Book Nook - Tomas and the Road to Home

 From a rocky start in life, this is the charming story of a little dog’s journey to find love and a forever home.

 

Tomas is the tiniest in a litter of rambunctious pups. When he realises that - as the smallest of his siblings - he’s not wanted or valued, he runs away from the French farm where he was born and sets out to find his place in the world. 

 

This little chap’s adventures as he searches for a home where he will be understood and cherished are charmingly brought to life by Monica Lester whose free-spirited and joyous narrative is perfectly complemented by Peter Kavanagh’s timeless and vivid illustrations, somewhat reminiscent of the great Quentin Blake.

 

This lovingly-produced volume is Monica’s first book, and was inspired by her own much-loved rescue dog, Tomas Tobias, and her life in South West France where she made her home for twenty years. Within its covers, she has brought those sun-drenched days to life with imagination and skill.

 

In these beautifully illustrated pages - lavishly garnished with exceptional colour washed drawings by Peter Kavanagh which appear to be saturated with French sunshine – we are introduced to a wide-ranging cast of animal and human characters as we follow the ups and downs of life on the run for our little hero Tomas.

 

This tiny protagonist comes across  - and conquers  - many obstacles; and meets a cast of wonderful helpmates along the way; other canine characters of many varying breeds, a charming rat, a clever fox, a helpful squirrel, and chiefly Ginger the Romany dog, with his tales of life in the circus and his roving gypsy lifestyle – all are brought to vivid life via a combination of delightful description and distinctive characterisations.

 

The narrative is set in the author’s former home territory of South West France and offers young readers a gentle introduction to the delights of the French countryside and language. With a smattering of French vocabulary mixed in with the English equivalent - Monica Lester offers a charming introduction to an early focus on language skills.

 

Says Monica, “‘Tomas and the Road to Home’ is not a glaring razzmatazz book, more a story of how we all must overcome obstacles. There is a quiz at the end, which children have told me they enjoyed immensely.”

 

“The story is about a very, very small dog, who has to find his way to a forever loving home. He does this with help along the way, adventures, and humour. The illustrations are charming, colour-washed

and gentle. The main dogs’ characters are real, and lived with us (my late first husband and I) in the 1990s.” 

 

Having initially published the book to fundraise for a good cause – two sold-out print runs for MESOTHELIOMA UK (the charity for asbestos-related cancers), Monica is now making “Tomas and the Road to Home” more widely available.

 

Combining delightful characters, gentle humour and a real connection to the animal world, to create a world of sun-drenched charm that feels timeless and entirely believable, this is the perfect book for young readers to immerse themselves in – or for caregivers to read aloud.

 

Readers will be instantly drawn to the playful characters, deeply felt emotion and delicately drawn French countryside setting.  A joyful and mischievous adventure combined with heartfelt lessons about curiosity, courage, and compassion, this charming and clever narrative deserves to be widely enjoyed. Monica’s  book will have resonance for those parents and caregivers who are keen to imbue their youngsters with a sense of the attractions and appeals of other languages and ways of life.

 

Written and published by Monica Lester and illustrated by Peter Kavanagh, “Tomas and The Road to Home” is available now directly from the author by emailing monicatobias786@gmail.com

 

All illustrations are by Peter Kavanagh – Website: www.peterkavanagh.co.uk.

About the Author:

Monica Tobias-Gay writes under her maiden name of Monica Lester. She grew up in South London and went on to own a successful children's wear company. She has travelled to many countries and settled in rural France with her late first husband Harvey after selling her company in 1990. Monica has always written stories, and learnt to read at a very young age, being taught by her two elder sisters. She remarried in 2009 and came back to England in 2011 with her second husband Eric, who loved dogs as much as she does. Tomas Tobias was a real little dog, and one of three much-loved rescue dogs that lived with Monica and Harvey throughout the 1990s. His search for a home and his adventures are based in fact, mixed up with a little re-imagining of those happy days. Monica wrote the story of Tomas in 1997/8, and it lay in a box file for all those years. She now lives in North Norfolk.