ALA Booklist (Mon Nov 06 00:00:00 CST 2023)

The entire enormous Vasylenko family loves exploring the outdoors and seeking out adventure ll, nearly the entire family. Young Oktober much prefers to get his outdoor education indoors, via a pile of books. Besides wanting to avoid some generally unpleasant aspects of alfresco outings ime, grime, damp, and chill 's convinced that the Wilderness is a specific monster, not just a location. With some final familial encouragement, Oktober reluctantly joins the family outdoors, and his worst fears come true when he gets lost and comes face-to-face with the Wilderness itself. A courageous Oktober quickly comprehends that the equally frightened Wilderness is nothing to fear, and he happily returns home with a new perspective on the world. The friendly, funny story is perfect for young readers struggling with fears and anxiety, and the lively autumnal illustrations brim with glowing tones and delightful details, from snug bunk beds for each of the 12 children to tiny bits of flora and fauna. An empathetic entreaty to face fears and embrace life's adventures.

Horn Book (Thu Sep 07 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Thirteen members of the Vasylenko family (a biracial family with each child named for a month of the year plus Mama Mariana and Papa Everest) love the outdoors. The fourteenth member, Oktober, "went on his adventures inside books, safe from the climby, slimy, grimy, wet, cold, and wild outside," and most especially from the personified, monstrous Wilderness. When he does encounter the Wilderness, adorable in an entertaining vertical gatefold, our hero learns to shift perspective. The tactile-seeming digital illustrations are motion-filled, round-edged, and cozily autumnal. Elissa Gershowitz

Kirkus Reviews

Cautious Oktober avoids the unpredictable outdoors…until he finds himself face to face with the Wilderness.The Vasylenko family has 12 children, each named after a month of the year. They're adventure seekers who dream of wild things and places-all except Oktober, who prefers his journeys to be tucked between the covers of his books. He's terrified of encountering the Wilderness monster-though Mom tells him the wilderness isn't a beast but "a place filled with many stories and adventures." After reluctantly heading outside, Oktober wanders off alone and finds himself lost…with the Wilderness, a hulking yet smiling creature made up of leaves. Confronting his biggest fear, Oktober realizes that the Wilderness is afraid, too. With help from his new friend, Oktober makes his way home. This story is an effective metaphor for conquering fears. Oktober is a likable, wide-eyed bookworm, stronger and more adventurous than he realizes. Fittingly, McCarthy's sweeping landscapes are full of gorgeous earth tones with rolling fog, mossy waterfalls, and piles of autumnal leaves adeptly brought to life. The endpapers serve as an intriguing visual glossary of fictional plants and animals, like the screaming Susan and the rumble weed. Oktober's father is light-skinned, while he and his mother are brown-skinned; the other children are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)A rich, imaginative world inhabited by believable, endearing humans. (Picture book. 4-6)