In her debut children’s book, "Forever Evergreen," Kay Roberts tells the compelling story of Red, an adventurous sparrow who dares to leave his home in search of adventure.
In her debut children’s book, "Forever Evergreen," Kay Roberts tells the compelling story of Red, an adventurous sparrow who dares to leave his home in search of adventure. Red finds unexpected allies along the way, as he navigates the Enchanted Forest. However, when trouble befalls him, Red must rely on the help of his new friends if he ever wants to make it back home. When Mother Nature intervenes, the entire forest is affected by her decision.
Roberts takes readers on an unforgettable journey, imparting valuable life lessons about forgiveness, hope, and compassion. The book is brought to life with vivid illustrations by KimSponaugle.
While developing the six main characters, Roberts was inspired by her own grandchildren, using their traits to craft her characters. “Each character evolved. The main character, Red, takes after my grandson who is an adventurous type and a free-thinking individual.”
The storyline began as an oral tale that Roberts first heard from her husband who grew up in an orphanage. “One evening we were talking about childhood memories, and he said he remembered somebody telling him a little story about a bird getting hurt and a fir tree picking him up and caring for him.” After she heard the story, Roberts waited for a while but eventually, she knew she had to put her versiondown on paper.
“I am so glad to have this story as a part of our spring collection,” says publisher, Lisa Umina. “This is a fun and engaging way for children to learn about how their actions can have unexpected consequences.”
The author’s hope is for children to use this book to spark their imagination. “I would love to get this story in the hands of children and have them go on a journey with the book, too. I love when children use their imagination. If they can think beyond, if they can let their mind wander, that’s what I would love.”
Roberts says that writing and publishing a book is a dream that she had since she was in the fifth grade. She has inspirational advice for readers: “I want everybody to know, no matter how old you are, if you have a dream, go for it! You’re never too old to do what you really want to do.”
