The Frog Bridge
While some elements of The Frog Bridge are fictional, much of the story is based upon real situations of my childhood immediately following my brother's death at the age of ten. My wife urged me to write the story because this particular experience of childhood grief is something I can speak about with honesty, and I remembered that period of my life better than I expected. I hope there is something in this book for everyone, child and adult alike, that may help them find a positive in life where they may never have looked before.
What's it about?
As Liam comes to terms with the loss of his older brother to a long-term illness, a new kid moves in next door from a strange country far away. To Liam, the new boy is an invader who threatens to destroy the only life he has ever known. But like the tadpoles which slowly turn into frogs under a beside his house, he learns that life is constantly changing, and that true friendship often grows where you least expect it.
I'm the sulky one on the right. I think I was seven. The original frog bridge is to the left behind my brother, Peter. At this point he was already undergoing treatment, so there is a great lesson here about the importance of staying actively involved in life. Peter was obviously very proud of being a scout.
Two of these three items are very important to the story. There was a football but it got kicked so much it had to be thrown out.