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nssutton's review
5.0
Oof, got me right in the heart spot. Loved each of the voices and how they connected. Such great themes - challenging “the way it is,” the different ways people show love, the importance of gender-neutral bathrooms, feeling misunderstood at a personal and community-wide level. So many extension activities - puffin research! Post card bombing!
phillybear's review
5.0
This book felt like reading about an old friend. Or multiple friends it turns out. We spend time with Libby, Jack, Vincent and T. Libby is the passionate brains behind it all. Struggling with her family she creates heartfelt index cards which she hides around her town to bring joy to those around her. As Ann puts it she,"wields a fistful of paper love bombs." This sets into motion a connection between all characters which doesn't come to fruition until the end of the book. Fans of rock hiding groups will find themselves connecting with Libby! As someone who grew up attending a small elementary school I could also relate to Jack. Jack is a young man who wants to do what's "right" so his school can remain a part of his community but ends up learning about acceptance and begins to heal his family. Vincent is bullied at school as he is discovering his identity. With the unexpected help of Libby and a homeless teen T, he learns to stand up for himself. T is a character I yearn to know more about. As their character is developed slowly and with less words. They bring light to the poverty and homelessness of our youth especially the challenges transgendered youth face when they aren't accepted/supported. I hope this is the start for these characters who've just begun to build a love brigade!
neve_farnsy10's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
mlbaran's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
addison_reads's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
laughing_llama's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
lbrauz's review
5.0
Loved this book!! Such a great story for middle schoolers about feeling isolated and how to handle it. Loved the multiple perspectives and eventual connections between characters!! Also, LOVE that Ann Braden did a nationwide read aloud!! My 7th grade students loved it and will be talking about it for some time!!
hamckeon's review
5.0
This is truly a fantastic middle grade book that celebrates all different types of people
thenextgenlib's review
5.0
One act of kindness can change the world.
✉️
Libby’s family is infamous in town for being “bad news”, but she doesn’t want that moniker applied to her. She wants to draw and color and change the world. Then there’s Jack: a boy who is trying so hard to be good after his younger brother died. On the opposite side of the country there’s Vincent, a kid who’s obsessed with mathematics, but gets bullied for wearing a shirt with a puffin on it. One day Vincent meets T, who literally gives him the shirt off their back. T is a homeless child living on the street because their parents wouldn’t accept them for who they are.
Four kids. One postcard. A chain reaction that changes everything.
✉️
This story takes a bit to get into because you’re learning about each of the children involved, but once it does—BAM! You’re hooked. The Benefits of Being An Octopus was an amazing debut by Braden. I knew her second novel would be just as phenomenal, but I had no clue it would hit me like this. Flight of the Puffin is going to change minds and save lives. It’s the first MG book I’ve ever read that addresses #transrights in a way that is told with sensitivity and age appropriate language so our younger students can understand the issues trans students go through. I am so excited for this book to be released May 4 so our youth can read it and in doing so become a more empathetic generation for the future. Thank you @this_is_edelweiss for an ARC. Do yourself, your students and your school a favor and preorder this immediately.
✉️
Libby’s family is infamous in town for being “bad news”, but she doesn’t want that moniker applied to her. She wants to draw and color and change the world. Then there’s Jack: a boy who is trying so hard to be good after his younger brother died. On the opposite side of the country there’s Vincent, a kid who’s obsessed with mathematics, but gets bullied for wearing a shirt with a puffin on it. One day Vincent meets T, who literally gives him the shirt off their back. T is a homeless child living on the street because their parents wouldn’t accept them for who they are.
Four kids. One postcard. A chain reaction that changes everything.
✉️
This story takes a bit to get into because you’re learning about each of the children involved, but once it does—BAM! You’re hooked. The Benefits of Being An Octopus was an amazing debut by Braden. I knew her second novel would be just as phenomenal, but I had no clue it would hit me like this. Flight of the Puffin is going to change minds and save lives. It’s the first MG book I’ve ever read that addresses #transrights in a way that is told with sensitivity and age appropriate language so our younger students can understand the issues trans students go through. I am so excited for this book to be released May 4 so our youth can read it and in doing so become a more empathetic generation for the future. Thank you @this_is_edelweiss for an ARC. Do yourself, your students and your school a favor and preorder this immediately.