BARRY IS THE SON OF A HORSE TRAINER AND BLACKSMITH-FARRIER FATHER. HE WAS GIVEN THE UNIQUE NAME OF “BARRY” BY HIS MOTHER, MEANING SPEAR. A YOUNG MAN OF ONLY FOURTEEN, WHEN THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME BEGINS TO DWINDLE, HE DECIDES TO HELP HIS FAMILY BY LOOKING FOR WORK.
ONE MORNING, HE STROLLS UP AND DOWN THE STREETS OF HIS LITTLE VILLAGE, PASSING SHOPS AND STOPPING TO LOOK IN THE WINDOWS. ALL MORNING HE WALKS, PACING UP AND DOWN THE STREETS, LOOKING LEFT AND RIGHT. FINALLY, HE’S HIT WITH A BURST OF EXCITEMENT. HIS DECISION IS MADE. WHEELS SET IN MOTION, HE RUNS TOWARDS THE NEAREST STORE, OPENS THE DOOR AND ENTERS WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE SIGN.
– I’M LOOKING FOR A JOB, SIR. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING AVAILABLE FOR ME?
BUT BARRY WILL NOT FIND A JOB EASILY. AS THE STORY PROGRESSES, WE DISCOVER THAT BARRY’S DESTINY IS EVERY BIT AS SPECIAL AS HIS NAME…
MY GREATEST WISH IN WRITING A CHILDREN’S BOOK IS TO USE STORYTELLING TO CONVEY ETHICAL AND MORAL VALUES, AS HAS BEEN DONE IN ALL CULTURES FOR GENERATIONS. IN THIS STORY, I HIGHLIGHT SOME OF LIFE’S MOST IMPORTANT SKILLS AND QUALITIES: HAVING A GOAL IN MIND, THE WILL TO ACHIEVE IT, AND THE ABILITY TO PERSEVERE UNTIL THE END. WE MUST BE WILLING TO SHARE WITH OTHERS AND THINK OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES, LENDING A HAND TO THOSE WHO MIGHT NEED IT ALONG THE WAY. I CREATED MY STORY’S PROTAGONIST, BARRY, AS A ROLE MODEL FOR YOUNG READERS IN THESE AREAS.
THE STORY MERITS BEING READ TWICE. CONVINCING FROM THE START, READERS WILL REMAIN GLUED TO BARRY’S ADVENTURES UNTIL THE END WHEN THEY DISCOVER A HIDDEN MESSAGE THAT TAKES A SECOND READING TO FULLY PROCESS.
