A tale of a young boy’s suffering and abuse with no safe place to hide
A dream of a mysterious yet familiar house which he must look for…
But what will he find when he gets there?
A campaign recently launched by LBC Radio aims to tackle bullying and cyber-bullying. Research quoted by LBC shows that 35% of 11-17-year-olds have experienced some form of cyber-bullying, while 40% have witnessed it on social media. Tragically some incidences of this type of bullying have led to teenage suicides.
All too frequently, children are the victims of violence and abuse, even at the hands of parents and step-parents. It is not unusual to read newspaper reports of young children whose lives have been severely scarred or cut short by their carers. Bidhya Das, convicted of hammering to death his young son and attempting to murder his son’s twin sister in Finsbury Park, is just one example.
Such extreme cases may not be the norm, but dysfunctional homes and schools can provide the setting for less obvious abuse, much of which might never be reported.
Add to that the challenge of bullying on social media, the rise of mental health issues among children and a seemingly uncertain future; as a result, many young people are struggling with a variety of issues.
Is recovery from such ordeals possible? Where might help and hope come from? This magical children’s novel hopes to offer part of the answer.
Living with a violent stepdad, and bullied at school, thirteen-year-old Oliver Carrick has a difficult and lonely life. But Oliver has a secret; for at night he is swept away in mysterious dreams of a strange, yet somehow familiar, house.
When things at school go from bad to worse, Oliver finds himself suspended. And when his stepdad finds out, with terrifying consequences, Oliver runs away. So begins a magical adventure as his dreams begin to become real and he finds himself passing through a number of character-building and fantastical experiences.
‘I too had very frightening recurring dreams that eventually led to a most wonderful healing in my life,’ writes author David J Bailey. ‘My journey was not like the experiences related in the book, but I too was aware of supernatural guidance. I discovered God sees us, loves us and cares about all that we face. My hope is that through this book young people will see that God can help them too, that healing, restoration and reconciliation can happen.’
The Dream by David J Bailey (ISBN: 9781909728776) is published by Instant Apostle and is available on 18th January from Christian bookshops, bookstores and online retailers. Fiction, 224pp, £6.99.