Octopus for Harry Ainlay

This was a difficult choice for our team at Harry Ainlay. Both novels were engaging, however, The Benefits of Being An Octopus won.

Moonrise
This novel will impact readers on various levels. It was an emotional read on many levels: family relationships; poverty; advocating for a brother; the criminal justice system; and the complex idea of hope. The issues we faced in our discussions was the accessibility of the text and the plausibility of the death penalty in a murder with reasonable doubt. We know the author is shedding light on the faults of the criminal justice system. Could that exploration and narrative be stronger? More plausible? Yes and it should be.

Octopus
This novel is accessible to middle year readers. Various topics are approached with nuance, empathy, and integrity. Complex issues arise from this text which make the reader think of their stance and the complexity of the issue. The metaphor of a young girl who takes on a parent role was so fitting as many of the children in our classrooms can relate.