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tippettreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
dananana's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
annabananawible's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Dysphoria
Minor: Suicide
katievh's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
hydrsoob's review against another edition
Slow paced novel. As much as I enjoyed hearing the narrative of Pluto and related to the plot (maybe a bit too heavily), it was just too slow for me to bear. Well written novel though!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
thewildmageslibrary's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
5.0
Read: May 2021
I was lucky enough to win an ARC of this middle-grade novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's been a while since I've read a middle-grade other than Rick Riordan, so this was a treat!
I don't know if I was just in a mood today or what, but this almost made me cry. I wasn't depressed in middle school, but I have dealt with it at different points since then and reading about Pluto going through depression AND all the regular anxieties surrounding being a pre-teen made my heart hurt.
The amount of support Pluto had was so, so important. Despite pushing people away and not knowing how to fix it, her mom and friends were still there for her. I also love that she found several adults to relate to.
The emphasis on astronomy made me happy! All the random facts that helped Pluto cope, the Hayden Planetarium (which I will visit someday!!) hotline, meteor showers 🌠, everything. Space has been one of my passions for years so finding characters with the same zeal is wonderful.
FALLON. Can I just say the way these two explore their identities and new feelings is so wholesome?? I didn't know this book would have LGBTQIAP+ rep and it was such a nice surprise. I'm so here for Pluto and Fallon evolving from friendship into something more.
I was lucky enough to win an ARC of this middle-grade novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's been a while since I've read a middle-grade other than Rick Riordan, so this was a treat!
I don't know if I was just in a mood today or what, but this almost made me cry. I wasn't depressed in middle school, but I have dealt with it at different points since then and reading about Pluto going through depression AND all the regular anxieties surrounding being a pre-teen made my heart hurt.
The amount of support Pluto had was so, so important. Despite pushing people away and not knowing how to fix it, her mom and friends were still there for her. I also love that she found several adults to relate to.
The emphasis on astronomy made me happy! All the random facts that helped Pluto cope, the Hayden Planetarium (which I will visit someday!!) hotline, meteor showers 🌠, everything. Space has been one of my passions for years so finding characters with the same zeal is wonderful.
FALLON. Can I just say the way these two explore their identities and new feelings is so wholesome?? I didn't know this book would have LGBTQIAP+ rep and it was such a nice surprise. I'm so here for Pluto and Fallon evolving from friendship into something more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Homophobia
qace90's review
challenging
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
You’re going to want tissues on hand when reading How to Become a Planet, but in the end the crying feels cathartic.
It’s the summer after seventh grade, and Pluto is struggling to reconcile who she was before and now she’s been diagnosed with depression and anxiety. She missed the last 34 days of school and feels like her friendship with Meredith has fizzled out because they haven’t been texting, and her dad thinks she’d be better if she moved to his place because he has more money and resources to help her with her depression. But she doesn’t want to leave her mom, her shares her love of space and instilled that love in Pluto, so she decides she needs to make a list of goals that, if she completes all of them, she’ll be back to Old Pluto and able to stay with her mom.
I found this book to be extremely relatable and the way the depression was handled was painful yet wonderful. Pluto is at an age (almost thirteen) where it’s hard to explain her emotions, but she knows she’s tired and her body is heavy and sometimes she just wishes to create black hole everything can stop. Which scares her mom, and her mom’s fear sometimes causes her to make Pluto feel worse because she feels like she’s failing at being who she used to be.
A bright spot for Plu is a new friend, Fallon, who didn’t know Pluto before her diagnosis and so doesn’t make comparisons to who or how she used to be. Seeing Pluto’s list gives Fallon the courage to create her own and get Pluto’s help to complete the items on it. Sharing their lists helps their friendship grow and as they grow closer, Plu gets butterflies when she thinks of Fallon, and seeing her tutor Mrs McAuliffe with her wife Sunny makes Plu think of a future like that with Fallon.
This book was an absolutely emotional ride, in the best way. This is a book I’m so glad exists because sometimes it feels like society acts like preteens can’t be depressed until they’re a teenager, and this book gives a name to those feelings and shows healthy coping methods - including therapy and medication. In many ways this book is validating of feelings and experiences for me, and I’m so glad it exists. Nicole Melleby is definitely a must-read author for me now, and I look forward to more stories from her. that hit hard but with so much care.
It’s the summer after seventh grade, and Pluto is struggling to reconcile who she was before and now she’s been diagnosed with depression and anxiety. She missed the last 34 days of school and feels like her friendship with Meredith has fizzled out because they haven’t been texting, and her dad thinks she’d be better if she moved to his place because he has more money and resources to help her with her depression. But she doesn’t want to leave her mom, her shares her love of space and instilled that love in Pluto, so she decides she needs to make a list of goals that, if she completes all of them, she’ll be back to Old Pluto and able to stay with her mom.
I found this book to be extremely relatable and the way the depression was handled was painful yet wonderful. Pluto is at an age (almost thirteen) where it’s hard to explain her emotions, but she knows she’s tired and her body is heavy and sometimes she just wishes to create black hole everything can stop. Which scares her mom, and her mom’s fear sometimes causes her to make Pluto feel worse because she feels like she’s failing at being who she used to be.
A bright spot for Plu is a new friend, Fallon, who didn’t know Pluto before her diagnosis and so doesn’t make comparisons to who or how she used to be. Seeing Pluto’s list gives Fallon the courage to create her own and get Pluto’s help to complete the items on it. Sharing their lists helps their friendship grow and as they grow closer, Plu gets butterflies when she thinks of Fallon, and seeing her tutor Mrs McAuliffe with her wife Sunny makes Plu think of a future like that with Fallon.
This book was an absolutely emotional ride, in the best way. This is a book I’m so glad exists because sometimes it feels like society acts like preteens can’t be depressed until they’re a teenager, and this book gives a name to those feelings and shows healthy coping methods - including therapy and medication. In many ways this book is validating of feelings and experiences for me, and I’m so glad it exists. Nicole Melleby is definitely a must-read author for me now, and I look forward to more stories from her. that hit hard but with so much care.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, and Self harm
erin_lovell's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Homophobia
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