Local author Ann Braden will be discussing her book The Benefits of Being an Octopus on Monday, September 16 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Main Reading Room at Brooks Memorial Library as part of the Let's Read 2019 community reading initiative. The Benefits of Being an Octopus, published in the fall of 2018, is the powerful story of a young girl finding her courage and voice in the face of poverty, bullying, and a challenging home life. The Benefits of Being an Octopus is an NPR Best Book of the Year for 2018, a Junior Library Guild Selection, a 2019 Global Read Aloud Contender, a 2019-2020 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award Nominee, and included on Bank Street Best Children's Books of 2019. This free event is open to the public and is appropriate for children in 4th grade and up, as well as adults.

As a lead up to Ann's talk, the Children's Room at Brooks Memorial Library will host three book discussion groups. Group A will meet from 6:30 to 7:30 pm on Tuesday September 10, Group B will meet from 4:00 to 5:00 pm on Thursday September 12, and Group C will meet from 1:00 to 2:00 pm on Saturday September 14. Please call the Children's Room at (802) 254-5290 ext. 1210 to sign up for a group. Groups are open to children in 4th grade and up and adults.

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