Valerie Testa Almquist

Look Back Move Forward Valerie Testa Almquist

An ordinary day at school changes quickly for Kris and his brother, Erik. It's early dismissal on December 22nd, 2000. The excitement of Christmas and ten days off from school is seen on the faces of every girl and boy as they rush out of school. For Kris and Erik, that joy ends suddenly when they're transported back to another time, another place and what seems like another world. They find themselves hiding and shivering in the trunk of a dark, musty, cellar beneath a cold-water tenement. Here they meet a poor boy named Stomper who lives in this tenement nestled within an immigrant neighborhood of New Jersey during 1939. Stomper teaches them how he is surviving the Great Depression, poverty and discrimination. In return, they help Stomper gain insight about himself. Kris and Erik fear they're destined to live a life of hiding and hunger without ever seeing their family again. How did they end up in 1939? Will they get back home for Christmas Eve? Look Back Move Forward takes you along on the journey of self-discovery. The boys learn about survival, inner strength and hope that comforts their worried minds, eases their hunger, and enriches their hearts. No matter how challenging one's past might have been, it's there to learn from, gain strength and move forward. The "Judge, 5th Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published eBook Awards" rated LOOK BACK MOVE FORWARD "Outstanding" in each category being evaluated. "This book is a winner on so many fronts. It is full of warm family values, intergenerational connections, familial responsibilities, community citizenship and much more.... I can see it becoming a family tradition for read aloud sessions for children of all ages."