Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for a review copy of this book - all opinions are my own.

The Benefits of Being an Octopus is a skillfully written debut novel for middle grade readers. Braden uses the story of 7th grader Zoey to interweave the themes of poverty, domestic abuse, and gun violence with nuance and compassion. I was impressed by Braden’s commitment to neither oversimplify or overdramatize the complicated topics she is addressing. She was frank about the realities of Zoey’s everyday life, while also being sensitive to the emotions of young readers. The Benefits of Being an Octopus is an accessible read that brings some important representation of often overlooked themes and characters to middle grade lit.