Extraordinary October

Gr 7 Up—October is a girl of peculiar troubles. Having always known that she doesn't quite fit in, she's come to terms with an outsider's existence. Her upbringing left her an outcast, with her parents unable to coexist with the world, until she finds out why. As October senses cracks in the reality around her, recognizing strange new sensations and abilities blossoming within herself, she begins to unravel the mystery of who or what she is. This quirky novel is brilliantly rendered, the airy prose infusing it with a feeling of whimsy as the likable character tumbles deeper down the rabbit hole. While there are fantastical elements to the plot, most readers will enjoy the cultivation of scene and surroundings, of competing love interests, changing personalities, and sparkling dialogue. Close in stripe to Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere and Ransom Riggs's Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, this novel will appeal to fans of magical realism and escapist storytelling.