How to Become a Planet
(eBook)

Grouping Information

Book Cover Information

Hoopla Extract Information

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    [year] => 2021
    [artist] => Nicole Melleby
    [fiction] => 1
    [coverImageUrl] => https://cover.hoopladigital.com/hbg_9781643751627_270.jpeg
    [titleId] => 15239514
    [isbn] => 9781643751627
    [abridged] => 
    [language] => ENGLISH
    [profanity] => 
    [title] => How to Become a Planet
    [demo] => 
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    [pages] => 288
    [children] => 1
    [artists] => Array
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                    [name] => Nicole Melleby
                    [artistFormal] => Melleby, Nicole
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            [0] => Depression & Mental Illness
            [1] => Friendship
            [2] => Juvenile Fiction
            [3] => LGBTQ+
            [4] => Social Themes
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    [price] => 1.99
    [id] => 15239514
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    [synopsis] => A Publishers Weekly Best Middle Grade Book of 2021

One of The Nerd Daily's "Anticipated Queer Book Releases You Can't Miss in 2021"

 One of Lambda Literary's "May's Most Anticipated LGBTQ Literature"



"Gorgeous." -BuzzFeed



 The two most important things to know about Pluto Timoney:  (1) she's always loved outer space (obviously); and (2) her favorite season is summer, the time to go to the boardwalk, visit the planetarium, and work in her mom's pizzeria.



 This summer, when Pluto's turning thirteen, is different. Pluto has just been diagnosed with depression, and she feels like a black hole is sitting on her chest, making it hard to do anything. When Pluto's dad threatens to make her move to the city-where he believes his money could help her get better-Pluto comes up with a plan to do whatever it takes to be her old self again. If she does everything that old, "normal" Pluto would do, she can stay with her mom. But it takes a new therapist, new tutor, and new (cute) friend with a plan of her own for Pluto to see that there is no old or new her. There's just Pluto, discovering more about herself every day.

   In this acclaimed novel, which received two starred reviews, Pluto tries to figure out how to go back to being the person she was before her depression and anxiety diagnosis. With the help of a hotline (the Hayden Planetarium Hotline, that is), a new tutor, and a new friend, Pluto discovers that there is no old or new Pluto, there's just Pluto, growing up. Nicole Melleby is a born-and-bred Jersey girl with a passion for storytelling. She studied creative writing at Fairleigh Dickinson University and currently teaches creative writing and literature courses with a handful of local universities. When she's not writing, she can be found browsing the shelves at her local comic shop or watching soap operas with a cup of tea. A Publishers Weekly Best Middle Grade Book of 2021



 "As always, Melleby naturally integrates her queer protagonist's discovery of her sexuality into a larger story. The love of space that Pluto shares with her mother (whose own stress level is honestly portrayed) informs her way of thinking about herself and the world; Pluto's interest in the history of the Challenger disaster is just one reason this introspective novel might appeal to fans of Erin Entrada Kelly's We Dream of Space." 

 -The Horn Book Magazine

  

 "Nicole Melleby, author of "In the Role of Brie Hutchins," offers a sensitive, pitch-perfect portrayal of a girl battling depression and anxiety disorder the summer before 8th grade in this excellent novel for middle-grade readers. … This is an important and ultimately hopeful book."

 -The Buffalo News

  

 "An outstanding book."

-The City Book Review, Kid's Book Buzz



 "Sprinkled with astronomy-related metaphors related to a planet's properties, this acutely observed, authentically told tale by Melleby (In the Role of Brie Hutchens...) thoughtfully portrays Pluto's relationship with her worried single mother, the girl's urgent desire to 'be fixed,' and her intense-and at times overpowering-depressive episodes. Compassionate secondary characters and a strong sense of place further buoy the narrative."

 -Publishers Weekly, starred review



 "A raw yet honest portrayal of a young person's experience with depression, this is a must-read for both middle grade readers and the teachers, counselors, parents, and other adults who interact daily with youth undergoing similar experiences."

 -School Library Journal, starred review



 "Lambda Literary Awards finalist Melleby tackles the gravitational force of the youth mental health crisis . . . Readers will find insight and compassion around setting realistic goals and navigating results that may not match initial expectations . . . A realistic, hopeful account of personal rec
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    [pa] => 
    [publisher] => Workman Publishing Company
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