October, October: WINNER OF THE YOTO CARNEGIE MEDAL 2022

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KATYA: I have a good memory of my own childhood, and I’m a bit of a sponge when it comes to people. I have always, always loved reading, watching, learning, about other people’s lives. I think that really helped me form realistic responses and thought processes, because I’ve absorbed so many. Concannon, Ruth (19 May 2023). "Sunshine on the bookshelf: The best books for children and teens this month". Irish Examiner. ProQuest 2815639232

Gradually, though, as Dad slowly recovers in hospital, October starts to adjust to her tamed city life, making friends with a boy in her class and discovering the semi-wildness that is mudlarking on the Thames. Slowly, October lets her mum in to her heart, and life starts to change for the better. Can October and Dad ever return to the wild? Or are there some things about the city that aren’t so bad after all? Katya Balen's October, October is a very special new addition to the shelf and deserves classic status - Times Children's Book of the Week 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…Shaffi, Sarah (16 June 2022). "Danica Novgorodoff wins Kate Greenaway medal for graphic novel Long Way Down". The Guardian . Retrieved 15 June 2023.

The two medal winners were chosen from a shortlist of 16 – eight for each medal – by an expert team of volunteer judges, featuring 14 librarians from CILIP’s Youth Libraries Group based across the UK. 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 Boyd, Carolyn (Summer 2022). "The Light in Everything". The School Librarian. 70 (2): 46. ProQuest 2681537096 The perfect Autumn read - you can almost smell the damp leaves, crisp air and smoke from a distant bonfire ... It would be an ideal book to read alongside forest school sessions. - Primary Teacher BookshelfBearn, Emily (26 January 2023). "The Light in Everything, review: Katya Balen skilfully handles hard-hitting issues for young readers". The Telegraph . Retrieved 15 June 2023. October, October is a very insightful read. The story does an excellent job of portraying how October views some things differently and acts out in certain ways, even before she is subjected to a sudden and upsetting change in circumstances. But it also does a good job of making October’s mother a somewhat sympathetic character. She doesn’t realise at first why October behaves the way she does, and finds some of it hurtful or frustrating. But being able to see through October’s eyes helps us understand it from the outset. By the end, I found myself sympathising with both October and her mother – and her father of course, who has been trying to bridge the gap between them. 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. 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?

In 2022, the judging panel includes 14 volunteer judges from CILIP’s Youth Libraries Group. Find out more about this year’s judges hereAbsolutely! 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! The Yoto Carnegie Medal is awarded annually to an author whose writing creates an outstanding reading experience for children or young people. It was established in 1936 in memory of the Scottish-born philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919). The Yoto Kate Greenaway Medal, established in 1955, is named after the popular nineteenth century artist, known for her beautiful children’s illustrations and designs. The Yoto Kate Greenaway Medal is awarded annually to a book illustrator whose artwork creates an outstanding reading experience for children and young people. Novgorodoff said Long Way Down was a book that asked readers “to empathise with a character who is planning to harm another person, and endanger his own life, out of grief and revenge”. How would you like teachers to introduce their children to the book, and how would you like to see it used in the classroom?