SYNOPSIS

The trailer where Zoey, her mom and three younger siblings are squatting is rarely a place of happy respite.

It belongs to mom’s latest boyfriend who barely tolerates anyone but his own child (youngest of the four) and seems to have trapped mom in abusive servitude.

Money is barely enough for food – so laundry, books, toys and new clothes are rare luxuries for the children.

Zoey struggles with schoolwork, ridicules from classmates in a school of have’s and have-not’s, and full-time care for her siblings, while seeing mom’s strength get crushed by her boyfriend.

To cope, she learns techniques from the only book she owns, dedicated to the adaptable, secretive, observant octopus.

With indirect support from an attentive teacher, Zoey designs a plan to rescue not only her own mom but also her best friend and her mom, also trapped in an unhealthy relationship.

Thanks to Zoey’s newly learned debate abilities, seven people move into a one-bedroom apartment together to mend frayed friendships, rescue one another, and care for each other. And a cat.

PERFECT AGE 10 – 16

We love

• Zoey! She is resilient, nurturing, wise, young, sensitive, full of wonder toward the world despite the disappointments it’s served her. Can only dream of what she’ll accomplish next!
• A masterful treatment of a gnarly topic – gun possession. Zoey passionately argues in front of her debate team that guns do not always equate with violence and defends her friend Silas’s inoffensive love of hunting with dad.
• The experience of what it’s like to live with privation is so well described and brought to life – it will leave a strong mark and offer much food for thought to any young reader (as it should).

WATCH OUT FOR (Language, Big / Sensitive Topics, Outdated Concepts):

• Unlike one child’s (presumably safe) interaction with hunting rifles (with dad), another child is physically terrorized by an adult who fires a gun in a parked vehicle to teach her a lesson. The incident takes place at the school parking lot during after-school activities, so students are alerted to take cover inside their classrooms.
• We learn that Zoey sometimes steals a box of treats from the corner store for her kid siblings.

CONVERSATION STARTERS

• Zoey’s classmates make fun of her clothes and smell. Now that you know her story, do you think these are things she could control? How so?
• What are some of the techniques that Zoey learned from the octopus and how did she apply them in life?
• What do you think of Ms. Rochambeau? In what ways did she affect Zoey’s story?
• Can you describe the qualities that most impressed you about Zoey?
• What did the debate club teach Zoey? How did she take advantage of her learnings?