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She makes pals with fun Yusuf, begins mudlarking, does well at school and begins to accept her Mother's gifts and kindnesses. They would also only drop off a case of books and leave us to run it – it was so lovely to have you on hand to chat to the children and recommend them books, as well as the small (but appreciated!
One thing that can always bring my own daughter around, and break the cycle of her meltdowns is story: to start to read her her book has always calmed her, controlled her breathing, brought her back into be held.I have even talked the head into a little revamp of the library so that we can display them properly! It‘s the story about a girl named October who lives in a little house in the woods with only her dad. She lives in South London with her partner, two lazy dogs and an assorted collection of dying house plants. I've also just been introduced to the first two stunning children's books by Katya Balen, both published by Bloomsbury: The Space We're In and October, October . Navigating big feelings and difficult situations is not easy as an adult, let alone as a child, and Balen's neutral, non-judgemental depiction of what such feelings might look like was refreshing, to say the least.
The illustrations help to paint this picture with the opening of Stigs eyes and the eventual bird in flight. It's a magical book, a young girl lives in the forrest/woods with her father and they enjoy a very happy life in the outdoors. October, October is a lovely but flawed middle grade novel whose heart shines through even its more scuffed, unpolished surfaces. It was such a pleasure to meet you both, and I really appreciated how smoothly and professionally you ran everything. October, who has just turned 11 and is named after her birth month, lives in the woods with her father.
The novel revolves around a moment on October’s eleventh birthday when her mother comes to visit her and October flees and, as she always does, climbs a tree, higher and further than usual. possibly the best father/daughter relationship i've ever read, a very relatable and painful portrayal of anxiety, guilt and abandonment and the heart-full feeling of loving someone and something you protect.
This book explores mature themes in an implicit way that is integrated beautifully and appropriately into the story. A lovely story about family, friendship, growing up and learning to get along with those around us, Katya Balen’s story is one I very much enjoyed. A timeless, lyrical treasure that sees a girl who's at one with the wild struggle with the world beyond her woods .Jumanji meets Ready Player One in this fast-paced adventure featuring incredible real-life heroes, from the internationally bestselling author of The Uncommoners series. The character of October had me questioning many of my own perspectives on belonging and the need to be wild and free. And here, October uses story to control her world, to find the perfect story to reconnect with and reconcile with her father.
October is uncompromising, unafraid to take up space, even and especially in ways that we in civilised society deem undesirable. What is worse, she is forced to 'abandon' her owl chick to a rescue centre and she herself is sent to school.The perfect Autumn read - you can almost smell the damp leaves, crisp air and smoke from a distant bonfire . And if she finds the long-lost Forever Fern before the twins, both Jungledrop and our world will crumble. There is much here about what it’s like to live in an estranged family, but also about the power of friendship and the ordinary things that give necessary structure to children’s lives like school and activities. The critics are describing it as a future classic and our young reviewer certainly agrees that it is an amazing book that has been published by Bloomsbury. I love everything about this story, the trajectory of the protagonist, her innocence and awkwardness, the environment, the history and background.
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