A Girl Named October, by Zakieh A. Mohammed | Book Review

Book Review of A Girl Named October
The Children’s Book Review

What to expect: Poetic, Thoughtful, Touching

A Girl Named October is a dreamy, profound book. The lead character, October, walks with her companion through the world, speaking poetically of her profound connection to it. Zakieh A. Mohammed’s text unfurls in a series of poetic stanzas, with the exchange between the two characters taking on a dream-like quality as the tale progresses. The question and answer construction of the book propels the narrative forward, building in its effect, and the beautiful illustrations by Andrea Tripke underscore this effect wonderfully. “October was a wise, quiet girl/with long lashes of autumn wheat,” the book begins, continuing:

She often would stand looking at nothing

Of which I could see.

“What are you doing?” I asked one day.

“I’m standing on the world,” she responded with certainty.

As the characters wander through the story’s landscape, October continues to proclaim her poetic connection to the world and the things in it. By the end of the tale, her companion—and the reader, too—is more closely connected to the world, thanks to the poetic text and artist illustrations that make this such a wonderful book.

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A Girl Named October, written by Zakieh A. Mohammed and illustrated by Andrea Tripke, was reviewed by Trevor Laurence Jockims. Discover more books like A Girl Named October by following our reviews and articles tagged with Poetic and Thoughtful books.