First time reading Balen's writing. Absolutely delighted by her prose! I lovely book that makes me want to embrace my own Wild. ( )

"October...when the trees are starting to shake leaves on to a patchwork floor and the ground is bright as fire. The air is crisp with a whisper of frost and the sky smells like smoke. Everything feels new and exciting."

"I look at the river with a little shivery lick of fear because it is wild and it is dangerous and the tug of the moon can kill a person and keep them hidden and secret for hundreds of years."

My birth month, which also happens to fall in my favourite season – October is the best time of the year! A charmingly poetic story set (mostly) in the woods, where October and her dad live a wild life surrounded by nature, far enough away from the annoyance of others. This sounds almost bliss, excluding the hell of freezing winters. It’s completely understandable why October rebels against leaving her beloved woodlands to live with her mum in the noisy, dirty city. But, as typical for a YA/coming of age story, October gradually accepts her situation, realises that change can be a good thing and eventually ends up with the best of both worlds. This is a lovely story about growth and change, accompanied by the most beautiful illustrations. Now to find a cute and affordable cottage in the woods, fitted with all the mod cons I can’t live without… ( )

I bought this for the beautiful cover art by Angela Harding, and also because I love autumn and I was born in October. Not the best reasons to purchase a book, but Katya Balen's story lived up to my expectations. October, born in October, of course, lives with her beloved Dad on a woods property in England. They live simply, off-the-grid, caring for the forest and themselves. October's mother left when she was four, returned to London, not being able to live so wildly. October hates her for it, even though Dad encourages her to reply to her Mom's letters (which October never opens) and visit her. On her 11th birthday, Mom's unexpected arrival throws all three of their lives into turmoil. Balen's write a strong and authentic voice for October, showing her anger, confusion, misunderstanding, as well as her passion for the wild and her eventual flowering into a more holistic understanding of herself and others. Harding's pencil drawings of the development of the barn owl that October rescues complement the girl's growth. Readers are also introduced to "mudlarking" along the Thames, its desperate history and contemporary resurgence as a licensed hobby. Give this to middle readers (and adults!) who like character-driven adventures laced with natural history. ( )