Teach-Primary-Issue-19.7

www.teachwire.net | 73 whose joy in nature and wildness shines through her relationships with birds, trees, the sky and the Earth. This delightful character shows us just how beautiful it is to be wild. Gill Smith’s gorgeous illustrations emphasise the light, warmth and peace of her woodland home. One day, this little girl’s family moves to the city. It is grey and solid. She misses the life and movement of the woods. The contrast is striking. Tall, straight buildings, dreary rain and dusty pavements cause the little O ctober, October , a middle grade novel by Katya Balen, changed my view of children’s books. It showed me the true power of character and how children deserve the chance to explore their innermost feelings. It embraces nature, wildlife and the opportunity to be completely true to yourself. In her picturebook, Wild , Balen explores these same themes. It’s like readers have been given a precious chance to see October as a little girl; girl to wonder if she’s lost her wild. When a bird calls out to her, there’s a spark of hope. Following the bird through streets, parks and down to the river, the girl realises there is wild to be found, even in the city. She discovers ducks, herons, gulls and fish. She spots flowers growing in concrete cracks and whole worlds of insects hiding under rocks and leaves. As night draws in, the mystery of a fox and peeping stars confirm there is wildness everywhere – she just needs to know where to look. Explore the wildness within and without, using Katya Balen’s beautiful picturebook as your guide... BOOK TOP I C KATE HEAP Illustrations © Gill Smith 2025 T E ACH RE AD I NG & WR I T I NG Book topic UKS1 Published by Walker Books, 2025 Wild