How To Become A Planet

Juvenile fiction 

     "When it finally came after one hundred and eighty long days, the first day of summer break didn't matter to Pluto.  The countdown she'd with Meredith still read 34 Days Until Freedom!!! because Pluto hadn't been to school in over a month.  She hadn't had to worry about end-of-the-year pool parties, or endless have a great summers, or Meredith begging her to just be her friend again."

     Pluto, protagonist of Nicole Melleby's How To Become A Planet, missed 34 days of school right before summer vacation.  There were investigations.  Doctors were consulted.  Now she's been diagnosed with depression and anxiety.  Each day starts with medications after Pluto's mom drags her out of bed to go with her to the pizza place she runs.

     "Twelve-year-olds couldn't stay in bed on their own, no matter how much they might need to.  If she was older, an adult, she would stay in bed and no one would force her to do anything, a fixed planet around which everything else moved while she ignored it.  But for now, Pluto was the moon and her mother was the planet she was forced to orbit."

     For Pluto the family restaurant no longer feels like a safe and comfortable haven.  She is determined not to do the catch up assignments and tutoring that will allow her to not repeat seventh grade.  Seeing her former best friend causes panic attacks.  She's terrified of the prospect of returning to middle school in the fall.

     Also her parents are fighting again.  Her father had previously stayed pretty much out of the picture.  Now he's insisting that she move to live with him, claiming that he is better able to access the resources she needs to get better.

     "She was afraid her mom was going to drop her off and leave her there, where her dad could try to fix her, and her mother wouldn't have to keep dealing with the broken pieces."

     With the incidence of anxiety and depression climbing in middle and high schoolers, How To Become A Planet is a very timely coming of age narrative.

On a purrrsonal note, we had the family game night in the Commuter Lounge.  We had board games, art supplies, snacks, and adoptable stuffed animals from the new Black Bear Animal Shelter with birth certificates signed by Dr. Bananas T. Bear.  Nobody wanted to play games or do art.  But the animals were a big hit.  Out of 40 birth certificates only 15 were left when I had to leave to catch the last bus home.  I started doing sidewalk chalk art to advertise events.  So much fun!  And it counts for internship hours! (Jules)

I got a wonderful gift from a family friend, three cases of Fancy Feast (the gourmet stuff) cat food.  Mmm mmm good!!!  Now for weeks I can be a fancy beast!!!  I am living the dream.  (Tobago)

A great big shout out goes out to our happy adopters and our friend, Emily, who sent the special treat.

Tobago and Jules Hathaway 

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