Some journeys begin with a single step. Others begin with learning how to survive the place where you are.In Wade to Victory, a young girl moves through a dreamlike landscape of forests, fire and ice, moonlit paths, storms, caves, mountains, and changing waters. Each place transforms something difficult into a language she can understand—a language of imagination, courage, reflection, and hope.As she grows, the water changes with her. What once feels overwhelming gradually becomes something she can enter, explore, and eventually cross. Along the way, she learns to find breathing room, carry her own protection, grieve what has been lost, and discover strength that existed long before she knew how to name it.Inspired by the author's own childhood survival, Wade to Victory uses symbolic imagery rather than graphic depictions to explore the ways children adapt to chronic fear, instability, loss, and trauma. An appendix for older readers, caregivers, and professionals examines the psychology beneath the journey, including childhood coping, attachment, autonomy, developmental trauma, resilience, and protective factors.A story about surviving without pretending survival was easy—and discovering that reaching safer ground can be the beginning of an entirely new journey. Read more