Marcellus the Octopus is the perfect mascot for World Octopus Day! Smarter than the humans around him, a nightly escape artist from his aquarium tank, and a most lovable curmudgeon, this unique character floats up from the pages of Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel, “Remarkably Bright Creatures”, a 2022 New York Times bestseller and “Read with Jenna” pick. The novel tells a heart-warming story about relationships, most notably a friendship between an octopus and an older woman, Tova. Along the way we encounter a whole host of quirky, engaging characters plus a mystery to be solved that kept us turning the pages until the end.

Mindfulness coach, philanthropist, and author, Shelly Tygielski is the founder of Pandemic of Love, one of the most innovative global movements to arise during the pandemic. A radical self-care activist and community organizer, she founded this mutual-aid operation in early 2020 when she posted two Google forms online. One read “Get Help,” the other “Give Help”. The next morning, there were hundreds of requests from both choices. Since then, this direct-aid organization has grown exponentially, matching 2.5 million people, and has become a disrupter among philanthropic organizations. Shelly has been named a CNN Hero and has received kudos from many, including President Biden, who credits Shelly with “saving people’s lives and giving them hope.” Shelly believes that changing the world starts with the individual…