What This Book Is About
October lives wild in the woods with her dad. She knows the trees and rocks and lake and stars like best friends. She can build a fire and tell a birdsong from a mile away. She doesn't need school or the outside world—the forest is her entire universe. Then, the year she turns eleven, everything unravels. She rescues a baby owl she names Owl, nursing it back to health feather by feather. Her dad falls from the biggest tree in their woods and is badly hurt. And her mother, who left years ago, suddenly reappears.
Forced to leave the woods and live with her mother in a town full of strange rules and cruel classmates, October must navigate a world she was never prepared for. Katya Balen writes with a wild, lyrical beauty—sentences that feel like wind through leaves—capturing October's fierce love for nature and her struggle to hold onto her identity when everything she knows is being torn away. Winner of the Carnegie Medal, this is a story about belonging, loss, and the untameable spirit of a girl who refuses to be caged.
Available at Popular bookstores, Kinokuniya, and the Singapore National Library.
Why UWC Chose This Book
October October speaks directly to themes at the heart of UWC's values: environmental stewardship, identity, and navigating change. October's deep bond with nature resonates powerfully in Singapore, where students often have limited exposure to wilderness, making the book a window into a radically different way of living. It sparks conversations about sustainability and our relationship with the natural world.
The novel also explores what happens when a child is uprooted from everything familiar—a lived experience for many international school students who move between countries. October's struggle to fit into a new school, make friends, and reconcile two very different parents mirrors the transitions that UWC families navigate regularly. The poetic, accessible prose makes it a beautiful bridge between A2 and B1 reading levels.
Reading Level Guide
Too challenging at A1. The lyrical prose and emotional themes need stronger reading skills. Start with simpler chapter books first.
The sweet spot. The poetic language is beautiful without being dense, and the emotional story keeps readers turning pages.
A gentle, moving read at B2. The beauty is in the language itself—worth reading at any level for the prose alone.
Other UWC Recommended Books for This Grade
Not sure if this book is right for your child? Take our free English assessment to find their CEFR level, then choose books that match.