by Leonore H. Dvorkin
Blind Paddy Flynn, orphaned at age eight, travels by train from Philadelphia to California in 1947 to live with his childless aunt and uncle. Part One tells of his mother’s death, his time in a children’s home, and then his eventful journey to California.
In Part Two, Paddy and his closest friend from Philadelphia, Lucy Candelaria, are reunited in California. Their unusual and loving relationship and their special form of communication make up a major part of the story.
The cast of characters includes the residents and staff of the children’s home, the family Paddy stays overnight with in Chicago, the train staff, the several adults who accompany him on different legs of his journey, his welcoming relatives and their wonderful dog, and various neighbors there in California.
With his loving nature and can-do spirit, Paddy brings joy and inspiration to many others. He even stands up to two bullies, one in Philadelphia and one in California. But how will he adjust to life at a school for the blind? Book One of The Paddy Stories ends with Paddy once again having to face an uncertain future.
To be continued in Book Two.
In e-book and print. Full details: http://www.dvorkin.com/johnjustice/