Book Review: Adversity Road (children's poetry book about hope)(OT)

Adversity Road, by Kendall Newell (Xlibris US, 32pp PB, $9.99) Review by Skye Anderson

Three kids, two girls and a boy are on a journey together; one gray backpack, one pink over-the-shoulder bag and one blue backpack that fell into the river, seemingly lost forever. Sometimes the boy leads, sometimes the blonde leads. Sometimes it rains. Sometimes they stop to pick and eat apples along the path. Sometimes something blocks their way. Sometimes they leave the path to cross a river or saunter through a meadow. But, nevertheless, they continue on under a cotton candy sky.

Thus, the lesson for our children: Keep going. There will be stones and sometimes rocks or even boulders in the way to step over or walk around. Sometimes we lose something tangible or even lose our way temporarily. But if we are with friends, they can encourage us on. And on the last page, they see their goal in the distance.

Could this be an allegory for life? We saunter along with friends, sometimes taking a detour and sometimes facing unexpected adversity but with friend always with us we persevere and help each other when necessary - that way all of us win in the end.

Author Kendall Newell also wrote A Star Upon a Dream about a girl who wants to become a zoologist (onoe who studies animals) that sounds lovely to this former zoology major.