October, October: WINNER OF THE YOTO CARNEGIE MEDAL 2022

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Emily Bearn also reviewed The Thames and Tide Club for The Telegraph, writing, "There is a gentle, but never overbearing, moral about protecting the environment; and the combination of short, suspenseful chapters and engaging illustrations by Rachael Dean make this a book that even the less confident readers are likely to enjoy." [17] The book was named a Children's Book of the Week by The Times in April 2023, [18] and described in a review by Ruth Concannon for the Irish Examiner as a "quirky tale that will be particularly enjoyed by anyone who appreciates a good, fish-themed pun." [19] Awards and honours [ edit ]

Without spoiling any of the story beats, I can say it has moments of sadness; I found my heart breaking for October so many times, as she feels her world slipping away, and for her mother who wants to connect with her but simply doesn’t know how. It is also uplifting and hopeful however, showing true moments of love and friendship, and the joy that can be taken in simple things.Bestselling author Alexandra Christo, author of TikTok sensation To Kill a Kingdom, introduces her new book, The Night Hunt (Hot Key Books), a dark...

Awards: Wainwright Nature Writing Winners". Shelf Awareness. 9 September 2022. Archived from the original on 10 September 2022 . Retrieved 7 June 2023. In 2022, the judging panel includes 14 volunteer judges from CILIP’s Youth Libraries Group. Find out more about this year’s judges here That is until October’s eleventh birthday; until she finds the owl, and until her dad is rushed into hospital. October is pulled away from the woods, from her home, and into the care of “the woman who is her mother”. Confused and alone, trapped in a tiny house in busy London with a woman that she hasn’t seen in years (and has no interest in), October struggles to understand this new world. But maybe, if she and her mother are both willing to try, she might find that there are some good things outside of the woods after all… Many reviewers have commented upon your ability to realistically convey the inner life of children facing very difficult problems or situations. What do you think has helped you to do this? This was the first book in which you have employed dual narrators. At what point did you decide this was necessary?We’re very excited to be publishing book 1 in your first middle-grade series for younger readers, The Thames and Tide Club: The Secret City in May. Please can you let our readers know what to expect from the series? Absolutely! And you don't have to live in the countryside to connect with nature - I live in London and since writing this book I see nature all over. Birds and foxes, trees and flowers, tiny woods and big green parks. There are hidden corners of nature everywhere. Go and be wild! Written in Katya Balen's heart-stoppingly beautiful style, this book is a feast for the senses, filled with the woodsmoke smell of crisp autumn mornings and the sound of wellies squelching in river mud. And, as October fights to find the space to be wild in the whirling chaos of the world beyond the woods, it is also a feast for the soul.

I am honoured and humbled to receive the Yoto Kate Greenaway Medal. Working on Long Way Down, interpreting Jason Reynolds’ beautiful text into images, was a dream project for me and its own reward, but I am thrilled to find that the graphic novel has resonated with readers as well. Readers learn a lot about owls, too, through October's story - why did you choose an owl to help October better understand some of the changes in her life? An unforgettable story, an unforgettable heroine – it’s no exaggeration to hail this a future classic.

Customer reviews

Balen’s October, October has done the double and scooped this year’s Shadowers’ Choice Award for the Yoto Carnegie Medal, after tens of thousands of young people across the UK and internationally read and debated the shortlisted books before voting for their favourites. The winner of the Shadowers’ Choice Award for the Yoto Kate Greenaway Medal is The Midnight Fair (Walker Books ) illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio – an illustrator, storyboard artist and concept designer from Rome, Italy – and written by Gideon Sterer. It is a heart-warming, immersive wordless picture book that uncovers the secret life of animals who prowl a fairground at night, featuring sumptuous use of colour and contrast, which invoke all the senses. Balen's immensely touching, well-written story about the pleasures and perils of wildness combines a lush, autumnal sensibility with a perceptive story about a transitional phase in a young girl's life. - Booktrust Through the novel we see Tom and Zofia make many wishes and many readers have enjoyed the role origami plays in the story. Can you explain what drew you to including them within the book? Are you also hoping to encourage children to explore their own relationship with nature through October's love of the wild? This book feels like a secret treasure found in the woods ... earthy and magic and beautiful. I want to buy a copy for everyone I know. - Sophie Kirtley

October is also a storyteller who sometimes struggles to find and tell her own story. Do you hope that her determination to do so might help children to recognise they can help shape their own stories - and future? A review in The Irish Times states, "The prose is beautiful, the tension blistering: The Light in Everything is a highly recommended read for mature children aged 10+, as well as their adults." [15] In the Irish Independent, Sarah Webb describes October, October as "one of the most extraordinary, immersive children's books I've ever read" and writes, " The Light in Everything is all set to be another lifelong favourite. [...] Her characters are so well drawn you don't read their story, you live it." [16] The Thames and Tide Club [ edit ]KATYA: Oh, interesting question! Yes, actually, I do. October is kind of the mid-point between the two of them – she’s wild and thoughtful. I think she’d love to tumble head-first into the waves with Zofia, and I think she’d want to learn the secret, careful folds of origami with Tom. Shortlist 2020 – The Branford Boase Award and The Henrietta Branford Writing Competition". Branford Boase Award. Archived from the original on 1 December 2022 . Retrieved 7 June 2023. I adore the character development and characters in general, like how October gradually learns to love her mother and her father, as well as the fact that she learns you just have to let some things go. I also love the humour woven into the fabric of the story. You feel for the characters, and some parts make you smile while others make you feel a character’s sadness. I love the additions of real London facts and the wild side of the big city. David Almond introduces his new picture book, A Way to the Stars, a story about perseverance and finding a way to make dreams come true.