As a young child in Merthyr Tydfil, Jared K. Russell had his own struggles. While partial hearing loss brought much adversity, this was only compounded by the bullying that ensued. It was totally needless.
But Russell hasn’t let those experiences define his life and, in a new children’s book that fuses his plight with his passion for polar bears, he inspires other children to embrace their natural gifts, cherish those close to them and live as the absolute best version of themselves.
Synopsis of ‘Alexander the Polar Bear: Last Hope’:
Welcome to Alexander’s world. As the youngest polar bear cub in the royal family, everyone has certain expectations of him. But he’s not like everyone else. He struggles to fight and fish (the two most important skills every polar bear needs). He’s an easy target for the bullies. And his big brother Leo is brilliant at everything. It’s only when Alexander’s special abilities and markings single him out that he begins to come into his own.
Events unfold and he has to grow up quickly. The broken-hearted, brave polar bear has to leave behind all those he loves in order to save them. With his trusted pal, Cooper, by his side, the pair embark on a mission that will change their lives and scare them half to death. They have to flee from a vicious attack, save the kingdom, prevent Naomi from being forced into marriage with the enemy, find help, and, most importantly, survive.
Join Alexander and his magical pals as he takes on the biggest challenge of his life, learns who his real friends are, and becomes the bravest polar bear warrior the kingdom has ever seen. Filled with themes of love, loss, betrayal, friendship, family loyalty, persistence and bravery, this incredible book will capture the imagination of readers from 10 to 100.
“I want children to understand where loyalty in life really is, and how they can make the best of every relationship and interaction they encounter,” explains the author. “This first comes with them vowing to live a positive life where love and friendship seeps into everything they do – and Alexander is the perfect “friend” through which to impart these vital lessons and morals.”
Continuing, “Each of the characters is highly relatable and will resonate with enquiring young minds, and leave them with plenty to think about in the real world. This is just the start of Alexander’s adventures and there is plenty more to come. Just like every young child, Alexander is an unstoppable force for good who has lots of achievements waiting to spring out and surprise us all.”
Feedback for the first volume has been impressive. Adele writes, “Easy to read, endearing characters really got to know them and unexpected twist. A good read.”
‘Alexander the Polar Bear: Last Hope’ is available now: https://amzn.to/2x4qAT9
