Octopus Moon is a middle grade novel-in-verse about the important, but often overlooked, topic of mental health in children. The main character, Pearl, experiences depression and anxiety and throughout the book she has to deal with many common stigmas related to mental illness. I think that this book is a must-read for parents, caregivers, and educators that work with young children because it can lend some insight into what depression and can anxiety look and feel like. I also appreciate that this book is presented in a verse format, which makes it more accessible to the readers that may need it the most.

I thought the title of the book, Octopus Moon, was an interesting one, but as I read the story I understood why that title was chosen (a great talking point for parents or educators that read this book with students). One of my favorite aspects of this book was how the relationships of the characters progress over time. Of course Pearl was the main character, but we also got to see quite a bit from her parents, grandparents, sister, best friends, and therapist. The side characters added a lot of depth to the story and made it so many different perspectives were represented, so I feel like many young readers will be able to relate to at least one of the characters in some way.

Overall, this book is one that I would highly recommend to young readers. I'm so glad that more authors and publishers are working to incorporate mental health into books for the middle grade audience and this one presents so many opportunities for adults to begin conversations with young readers. I also appreciated the way that the author shared her personal experiences with depression and anxiety in the author's note...I think that this element will help young readers understand that the story isn't entirely made up and that they're not alone in their thoughts and feelings.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the opportunity to review an eARC of Octopus Moon!

This was a really sweet, if simple, look at what childhood depression looks like. A book maybe more for gatekeepers to read with their kids to start conversations together.

Octopus Moon is a moving look at tween depression and does an excellent job of conveying both the personal struggles as well as the difficulty getting friends and family to understand depression as a disease rather than a choice. Verse was definitely the right vehicle with which to tell the story as it allowed for lots of emotion while also leaving enough unsaid for readers to infer/impart their own feelings. A definite rec for readers struggling with depression and the perfect younger tween counterpart to books like How to Become a Planet.

At first I picked this book soley based on the beautiful, sweet cover. Then I read the description and knew I would enjoy it. We meet Pearl in 5th grade, and learn alongside her that she is struggling with depression. As she navigates her own self discovery, we learn coping techniques and communication tips with her. This is such a serious and important subject, handled with grace and dignity and perfect for a young audience. I would love to place this book lovingly in the hands of very specific readers at their point of need. This is perfect.

'"Change is hard, Peanut.'"

A poignant and powerful story of growing up. Change is indeed hard for Pearl. She's dealing with new classes, new kids, autism, anxiety, and depression. At the start of the story, she skateboards and hangs out with friends. But of course, her granddaddy is right - difficult changes are happening.

I think my favorite thing about this book was the writing style. A story in verse, to me, feels authentic and approachable. And Pearl's story certainly is. More kids need to find themselves in the stories they read. And find a way to grow and change, as Pearl does.

It isn't easy. But such an important and meaningful story.

"...wonder how we could have missed
the clues, not recognized the signs,
and not seen what was
coming."

A deeply moving MG novel in verse about a girl struggling with depression.
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Pearl loves looking at the loggerhead turtles and octopuses when she visits the aquarium, even choosing to give a oral report on the turtles and how they’re endangered. But when Pearl starts fifth grade, she’s completely overwhelmed with all the changes happening in her life. Everything in her life becomes a challenge to complete so when Pearl begins seeing a therapist who diagnoses her with depression. Pearl’s goal now is to do one Impossible Thing each day and put a bead on a string to signify the moment. With the help of family and friends she’s able to find her new normal.
🌕
Oh, my heart! @bobbiepyronauthor is known for not shying away from the tough topics needing to be addressed in middle grade books and Octopus Moon is no exception. Be sure to read the Author’s Note at the end about how Pyron drew from her own experiences writing this book that is out now!

CW: depression, mental health, anxiety, bullying

Having recently finished “Octopus Moon” by Bobbie Pyron, I am happy to have had the chance for the Advanced Reader’s Edition e-copy; thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group/ Nancy Paulsen Books.

“Where did my hard turtle shell go? The one I could hide in and not feel Everything.”

I loved the beautiful and peaceful moments in Pearl’s favorite place: The Gulfarium- Denizens of the Deep exhibit. Ms. Pyron’s story takes us to Crescent Beach, Florida and time spent in 10 year-old Pearl’s other world, a world full of changes, depression and anxiety. Surrounded by family, friends and a caring therapist who helped her to know that:

“Depression will tell you things about yourself that are not true.”

Pearl began to understand that having a purpose, using techniques and knowing where her Happy Place was, would begin to help her heal from the struggles and dark times in her life.

The Author’s Note includes a personal message and is full of resources and words of encouragement for those needing support as they begin the process of learning how to feel better.

Octopus Moon is a book that will stay with me long after I’ve finished reading it. Main character Pearl is anxious and worried about 5th grade. She has loving friends and family, but she finds herself sinking into depression. Told in free verse over the course of the school year, Pearl, with the help of her therapist and her family, finds tools to help her find her voice, navigate her depression and advocate for what she believes in. Powerful and moving, this book is a must read!

I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety my entire life, but I didn’t know that’s what it was until I was about 28 and read another middle grade novel (Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand) that made me suddenly realize what I’d been experiencing my whole life. I wished when I read that book that I had been able to read it when I was much younger and wondered how my life might have looked different. This is another one of those books. It’s good for people who know they have depression, want to understand depression a little better, or maybe those who don’t know they have depression yet.

Depression is a complicated topic, and it has stigmas associated with it that aren’t true. That is all handled with the nuance and delicacy it deserves. There are characters who express misunderstandings about depression and how they think it’s not a real illness, and Pearl has to work through that to help them understand. She has people confused because she doesn’t have a good “reason” to be depressed. I also appreciate how she isn’t cured but it given helpful steps to help her deal with the depression, even though she’ll still have hard days. I’ll be trying out some of those ideas myself.

I tend not to like books in verse and struggle to connect with them, but this book is an exception to that. The format worked well for the mental state Pearl is in, and it reflects her interest in poetry. There were also parts that I had to highlight because of how deeply I connected to them from my own experiences with depression. There are many gems worth repeating when dealing with depression such as, “depression lies” and gems for life such as “love is a verb.” Others that perfectly expressed how I feel with depression included, “What is there to say that hasn’t already been said by those mean voices in my head?” and “Easy is getting harder every day.”

The cast of characters is interesting. Pearl and her friends are different individuals, but it makes sense why they’re friends. The adults in the book are complex while still fitting the way someone Pearl’s age would see them.

Overall, this is a good read, especially for people wanting to see a nuanced and helpful representation of depression.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

Pearl is part of a loving family living in a small town on the gulf coast of Florida. But Pearl has been struggling with depression and she's having trouble living her normal life-hanging out with her friends, running with her dog, even being with her family is hard. Luckily, Pearl is able to find help. This is a wonderful depiction of depression-it gives a picture of how a person with depression feels without being scary or overblown. It also shows how different people react to someone with depression, which may be helpful to someone going through the same. things. I also loved Pearl's character. I was sorry the book was over!

Pearl is more than her depression. She is her love of turtles and everything ocean; she is a friend to Mia and Rosie, a daughter to some pretty awesome parents, a granddaughter, a runner, a dreamer. But her world has been becoming more and more narrow as a dark fog of anxiety sucks away her power to enjoy and participate in life.

Reading this poetic book written in free verse, we learn along with Pearl what depression is and how to live with it. We learn how to keep walking forward, one step and one moment at a time. We learn that there is hope.

Without being didactic, and with a firm understanding of what it's like to struggle with mental illness as a child, Bobbie Pyron has written a book that I am excited to add to our library and share with the children in my life.

In OCTOPUS MOON, ocean loving Pearl is starting fifth grade with a heaviness that she can’t shake. As this novel in verse unfolds, we see Pearl fall deeper into despair, withdrawing from friends, struggling with school, and unable to find joy in the things she used to love. Once those around her realize what is happening, Pearl begins the journey to return to herself.

The book provides a realistic portrayal of depression and the complexities of navigating it. The novel in verse format supports accessibility of the complex topic. Within Pearl’s story, the author addresses some common misconceptions about mental health, including the stigma around seeking help. Some of the effective coping strategies that can be used for managing depression are also depicted throughout the story. The cast of supporting characters, including a parent who questions depression being an illness, a grandparent with undiagnosed depression, close friends, and a supportive therapist, provides additional dimension to the story. A powerful and moving portrayal of depression, this book will be a support for middle grade readers facing similar feelings or who seek to understand loved ones with depression.

Here is a book for young people to experience what one 10 year-old girl finds as she learns that she has depression. Depression stays well hidden until her parents talk with her teacher and they send her do Dr. Jill for help. Slowing she starts to share so Dr. Jill can determine that she is in depression and can give her ways to help her. Very emotional reading but good for children to learn empathy.

I received an ARC from Penguin Young Readers Group via NetGalley. This realistic fiction middle grade book is written in prose. Pearl is 10 years old and entering 5th grade in Florida just off the Gulf coast. Pearl loves the aquarium where her mom works and relates to the loggerhead turtle with his hard shell and the octopus with all its sensors constantly in touch with the world. While Pearl has a supportive family and 2 best friends she is also learning she has depression, which is a constant battle. A well written and stimulating read for kids and adults that also has a focus on action for our beloved sea creatures.

Octopus Moon was an absolutely stunning story of a young girl who develops depression and has to learn to live with it. Pearl has always been a worrier, an anxious child, but when she starts 5th grade her anxiety begins to be debilitating and she no longer has the energy to do any of the things she used to. Her grades start to slip, she begins to lose friends, and that voice inside her head is just plain mean.

This book is going to be such a powerful read for students, not only those that are in the beginning stages of depression, but for all students that may know someone that is struggling. As Pearl begins therapy the reader also learns signs and tactics for how to deal with the down days. Her friends and family learn what it means and how to help her deal with it or give her space, depending on what she needs on that day. Honestly, this was just a beautiful and moving story.

This book is already on my 100% must buy list for next year's school budget and I have convinced a few teacher friends to buy it for their classrooms.

A thoughtful and reflective look at pre-teen depression. Good friendships, a mostly supportive family, and aware and proactive educators help a 5th grade girl identify and begin to deal with depression. Thoughtfully and appropriately handled, A good read for middle grade students.

This is a heart warming tale of a fifth grader dealing with depression.

🐙💜 I love the way this is written in verse. It resonated so much more than it would have if it was a in narrative form. 🐙💜

Pearl has always loved school, but the thought of starting fifth grade is really causing some huge emotions. She tries very hard to pretent that everything is fine, but after parent teacher conferences Pearl's parents find out the truth.

This topic is handled in such an honest and compassionate way. My heart actually broke at time, but by the end of the novel, my heart was pieces back together. I can not give this book enough praise.

I really enjoyed this sweet novel in verse about mental health and specifically depression. I really liked the way it focused on the way depression can run in families and how different generations can choose to handle it. I also loved the discussion of class and privilege and how that intersects with mental health. Through the lens of a rich character who readers will root for, I think this book is a great conversation starter for young kids.

Fifth grader Pearl loves running with her beagle, skateboarding with her friends, and hanging out at the aquarium and animal rescue center where her mom works. But as summer turns to fall, she finds it harder and harder to enjoy the things that she used to, and some days, even getting out of bed feels impossible. Worried, her parents take her to see a therapist, where Pearl is diagnosed with depression.

This book does a marvelous job showing how Pearl's depression isn't anyone's fault and that it doesn't have an easy "cure." She faces misunderstandings from kids and adults alike but finds solace in recognizing that even in nature, there aren't many easy answers and things aren't just what they appear. There are sections where the novel-in-verse format really works well and occasions where it feels like prose with peculiar line breaks. I don't mind. The one thing I do mind is the way the author occasionally uses "suffering" from depression, rather than one of the many other less pitying words available. This isn't a huge complaint, just something I've had to work through with my own mental illness. I'm also disappointed that octopuses aren't featured more prominently in this book despite the title, but I'm glad turtles get some good screen time. I would recommend this book to anyone in fourth of fifth grade who wants to understand why they don't enjoy things the way they used to. This is also a great book to help parents build empathy with their elementary or middle school kids who might be going through something that their parents don't understand.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Octopus Moon is written in a beautiful and approachable way. It will be an incredibly valuable read for students, teachers, and families alike! There's so many people who need and can benefit from a book like this. It's one I will reread in the future (and I don't do a lot of rereads.)