Praise

Praise for Octopus Moon:

★ “Pearl’s struggles will resonate with readers who grapple with feelings of not being enough…Pearl adopts good management skills in the form of setting goals…repeating some mantras—“My family will always love me. The ocean will always be there. The moon is always full”—to assist her in moving forward in life. This is an important purchase for all children’s and teens’ library shelves.”—School Library Journal, starred review

“This novel in verse details Pearl’s depression, from initial struggles to accepting help…and the stigma around mental illness, and helps her forge a path onward…The narrative itself offers excellent coping strategies… the emphasis is on how using these skills affects her character… [and] healing…Pearl’s resilience, hope, and bravery shine like her namesake.”—Booklist

“Pyron…employs a raft of apt ocean similes to elucidate Pearl’s depression with complexity in this perceptive, instructive, and hopeful verse novel, taking care to note that the moon is always full, even when ‘we can’t see that from/ down here.’”—Publishers Weekly

“Pyron artfully presents Pearl’s navigation of her new diagnosis [depression]… The descriptions of symptoms, including physical exhaustion, provide a window into her experiences… described in the spare verse… Pearl’s relationships to the secondary characters are rich and evocative… A full-bodied and authentic exploration of living with depression.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Octopus Moon shines with resilience, hope and kindness. Oh, how I wish I’d had this book when I was a kid!”—Katherine Appelgate, author of the Newbery Award winning The One and Only Ivan

“I have so many feelings about this necessary, honest, B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L book. I love Bobbie Pyron’s poetry. Buy it, read it, share it!“—John Schu, librarian and author of the New York Times best-selling Louder Than Hunger

“Pyron weaves a story with heart, compassion, and authenticity. From the first page, Pearl is a character you want to hug.”—Barbara O’Connor, New York Times bestselling author of Wish