Book Review: How to Become a Planet by Nicole Melleby

How to Become a Planet

by Nicole Melleby (j Melleby)

 

Pluto is a kid who loves visiting science centers, watching meteor showers, and working in her mom’s pizza restaurant by the beach. Or at least she did until she had to skip the end of seventh grade and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety.

 

This summer, Pluto has a list of goals that she believes–if she accomplishes them — will mean she’ll go back to the Pluto she was before. She meets a new friend who has a list of her own and they find they can help each other. This story is filled with references to astronomy, especially about the planet Pluto’s re-designation and the Challenger disaster. While Pluto-the-person’s struggles can be tough to experience with her at times and there’s no magical “fix,” tweens and adults readers both can learn a lot about what it looks like to live with depression and learn how to thrive again.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try The Benefits of Being An Octopus by Ann Braden or Focused by Alyson Gerber.)

 

( official How to Become a Planet page on the official Nicole Melleby web site )

 

Recommended by Garren H.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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