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Always October
A stirring adventure of monsters, saving the world, and the bond between brothers by storyteller supreme Bruce Coville.No doubt about it, little brothers can be monsters. For sixth grader Jake Doolittle, those words are more than just an expression. Instead, they perfectly describe the way his adoptive brother, LD, sprouts pointy ears, thick fur, and fangs in moonlight.Not only is LD a monster.... Other monsters have plans for him. But together with his friend “Weird Lily” Carker, Jake isn’t about to let anything happen to the baby. The little guy is still his brother, even if it turns out that LD may be the key to saving the world—or destroying it.In his 100th novel, master of comic suspense Bruce Coville presents a tale of ominous dangers and hairbreadth escapes, of the conflict between forces of dark and light, and of the lengths to which one boy will go to save his brother—monster or not.
365 pages, Paperback
First published August 28, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
August 15, 2013
I really rather wanted to give this book 3.5 stars. I rounded up to 4 because 3 would have been too low. I've read Bruce Coville since I was in the fifth grade, and I've always enjoyed his books. After a long gap during which I graduated from college and finished growing up, I started reading some of his books that I had either missed or had been published in the interim. I was a little apprehensive. A lot of things you really enjoyed as a child, you realize are actually kind of dumb when you revisit them as an adult. But I was surprised and delighted to find myself enjoying his books perhaps even more than I did in my youth. So I started reading this book with high expectations. It's usually not a good idea to have high expectations for anything. You're only opening yourself up to disappointment.
The book wasn't bad. It had some elements that I really enjoyed. But it also had some glaring problems that made me question whether Bruce Coville actually wrote this book. Normally he has amazing characters, funny and interesting prose, and a solid plot. Most of the problems were with the plot. I never like it when people do stupid things that go against their character just to add drama to the story. I also don't like it when the beginning of the story let's you know that everything is going to work out okay. It's a first person narrative, so obviously the narrator survived to tell the tale (unless they are now telling the story as a ghost). Also, the reading public pretty well demands a happy ending, and they usually get one, more so in children's books. But this book went a step further and mentioned some things that make it obvious once you get about halfway through the book that all is well and has gone according to plan. When this information is revealed, so is the remaining plot of the rest of the book. The reader is given a road map of everything that is about to happen and what the dangers along the way will be. And since this book would have been rather boring without it, I knew the characters were going to have to make all the dumb mistakes necessary to add drama to the tale despite knowing what the consequences of their actions would be. And to top things off, I think the entire journey was rather unnecessary. It made it less appealing to read when I was thinking about the simple solution that could have solved their main problem. I won't mention the solution in case those who read this review still want to read the book. Perhaps you won't see it and it won't spoil the fun for you, if you can't get past all the other irritations.
The biggest problem the book has is apparent from the very beginning. The book has two first person narrators. They switch off chapters supposedly taking turns writing the story down. I've seen this done before by this very same author. His first attempt at it was much more successful. The key to pulling of this trick is that each narrator needs to have his/her own very distinct voice. If this tale is being "written" by two different people, they would likely have their own style of describing things and saying things. In his Sixth Grade Alien series, the two first person narratives were vastly different. One was a normal human boy and the other was an alien. They perceived things and described things so differently that it wasn't hard to tell who "I" was at any given time. Except for the difference between male and female, both narrators in this book are the same age and from the same place. They see the world pretty much the same and use the same narrative voice. Sometimes, it was hard making the transition after each chapter break as to who was telling this part of the story. And they both had grandpas who had major roles in the story, both of whom they called grandpa. That got especially confusing when both grandpas were in the scene and we switched from one narrator to the other.
This book had many really good moments. The first half of the book is easily the best half. The problems with the plot really start showing up once they enter the world of Always October, a world that was created by human imagination and human fears. The book is creative and imaginative like all of Bruce Coville's work. While the prose is generally really good, I have a hard time believing this is supposedly being written by two 12-year-olds. I know the characters aren't actually writing the story. Bruce Coville is, but if you're going to have one (or two) of your 12-year-old characters tell the story, then you might want to scale back some of the beautiful writing and rather adult insight. And the book lets you know that they're writing this down about one month after the events occurred, so they're not just remembering back on something that happened when they were young. If that were the case, it wouldn't matter how mature the prose was. This book really called for a third person limited viewpoint.
The book was compelling enough in the beginning that I used the momentum I'd gained to carry me through to the end once I started noticing problems. I read it a lot more quickly than I intended to. I was actually going to read this on the side as I read other books, but it grabbed my attention enough that I set those other books down. And I really did care about the characters. Even when they were doing stupid things to get themselves into trouble, I couldn't put the book down until they were back on track and out of immediate danger. The book is definitely open for a sequel. And now that the groundwork has been laid, I can see how the sequel might be a lot better. I don't know if Bruce Coville will write one, however. His writing has slowed down a lot in the last several years. He took forever finishing up the Unicorn Chronicles and wrote little else during that time. I would love to see some more Magic Shop books. Those are among my favorite.
The book wasn't bad. It had some elements that I really enjoyed. But it also had some glaring problems that made me question whether Bruce Coville actually wrote this book. Normally he has amazing characters, funny and interesting prose, and a solid plot. Most of the problems were with the plot. I never like it when people do stupid things that go against their character just to add drama to the story. I also don't like it when the beginning of the story let's you know that everything is going to work out okay. It's a first person narrative, so obviously the narrator survived to tell the tale (unless they are now telling the story as a ghost). Also, the reading public pretty well demands a happy ending, and they usually get one, more so in children's books. But this book went a step further and mentioned some things that make it obvious once you get about halfway through the book that all is well and has gone according to plan. When this information is revealed, so is the remaining plot of the rest of the book. The reader is given a road map of everything that is about to happen and what the dangers along the way will be. And since this book would have been rather boring without it, I knew the characters were going to have to make all the dumb mistakes necessary to add drama to the tale despite knowing what the consequences of their actions would be. And to top things off, I think the entire journey was rather unnecessary. It made it less appealing to read when I was thinking about the simple solution that could have solved their main problem. I won't mention the solution in case those who read this review still want to read the book. Perhaps you won't see it and it won't spoil the fun for you, if you can't get past all the other irritations.
The biggest problem the book has is apparent from the very beginning. The book has two first person narrators. They switch off chapters supposedly taking turns writing the story down. I've seen this done before by this very same author. His first attempt at it was much more successful. The key to pulling of this trick is that each narrator needs to have his/her own very distinct voice. If this tale is being "written" by two different people, they would likely have their own style of describing things and saying things. In his Sixth Grade Alien series, the two first person narratives were vastly different. One was a normal human boy and the other was an alien. They perceived things and described things so differently that it wasn't hard to tell who "I" was at any given time. Except for the difference between male and female, both narrators in this book are the same age and from the same place. They see the world pretty much the same and use the same narrative voice. Sometimes, it was hard making the transition after each chapter break as to who was telling this part of the story. And they both had grandpas who had major roles in the story, both of whom they called grandpa. That got especially confusing when both grandpas were in the scene and we switched from one narrator to the other.
This book had many really good moments. The first half of the book is easily the best half. The problems with the plot really start showing up once they enter the world of Always October, a world that was created by human imagination and human fears. The book is creative and imaginative like all of Bruce Coville's work. While the prose is generally really good, I have a hard time believing this is supposedly being written by two 12-year-olds. I know the characters aren't actually writing the story. Bruce Coville is, but if you're going to have one (or two) of your 12-year-old characters tell the story, then you might want to scale back some of the beautiful writing and rather adult insight. And the book lets you know that they're writing this down about one month after the events occurred, so they're not just remembering back on something that happened when they were young. If that were the case, it wouldn't matter how mature the prose was. This book really called for a third person limited viewpoint.
The book was compelling enough in the beginning that I used the momentum I'd gained to carry me through to the end once I started noticing problems. I read it a lot more quickly than I intended to. I was actually going to read this on the side as I read other books, but it grabbed my attention enough that I set those other books down. And I really did care about the characters. Even when they were doing stupid things to get themselves into trouble, I couldn't put the book down until they were back on track and out of immediate danger. The book is definitely open for a sequel. And now that the groundwork has been laid, I can see how the sequel might be a lot better. I don't know if Bruce Coville will write one, however. His writing has slowed down a lot in the last several years. He took forever finishing up the Unicorn Chronicles and wrote little else during that time. I would love to see some more Magic Shop books. Those are among my favorite.
August 22, 2020
Jacob and Lily have been best friends forever. Jacob lives with his mom in his grandfather's old mansion right next to the cemetery, and Lily lives in a home at the cemetery with her grandfather. Both have had losses, and both hang out in the cemetery, which holds a portal to Always October. Lily has lost both her parents, and Jacob's father mysteriously disappeared. His grandfather, an author, also disappeared.
One night someone leaves a baby on Jacob's doorstep, and his mom takes the baby in as their own. Unfortunately the baby turns into a wee-green monster on the full moon. The two discover that monsters do exist, and they're the same monsters in Jacob's grandfather's books aptly named always October.
The children end up visiting this other world called Always October, where monsters exist in a sort of parallel universe. Adventures await.
I read this to my kids, and they enjoyed it. The names were nutty, and it reminded me a lot of the Harry Potter series, but shortened and without any characters with depth. Cute story, but strange descriptions. The monsters had no patterns, and didn't really have and rhyme or reason, basically it felt unorganized and cluttered.
One night someone leaves a baby on Jacob's doorstep, and his mom takes the baby in as their own. Unfortunately the baby turns into a wee-green monster on the full moon. The two discover that monsters do exist, and they're the same monsters in Jacob's grandfather's books aptly named always October.
The children end up visiting this other world called Always October, where monsters exist in a sort of parallel universe. Adventures await.
I read this to my kids, and they enjoyed it. The names were nutty, and it reminded me a lot of the Harry Potter series, but shortened and without any characters with depth. Cute story, but strange descriptions. The monsters had no patterns, and didn't really have and rhyme or reason, basically it felt unorganized and cluttered.
November 3, 2015
Cute middle grade read, but it didn't really grab me. I liked the alternating viewpoints between a boy and girl who were best friends and not interested in each other romantically. There were hints that it could happen in the future, but that was all you got, hints.
I kind of felt sorry for the cat. I would resent having to
I kind of felt sorry for the cat. I would resent having to
October 27, 2012
My Review: When Jake decided to check on his new little brother that was left on their doorstep, he was shocked to see that the pajamas that LD was wearing when he went to sleep now laid a creature with bright green fur, pointed ears and a huge mouth full of glistening fangs
But Jake didn’t care that his new boy just turned into a monster. Jake and his friend Lily have to do all they can to keep LD safe from other monsters. Great book, if you love adventure you will like Always October. The ending seems to be left open for a second book.
FTC Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book HarperCollins Publishing in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion in any way.
But Jake didn’t care that his new boy just turned into a monster. Jake and his friend Lily have to do all they can to keep LD safe from other monsters. Great book, if you love adventure you will like Always October. The ending seems to be left open for a second book.
FTC Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book HarperCollins Publishing in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion in any way.
October 5, 2012
Jake Doolittle is in the 6th grade, he lives with his mom. His dad left them a few years earlier, just like HIS dad had left when he was a kid. Jake's best friend Lily is the granddaughter of the town cemetery caretaker and their favorite hideout and "library" is one of the mausoleums on the cemetery grounds. One day, as they are hanging out in their "library" they hear some weird noises coming from behind it, but when they work up the courage to check, there's nothing there. That's when they notice that there's a huge storm coming and head home so they don't get in trouble for being out in the storm. That night, during the storm, there's a knock at Jake's door and when he goes to answer it, he finds no one there, but a baby in a basket has been left. There's a note too, asking them to care for her baby until she can come back for it. Jake's mom knows that she must help this desperate mother, she decides that they will keep the baby. This works out well for all three of them, because Jake and his mom immediately fall in love with Little Dumpling as they decide to call him, LD for short. LD also loves Jake and his mom and they quickly fall into a pattern of caring for him. One night during a full moon, Jake and LD are home alone while Jake's mom goes to a class, when something strange happens. LD turns into a small monster complete with fur, fangs and pointy ears! Scary!
Things get even scarier the next full moon when real monsters come out of the closet. Jake and LD are able to get away from the monster coming out of the closet with the help of another monster, but Jake, LD, Lily and her Grandpa find themselves in "Always October" a place where it's perpetually October, autumn leaves, cool temperatures, and Halloween type monsters. They must keep LD safe, not die themselves, and finish a quest to find the object that will keep LD human in their world, all while escaping from the bad group of monsters that want to use LD to split the two worlds. But will a couple of kids be able to do that, basically on their own?
This was a fun book! I loved the adventure of it. This book is written for kids ages 8-12, so it's fairly easy reading for an adult. I liked the story line, it kept me entertained, I liked the characters, I liked the idea that there's a separate place where the monsters do live. The one thing that kind of annoyed me was that there was one thing in the plot that never ended up wrapped up in the ending. I hope that there will be a second book, that tells us more about what happens to Jake, LD and Lily. This is a cute Halloween read for kids 8-12!
Things get even scarier the next full moon when real monsters come out of the closet. Jake and LD are able to get away from the monster coming out of the closet with the help of another monster, but Jake, LD, Lily and her Grandpa find themselves in "Always October" a place where it's perpetually October, autumn leaves, cool temperatures, and Halloween type monsters. They must keep LD safe, not die themselves, and finish a quest to find the object that will keep LD human in their world, all while escaping from the bad group of monsters that want to use LD to split the two worlds. But will a couple of kids be able to do that, basically on their own?
This was a fun book! I loved the adventure of it. This book is written for kids ages 8-12, so it's fairly easy reading for an adult. I liked the story line, it kept me entertained, I liked the characters, I liked the idea that there's a separate place where the monsters do live. The one thing that kind of annoyed me was that there was one thing in the plot that never ended up wrapped up in the ending. I hope that there will be a second book, that tells us more about what happens to Jake, LD and Lily. This is a cute Halloween read for kids 8-12!
October 15, 2012
“Weird Lily” is a sixth grader. She enjoys hanging out in the cemetery (for which her grandfather is the caretaker) with her friend Jake. Lily and Jake have had a bit of a strange relationship. When they were in second grade, Lily professed to the class that she was going to marry Jake. Jake avoided her like the plague after that, but recently they’ve become good friends. When Jake’s dad up and leaves his family (much like his grandfather did when Jake’s father was about the age Jake is now), the kids at school treat him a little differently and he found a friend in Lily. They spend a lot of their time creeping around the old mausoleum despite Lily’s grandfather’s insistence that they stay away from it.
One particularly creepy afternoon, Lily and Jake hear a scratching noise coming from behind one of the mausoleum walls. Later that night, Lily believes she sees a large, lumbering shape escaping the mausoleum, and a few minutes later, Jake and his mother find a baby on their doorstep with a mysterious note asking them to care for the baby until the mother can return.
When a full moon hits, Jake discovers that LD (short for “Little Dumpling”) has changed into a blue-haired, fanged monster. If that’s not weird enough, on the next full moon, LD transforms again and Lily, Jake and their families find themselves trapped in an alternate universe known as “Always October”, where it’s — you guessed it — always October. The universe is filled with strange monsters (some good, some bad) and the group must fulfill a quest that will keep LD human. But the bad monsters in Always October have a plan of their own. They want to use LD to bridge the two worlds, and it’s up to Lily and Jake to stop this from happening.
This book was a whole lot of fun. I don’t read a lot of middle grade, but when I do, I always find myself transported back to when I was a ten-year-old. It’s nice to reconnect to my younger, more innocent self.
This book is filled with magic and light scares that will thrill young readers. Mr. Coville has crafted a mysterious, whacky world perfect for Halloween. The characters are all a lot of fun. I liked both Jake and Lily, but Lily was definitely my fave. I loved her weirdness. The story is told from alternating viewpoints which gives the reader a well-rounded view into the story. My only complaint was that there were a few loose ends that were left open. Of course, that could mean that there will be a sequel, which I would love to read.
This is the perfect read for middle graders looking for a light scare this Halloween.
One particularly creepy afternoon, Lily and Jake hear a scratching noise coming from behind one of the mausoleum walls. Later that night, Lily believes she sees a large, lumbering shape escaping the mausoleum, and a few minutes later, Jake and his mother find a baby on their doorstep with a mysterious note asking them to care for the baby until the mother can return.
When a full moon hits, Jake discovers that LD (short for “Little Dumpling”) has changed into a blue-haired, fanged monster. If that’s not weird enough, on the next full moon, LD transforms again and Lily, Jake and their families find themselves trapped in an alternate universe known as “Always October”, where it’s — you guessed it — always October. The universe is filled with strange monsters (some good, some bad) and the group must fulfill a quest that will keep LD human. But the bad monsters in Always October have a plan of their own. They want to use LD to bridge the two worlds, and it’s up to Lily and Jake to stop this from happening.
This book was a whole lot of fun. I don’t read a lot of middle grade, but when I do, I always find myself transported back to when I was a ten-year-old. It’s nice to reconnect to my younger, more innocent self.
This book is filled with magic and light scares that will thrill young readers. Mr. Coville has crafted a mysterious, whacky world perfect for Halloween. The characters are all a lot of fun. I liked both Jake and Lily, but Lily was definitely my fave. I loved her weirdness. The story is told from alternating viewpoints which gives the reader a well-rounded view into the story. My only complaint was that there were a few loose ends that were left open. Of course, that could mean that there will be a sequel, which I would love to read.
This is the perfect read for middle graders looking for a light scare this Halloween.
June 19, 2015
Lily and Jake have been best friends since Jake's father disappeared and he became a little different. Lily understands weird. She lives in a cemetery with her cantankerous grandfather and loves all things dark and creepy. She and Jake have a clubhouse in a mausoleum.
One night a baby appears on Jake's doorstep with a pleading note from the mother, asking them to take care of the little guy. He is named Little Dumpling, or LD for short. Jake is babysitting on the night of the full moon and is quite shocked when LD transforms into a cooing, drooling baby monster.
Jake and Lily discover that LD is from the world of Always October - a place that is built on the fears of all humans. It is populated with monsters, some nice and some not so nice. LD was whisked away to their world because he is the key to either destroying the worlds, or holding them together. Now Jake, Lily and their new friends must risk everything to save LD. To do that, they must brave the dangers of Always October and get LD back to Humana - their world.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Coville is brilliant at writing stories that are just the right amount of spooky for children. The narration alternates between Lily and Jake, who are both likable characters.
The book was left open for a fun sequel - yay! :)
One night a baby appears on Jake's doorstep with a pleading note from the mother, asking them to take care of the little guy. He is named Little Dumpling, or LD for short. Jake is babysitting on the night of the full moon and is quite shocked when LD transforms into a cooing, drooling baby monster.
Jake and Lily discover that LD is from the world of Always October - a place that is built on the fears of all humans. It is populated with monsters, some nice and some not so nice. LD was whisked away to their world because he is the key to either destroying the worlds, or holding them together. Now Jake, Lily and their new friends must risk everything to save LD. To do that, they must brave the dangers of Always October and get LD back to Humana - their world.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Coville is brilliant at writing stories that are just the right amount of spooky for children. The narration alternates between Lily and Jake, who are both likable characters.
The book was left open for a fun sequel - yay! :)
March 11, 2013
Sixth grader Jake Doolittle and his best friend Lily Carker alternate telling the story of a grand adventure they had. When a baby is left on Jake's doorstep, his mother is quick to take the baby in. Jake is just as charmed as she is by the little one, but on a moonlit night, the baby sprouts fangs and fur and resembles a monster more than a cuddly baby. The baby, affectionately known as Little Dumpling, is at the center of a battle between several monsters in a land called Always October, a place that Jake and Lily had always considered to be fiction, the literary imaginings of Jake's grandfather, but it turns out not to be. As the two friends move through dangerous places, they encounter plenty of suspense but also plenty of hilarity. Although the book isn't necessarily my cup of tea, many middle grade readers will love this one. I was annoyed by the shift in narration, which didn't offer as much difference in perspective as I expected.
September 26, 2012
It was a great book, but now I need a sequel!
The story gets to the heart of what I love about fantasy, with the focus on tikkun olam, healing the world. I also appreciate that, unlike many kids' fantasy novels, there are intelligent, competent adults. The children still have to face some challenges on their own, but it isn't because the adults in their lives are completely absent. The relationships between characters are complex, and the novel explores different responses to losing people you care about.
The story gets to the heart of what I love about fantasy, with the focus on tikkun olam, healing the world. I also appreciate that, unlike many kids' fantasy novels, there are intelligent, competent adults. The children still have to face some challenges on their own, but it isn't because the adults in their lives are completely absent. The relationships between characters are complex, and the novel explores different responses to losing people you care about.
September 10, 2012
This story is about a boy and a girl who get an unexpected delivery at their door step. This little being would be last one you would want to be responsible for! I loved this book and I would take it everywhere I went. I did get a bit spooked in some parts because I usually read it at night. For anybody who is a horror or monster lover, I guarantee you will love this book!
August 31, 2020
With a touch of “Monsters, Inc.” and a dash of “Spiderwick Chronicles”, this book is a fun ride into the monster realm. I don’t always like the alternating narrators, but it helped the story and built the suspense in each chapter. Bit of an expository dump in the middle. You’ll forgive it though, as things pick back up in the last third of the book. Great treat for readers at Halloween.
October 29, 2012
Great book for young folks & young of heart. Story moves and conveys a message to take care of family & friends no matter how strange. This is aimed at Halloween reading but can be enjoyed all year. Will definitely be reading more from this author.
September 15, 2012
I won this book as an ARC from GoodReads. Children to young adults are going to love this book. The characters are very fun and the story is well played. Everyone, including myself, will be looking to see if a sequel appears! Thanks for the fun read!
October 31, 2012
Perfect for Halloween. Actually any time these characters will make for a fun read. Place descriptions well constructed so you feel yourself immersed in plot places. Enough mystery to retain interest.
August 13, 2012
Won in a Goodreads Giveaway and so glad I did. Great story, characters, and setting. Loved it and hope my 10 year old will read it this month as well.
February 11, 2013
I don't normally read monsters books, but this one was awesome! Plenty of adventure, fantasy, fun, comic relief and amazing plot twists! An amazing tale, that there had better be a sequel to!
December 30, 2014
This book is great. I love how the author switches between Lily and Jake so we can see each other's point of view of the problem.
October 21, 2024
I was really into Bruce Coville's books back when I was in late elementary/early middle school, so I was intrigued to read one of his more recent books. And by "more recent," I mean from 2012. I feel old.
Anyway, there was a lot to like here. There are lots of creative touches, and parts of it have a great fairy tale vibe, with magical warnings and prices and those kind of tropes. It's a good Halloween read, despite not being "officially" a holiday book. Some of the concepts and themes would be really interesting...if they were explored more. Which leads to my main problem: the off-stuffed plot.
Apparently, this was originally a short story (I think published in one of the Bruce Coville Book of... anthologies). I find this ironic, because this feels less like something that was stretched out into a novel and more like a trilogy crammed into one book. It's like Coville wrote a long list of ways that he could expand the story, and then threw all of them in. So way too much time is spent info-dumping about the backstory and the rules of this magical setup, including all of the exceptions needed to allow every scenario that Coville wanted to include. The result eats up way too much time and doesn't really make sense. Meanwhile, a lot of potentially cool stuff gets brought up briefly but isn't developed.
Chapters alternate between the first-person POVs of our dual protagonists, Jacob and Lily. I'm not totally sure if this system was for the best, but I do actually like both of them, and the fact that they're both equally important to the story, even if most of the plot revolves around Jacob. (I did prefer him, personally, if only because his nerve-wrecked OCD is very relatable to me. Also, Lily's dialogue can be kind of cringe.) I just wish their characters had had more space to develop. In particular, I thought Jacob warmed up to LD too quickly, and that his brotherly feelings should have grown throughout the whole book. (Though kudos to Coville for acknowledging that taking in Doorstop Babies is neither legal nor sane.)
While Jacob and Lily have different voices, they're similar enough that, combined with how much time is spent with them just meeting or listening to other character explain things, I often forgot whose head we were in from chapter to chapter.
As with the plot, there are also too many characters. Take Mrs. McSweeney. A badass old witch(?) with a talking, glowing cat? Potentially quite cool, but that seems to be the only reason that she's in the story; you could cut her without changing much. (The cat, Luna, is actually more focal.) Same with Lily's grandfather and a good portion of the monsters. I mean, do we need to trace LD's biological ancestry back to his great-grandfather? Does Jacob really need three mysteriously absent relatives? (I did enjoy the selfish-yet-sympathetic framing of his grandfather, though the reveal that his father is was foreshadowed enough for me to guess but also really random. For that matter, why did Mazrak bring him to Always October anyway?) With a family tree this complicated, I feel like I'm reading Tolkien or something.
Overall, there's not much that's BAD in this book. There are just too many potentially good bits struggling for attention. If this had been two or three books I probably would have liked it more.
Anyway, there was a lot to like here. There are lots of creative touches, and parts of it have a great fairy tale vibe, with magical warnings and prices and those kind of tropes. It's a good Halloween read, despite not being "officially" a holiday book. Some of the concepts and themes would be really interesting...if they were explored more. Which leads to my main problem: the off-stuffed plot.
Apparently, this was originally a short story (I think published in one of the Bruce Coville Book of... anthologies). I find this ironic, because this feels less like something that was stretched out into a novel and more like a trilogy crammed into one book. It's like Coville wrote a long list of ways that he could expand the story, and then threw all of them in. So way too much time is spent info-dumping about the backstory and the rules of this magical setup, including all of the exceptions needed to allow every scenario that Coville wanted to include. The result eats up way too much time and doesn't really make sense. Meanwhile, a lot of potentially cool stuff gets brought up briefly but isn't developed.
Chapters alternate between the first-person POVs of our dual protagonists, Jacob and Lily. I'm not totally sure if this system was for the best, but I do actually like both of them, and the fact that they're both equally important to the story, even if most of the plot revolves around Jacob. (I did prefer him, personally, if only because his nerve-wrecked OCD is very relatable to me. Also, Lily's dialogue can be kind of cringe.) I just wish their characters had had more space to develop. In particular, I thought Jacob warmed up to LD too quickly, and that his brotherly feelings should have grown throughout the whole book. (Though kudos to Coville for acknowledging that taking in Doorstop Babies is neither legal nor sane.)
While Jacob and Lily have different voices, they're similar enough that, combined with how much time is spent with them just meeting or listening to other character explain things, I often forgot whose head we were in from chapter to chapter.
As with the plot, there are also too many characters. Take Mrs. McSweeney. A badass old witch(?) with a talking, glowing cat? Potentially quite cool, but that seems to be the only reason that she's in the story; you could cut her without changing much. (The cat, Luna, is actually more focal.) Same with Lily's grandfather and a good portion of the monsters. I mean, do we need to trace LD's biological ancestry back to his great-grandfather? Does Jacob really need three mysteriously absent relatives? (I did enjoy the selfish-yet-sympathetic framing of his grandfather, though the reveal that his father is was foreshadowed enough for me to guess but also really random. For that matter, why did Mazrak bring him to Always October anyway?) With a family tree this complicated, I feel like I'm reading Tolkien or something.
Overall, there's not much that's BAD in this book. There are just too many potentially good bits struggling for attention. If this had been two or three books I probably would have liked it more.
October 21, 2017
It's interesting to see how Bruce Coville's writing has developed since I was a kid. For me, the plot and setting were very familiar so it kept feeling like a less-complex version of a lot of other stories, but I would've loved it when I was younger and current children probably will too. I like the idea of the "magical fantasy world that exists alongside ours" being horror- and Halloween-inspired.
Mainly though I liked the slight move toward a more progressive story, (not necessarily a move away from Coville's earlier work but just in general). There are a lot of female characters, not relegated to specific roles. Family is a major theme, but it is for fathers, siblings, etc., and the family in question is basically a huge blended family of monsters and humans. Half-aunts and cousins from first marriages and all that kind of thing. And because humanity's fears are a big theme, there's a cool part about how afraid people are of women. There's also a really interesting concept of a monster in two bodies who insists he's just one monster, confounding everyone's attempts to pronoun him because they keep trying to use "they" when it's "him."
It didn't quite get there for me -- there's a twist about the two-bodied monster, for instance. And although the big blended family and lack of lifelong monogamy is cool and realistic, it's still all straight couples. That kind of thing. So, that combined with the basicness of the plot meant this was just three stars for me. But again, an actual kid would probably really enjoy it, especially as part of that spooky/Halloween kind of fantasy trend. For kids who aren't quite ready for Skulduggery Pleasant.
Mainly though I liked the slight move toward a more progressive story, (not necessarily a move away from Coville's earlier work but just in general). There are a lot of female characters, not relegated to specific roles. Family is a major theme, but it is for fathers, siblings, etc., and the family in question is basically a huge blended family of monsters and humans. Half-aunts and cousins from first marriages and all that kind of thing. And because humanity's fears are a big theme, there's a cool part about how afraid people are of women. There's also a really interesting concept of a monster in two bodies who insists he's just one monster, confounding everyone's attempts to pronoun him because they keep trying to use "they" when it's "him."
It didn't quite get there for me -- there's a twist about the two-bodied monster, for instance. And although the big blended family and lack of lifelong monogamy is cool and realistic, it's still all straight couples. That kind of thing. So, that combined with the basicness of the plot meant this was just three stars for me. But again, an actual kid would probably really enjoy it, especially as part of that spooky/Halloween kind of fantasy trend. For kids who aren't quite ready for Skulduggery Pleasant.
January 9, 2019
Jake and Lily are best friends. Jake lives with his mother because his father had disappeared a few years earlier. Jake’s grandfather had also left the family when Jake’s father was young. Lily lives with her ornery old grandfather who is the caretaker for the cemetery. Jake and Lily’s favorite place to hang out is in a mausoleum in the cemetery, even though her grandfather tells them to stay away from it.
One night, after a very creepy day at the mausoleum, a baby is left on the doorstep of Jake’s house with a note asking him and his mother to take care of it. Jake’s mother figures the mother of the baby must be desperate and agrees to take care of the baby until the woman can return. Jake and his mother call the baby Little Dumpling or LD for short and quickly became attached to the little boy. One night as Jake was caring for LD, he went to check on him and in the crib, he found a monster instead, dressed in LD’s pajamas. As time continues on, a trend begins to develop and each month during the full moon, LD turns into a monster. Then other monsters begin to come after LD. Lily and Jake find themselves in an alternate universe know as “October” fighting to save LD, their own lives, and the world.
I really liked reading this book. The monsters and characters are really cool and there is a lot of action and suspense. Some of the chapters of the book are told by Lily and the rest by Jake. I like that it was told by both of them because you can hear more than one point of view of the story. I usually read books about sports and history and don’t really care for monsters and fantasy, but this book was a lot of fun. I would recommend reading it.
One night, after a very creepy day at the mausoleum, a baby is left on the doorstep of Jake’s house with a note asking him and his mother to take care of it. Jake’s mother figures the mother of the baby must be desperate and agrees to take care of the baby until the woman can return. Jake and his mother call the baby Little Dumpling or LD for short and quickly became attached to the little boy. One night as Jake was caring for LD, he went to check on him and in the crib, he found a monster instead, dressed in LD’s pajamas. As time continues on, a trend begins to develop and each month during the full moon, LD turns into a monster. Then other monsters begin to come after LD. Lily and Jake find themselves in an alternate universe know as “October” fighting to save LD, their own lives, and the world.
I really liked reading this book. The monsters and characters are really cool and there is a lot of action and suspense. Some of the chapters of the book are told by Lily and the rest by Jake. I like that it was told by both of them because you can hear more than one point of view of the story. I usually read books about sports and history and don’t really care for monsters and fantasy, but this book was a lot of fun. I would recommend reading it.
June 2, 2020
Jake Doolittle and his best friend "Weird” Lily Carker discover why Jake’s infant brother “Little Dumpling” transforms into a furry fanged monster every full moon. It all has to do with the disappearance of Jake’s dad two years ago and the writings of his grandfather, author Arthur Doolittle, who wrote horror stories set in a land called Always October. Jake and Lilly discover the setting was not just a product of Arthur’s imagination. This leads the two young heroes on a rescue mission that turns into a quest to save two worlds.
Coville and his crew of readers have crafted another delightfully creepy world of monsters some unexpectedly helpful like the bearded blue horror Keegel Farzym, high poet of Always October and all around good guy and
and some as mean and menacing as the evil orange Mazrak, kidnapper and leader of the evil Unravelers, and some others that Jake and Lilly are not sure of until they reveal themselves at the very end.
Coville and his crew of readers have crafted another delightfully creepy world of monsters some unexpectedly helpful like the bearded blue horror Keegel Farzym, high poet of Always October and all around good guy and
and some as mean and menacing as the evil orange Mazrak, kidnapper and leader of the evil Unravelers, and some others that Jake and Lilly are not sure of until they reveal themselves at the very end.
October 30, 2025
A fun read to get me in the Halloween spirit. I enjoyed the humor (although some of it was too crude for my taste) and the magic. The story is not simply fun, though. It contains deep themes of friendship, family, fear, and balance. I appreciate how Jake learns to forget his fears and pain through his new love for LD and how he and Lily become close through sharing their experiences and love of creepy books. I was intrigued by the relationship between Humana and Always October as well, by how the two worlds need each other. I did get a bit confused by some of the webs of relationships in the families, and I do not feel that Jake and Lily needed separate narrative sections. Their voices were similar enough that I often forgot who was speaking.
I would like to read more Coville. This one had many elements I enjoy: secret entrances to another world, mysterious codes and family secrets, mythical creatures, and relatable struggles.
I would like to read more Coville. This one had many elements I enjoy: secret entrances to another world, mysterious codes and family secrets, mythical creatures, and relatable struggles.
December 8, 2016
This book is really intresting and full of mystery which makes you want to read it and not get bored in the process. This book is about a kid named jacob he has no father because his father disappeared.Jacob is an only child living with his mum until one rainy day the door bell rang and their was a baby outside which name was Little Dumpling .He took it in and kept it but their was one problem with Little Dumpling, he turned into a monster with fangs and green hair all over his body.Now jacob and his friend Lily have to figure out if Little Dumpling is going to cause the end of the world or if he is the key to saving the world.
October 11, 2019
"After that things were easier between us especially when we discovered that we both like monster movies and horror stories".
Always October is a fantasy/adventure. This book is not in a series but i wish is was.... The book take place in a small town and a fantasy world called Always October .This story is about 2 kids and their quest to save a baby. The main characters are Lily and Jacob both are the protagonist. One of †hemes is perseverance as Lily and Jacob Make their way to escape the bad guy.
I Really loved and enjoyed Always October. Everything in the book was creatively though up and well thought up just like in Harry potter which is one of my favorite series. Always October is Engaging with some funny elements put in by some of they characters. Overall this book is great for those who love fantasy and adventure I would definitely recommend this book.
Always October is a fantasy/adventure. This book is not in a series but i wish is was.... The book take place in a small town and a fantasy world called Always October .This story is about 2 kids and their quest to save a baby. The main characters are Lily and Jacob both are the protagonist. One of †hemes is perseverance as Lily and Jacob Make their way to escape the bad guy.
I Really loved and enjoyed Always October. Everything in the book was creatively though up and well thought up just like in Harry potter which is one of my favorite series. Always October is Engaging with some funny elements put in by some of they characters. Overall this book is great for those who love fantasy and adventure I would definitely recommend this book.
November 8, 2017
This was a pretty fun adventure for me. Filled with fantastical imagination, monsters around every turn, and a pretty epic journey -- yeah, I liked it. I liked how the narration went back and forth between Jake and Lily; it was a pretty good writing tactic that kept me intrigued to hear what each character thought. There's even good backstory that really filled in the plot.
Cons? Just a couple moments of mildly "rough" language being used.
Cons? Just a couple moments of mildly "rough" language being used.
October 9, 2024
My current book with the month in the title. I was expecting a fun, spooking Halloween read. A baby is left on a door step and turns into a monster 👹 during the full moon. It ended up being more fantasy and mythology than horror which is not something I care for at all.
The chapters alternate between two best friends, Lily and Jacob. They are about 11 or 12 and likable enough. Their voices are indistinguishable. It is not a bad book, just not my genre, not my cup of tea.
The chapters alternate between two best friends, Lily and Jacob. They are about 11 or 12 and likable enough. Their voices are indistinguishable. It is not a bad book, just not my genre, not my cup of tea.
October 14, 2017
I just love Bruce Coville.
The story of 2 friends, a boy and a girl, who begin to investigate what has happened in the boy's family. This takes them places they could only read about in books.
Coville presents a wonderful fantasy world, Always October, full of monsters, danger, and the chance to change things.
The story of 2 friends, a boy and a girl, who begin to investigate what has happened in the boy's family. This takes them places they could only read about in books.
Coville presents a wonderful fantasy world, Always October, full of monsters, danger, and the chance to change things.
October 22, 2017
Honestly this book was a gem of a find. The cover drew me in coupled with the title because obviously there is no better month than October, but the story kept us in. My son, (8) struggled in the beginning to stay interested, I, however did not. He is all in now and has several favorite characters.
The cast of characters were fabulous and quirky.
This is a definite must read imo!
The cast of characters were fabulous and quirky.
This is a definite must read imo!
December 29, 2019
Absolutely love how the characters are detailed, emotions brought to life, and entwined with other characters. My son and I read this aloud and plan to read it again. After the first reading we did an art project, picking one of our favorite characters and drawing what we think they looked like from details in the book. I would love to see this book become a movie.
September 24, 2018
This book is horrible. Its boring and every about it is racist.
If your going to read this book please lord see this.
Maybe its because I dont even like reading but still this book is racist.
In this book they make fun of asians and indians.
Please dont read this book, racism is near!
If your going to read this book please lord see this.
Maybe its because I dont even like reading but still this book is racist.
In this book they make fun of asians and indians.
Please dont read this book, racism is near!
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