal with every day.

Also, shout out to teachers who notice when something is wrong and go out of their way to help. show less