Official Amazon Reviews

Karrie VINE VOICE 5.0 out of 5 stars

Very exciting and difficult to let go of once you start reading. -

For one, David Kenney is a great author and his collaboration with Barbara (his wife) in this book yields great results . . . The author adopts a two-part method in telling the story of the boy Dylan. In the first part, he covers the boy’s childhood describing the horrors he had to pass through at the hands of the government’s protective services. McDowell recounts part one of the stories while Jacob Ebonite, his adoptive father recounts the second.Once you start reading this book, it’s almost not possible to set it down.

ML 5.0 out of 5 stars

A story that will touch your heart! - Adopting is a decision that brings thousands of variables into play and where sometimes the history of the parents themselves is activated in a particular way. But the challenge is even greater for children waiting to be adopted who have a heavy history of abuse, neglect and/or sexual abuse in their early childhood as a backpack.The true tale of Dylan, a foster child who was left wandering by government child protection agencies in search of a home, is told in David J. Kenney's "Some Way Home." The child has experienced numerous severe traumas due to abuse and neglect. He endures emotional pain while fighting to survive until his mental state begins to deteriorate to the point of psychosis.It is an engaging book, a true roller coaster of emotions. I enjoyed the author's portrayal of the protagonist's emotions and the challenges he faces. The book prompts us to consider how a child's life might be negatively impacted by abuse and neglect from their early years. Unquestionably, it is a recommended read.

Agustina 5.0 out of 5 stars Great eye opener

David J. Kenney is the author of this wonderful novel called Some Way Home, as we follow Dylan, an unwanted child that ends up having to grow up half of his life in foster homes and the government's child protection agencies while fighting not only the difficult that this type of environment has but the abuse, trauma, and darkness of going through all that alone as a child.I really enjoyed this story; even though I cried half of the book, I found Kenney’s writing fascinating.

The story is told in two parts, Dylan’s childhood is narrated by Adam, the man who gives his life to help the boy out and get a real family for him, and the second part is told by Jacob Ebonite, the man who eventually become his adoptive father. This story is raw and intense, it has a lot of emotions and as I said before, it can be extra sad, but it is good to see that this boy overcame the first years of his life.

Julius Z 4.0 out of 5 stars - to feel loved and cared by others

This one for me is one of the most difficult stories I have to read, I have a soft spot for children in my heart and just knowing how much struggle they face for such a young age is disheartening. Dylan was born into this world striving only for one thing: to feel loved and cared by others, passing by many foster care places, his mental health start to deteriorating and more problems start to raise. Despite my grips, this story is a very important one to always have in mind, we always advocate to protect lives and children but the reality and its process are something to take into account as well, and for most is not an easy journey, I encourage everyone to give a try to this book, everyone deserves to know their way home and all of us deserves some love in our lives._

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Evelyn 5.0 out of 5 stars -Hard but sublime read.

This is a fascinating piece of work, although to be totally honest, a bit hard to read since the narrative is based on a true story. Abuse and abandonment are two of the most difficult topics in the world, and it’s worse when it comes to children. There are some sensitive parts in the book but the author did an amazing job by sharing Dylan’s journey throughout the years in the best way. He teaches the reader to face and overcome trauma. I enjoyed this title more than usual because I was able to find something I didn’t see in other books: Lots of author's talk about this topic and disgusting experiences; however, David Kenney implements possible solutions to them.Without a doubt, “Some Way Home” is an excellent addition to anyone’s collection. 

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V.E. VINE VOICE 5.0 out of 5 stars - Excellent Read

Some Way Home: A Memoir in a Myth by David Kenney (Author), and Barbara Kenney (Author) is a riveting and emotional journey about the true story of Dylan, a child in the foster care system. This book brings a huge rollercoaster of all kinds of emotions as you follow Dylan's story. It is both horrific and inspiring. Written in a loving and compassionate way by David Kenney and his wife Barbara, you can see beneath the surface how badly some children are damaged by the foster care system. The story is told from two different perspectives, one being Adam, who initially tries to help Dylan, and the other by Jacob, the man who ultimately became Dylan's adoptive father. A heart-rending tale and one that is certainly recommended for an engaging read.

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Kourtney 5.0 out of 5 stars Emotional story

Some Way Home is an emotional story that features a child who is searching his way for a family and a feeling of belonging. Though this is classified as a work of fiction, the story is inspired by the real-life foster system and the battles that these children have to endure before they are of the age of making decisions for themselves. There are moments that are difficult to read, even more so to imagine, but readers are given the realistic scenarios that these children experience. The main character, Dylan, changes substantially throughout the story and it is a story that takes readers on a ride that is highly underestimated. This one's an emotional read, but inspires a feeling of motivation for doing better and being better.

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Celeste S 5.0 out of 5 stars - Moving and inspiring story

Based on, or ‘inspired by’ shocking cases of typical foster children, Some Way Home is the story of a boy, Dylan, who spent his childhood and adolescence changing from foster home to foster home. Narrated first by the social worker who managed his case and later by his adoptive father, this is a great story which deals with pain and love. Packed with the emotional punch and occasional uplifting situations, this is not really a plot-driven book, although I found my heart racing on several occasions, desperate to find out what happens to this little boy. Emotions play a great part in this novel, together with the characters that touch Dylan’s life in different ways. I enjoyed it a lot and I strongly recommend it.

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Ivan 5.0 out of 5 stars - Very touching

Some Way Home: A Memoir in a Myth is a story full of upside downs, twists and turns, and reality. This book is based on the story of Dylan, a foster child whose life reflects the horrors people live when they end up in the foster care system. Struggling from day one, Dylan goes through childhood with many traumatic incidents, and sadly develops an unstable mind, close to psychosis. David and Barbara Kenney wrote one of those stories that makes you grateful for everything you have and makes you realize how lucky you actually are because I don't desire this kind of childhood even to my worst enemy. It is a good wake-up call, showing the life of a foster kid.

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Anne Sanchez 4.0 out of 5 stars - A great story of resilience.

Some Way Home: A Memoir in a Myth written by David and Barbara Kenney is a story based on a true story that tells the life of Dylan, a prototypical foster child. On the one hand, it talks about the adoption system, the social and emotional instability during his childhood, the abuse and trauma he suffered, but also talks about good people who protected and loved him.It is definitely a story of resilience. On the other hand, and at the same time, it is a story that can teach many things. Sometimes, it was hard for me to read because the story is sad and hard but it was really worth it. The best part of this moving story is that it has a hopeful ending. I recommend it.

Sol Tyler 5.0 out of 5 stars - A book with an overall positive message

It’s been a long time since I last read a book based on a true story and I’m glad I have picked this one.The story of Dylan, a prototypical foster child who undergoes several ordeals and physical and emotional traumas but thrives to sustain his emotional life is heart-melting. The way author Kenny presents the kid’s events is on point and he has been able to produce an edge-of-the-seat narrative especially meant for adults. Another good thing about this book is that it leaves a message behind: not all parents are alike and there is no book that teaches us about parenting. The overall message is positive and that vibe lingers even after finishing reading it.

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Liz 5.0 out of 5 stars -Moving story

This is the story of Dylan, a boy who suffered abuse and rejection during his childhood. "Some Way Home: A Memoir in a Myth" is a powerful and moving story written by authors David and Barbara Kenney.After being in foster care, Dylan is taken in with his aunt, but his aunt's boyfriend becomes the "bad dad", and again Dylan falls into the system. The years pass and things are not easy for Dylan, until he finds an adoptive family with a lot of love to give. Without a doubt, it is a moving story which reveals how deteriorated the adoption system is. Despite having to stop reading several times, I really enjoyed learning about Dylan's story.

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Aparna 5.0 out of 5 stars -Unputdownable.

What I liked the most about this book is that it was inspired by real-life events. Thinking about Dylan and all he has been through is really heart-breaking. I could see another reality through this book which is heart-melting. This reading is a roller coaster of emotions; the author has done a very good job with this narrative, catching every detail and showing it through descriptions to all of us. Without a doubt, I would recommend reading Some Way Home by David Kenny. It’s a must-read.

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J Armstrong 5.0 out of 5 stars - Great book

Even though this book follows fictional characters, the setting is real enough. It shadows the foster care system in achingly familiar ways and showcases the faults therein. The story is emotional and you feel for the boy so much, it is clear the authors put much thought into how they were going to portray him. I do like the eventual ending, and I think that this book, while being fiction is still a great book on the foster care system that should be wide read.

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Nicki 5.0 out of 5 stars - Insights into Child Psychology

The book focuses on a little child's challenges and provides insight into his actions to show how the adults need to understand all the little things about children to better care for them. The author shows that adults need to see beyond the children's negative reactions, their silence, and other small things to get to the heart of the matter and provide the essential protection, love, and connection.

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Grady Harp HALL OF FAMETOP 100 REVIEWER 5.0 out of 5 stars

David J Kenney is listed as the primary author of this extraordinary book and his wife Barbara Kenney is listed as a contributor. What results from this collaboration is a book that is one of the more compelling dramas about lost children - and it is true. David has elected to mold this true story by relating it to myth and memoir added as appendices at the end of the book. While these are interesting and valid intellectually, the impact of the actual history of Dylan easily stands alone as a superlative book by a psychologist cum author.The Book traces the life of a child unwanted at birth who was passed through foster homes with varying degrees of abuse and isolation, living with both distant relatives whose marriages were rocky at best as well as simply inadequate `foster homes', including the intervention of social worker Adam McDonnell who tried to find solace and protection for the psychologically disintegrating Dylan until Dylan was ultimately placed with adoptive parents.A very brief book description is on the book's back cover and form that the following is shared: `SOME WAY HOME spans from Dylan's birth to his fifteenth year and is told in two parts. The first part, from birth to five years old, depicts how Dylan barely survives the government's protective services and is narrated by Adam McDonnell, his social worker/case manager. Part two is told by Dylan's adoptive father, Jacob Ebonite. This is a passionate account of raising, loving, and trying to heal a severely injured child. It takes the reader through the highs of victory and the inevitable emotional devastation along the way. In the end, the reader is left with the hope of a mystifying victory obtained through enduring compassion.'Rarely has the devastating journey of unwanted children been shared so realistically yet poetically as in this book. It is profoundly touching, a book that once read will alter the way we think about the plethora of children who share Dylan's history. The time to make changes in the system is now, and if anyone can initiate that, it is David J Kenney and Barbara Kenney. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, February 15_

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R. L. Herron 5.0 out of 5 stars - COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN

I met the authors, David and Barbara Kenney, for the first time last night at a local writers' meeting, where we usually discuss the business of writing. I told them my fiction novel REICHOLD STREET had a lot of the things in it...family dysfunction, bullying, abuse, isolation, etc. that they described in telling us about their book, SOME WAY HOME. So we exchanged books at the end of the meeting. Now, I read a lot, but it's almost always fiction and, quite frankly, I expected to find this a dull, fact-filled treatise that be would be hard for me to say something good about, since it isn't the kind of book I would normally choose to read. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The fact that it's based on a true story makes the impact of the actual history of Dylan all the more powerful. This is indeed a passionate account of raising, loving, and trying to heal a child with severe emotional and physical injuries. It takes the reader through the highs experienced in tiny victories and makes all too clear the emotional devastation of dealing with the low points. Even in a story of abuse and neglect, the reader is left understanding the hope that is possible through enduring compassion. It was such an enthralling story that I read it all the way through in one sitting this morning. This is a story everyone should hear. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READING.

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Ruth Rondon 5.0 out of 5 stars - There are good people in this world who really care

I read David Kenney's book. I have to admit it was a hard read at times. The abuse a child is subjected to saddens me. It gave me flashbacks of my own childhood. I certainly don't regret reading it though. It was educational for me and the ending is the best part. It's so heart warming to know there are people in this world who really care and willing to go that extra mile. I highly recommend this book.

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Brandi Huff 5.0 out of 5 stars - and this book was recommended to me

I am a Special Education Teacher and a parent, and this book was recommended to me. I could not put it down. With 2 little boys (2 and 4) I don’t get time to read, but I made time to read this. Mr. Kenney captured the struggles of parenthood, he told what really goes on in every home, all the “stuff” that doesn't get talked about. Nobody's perfect, we are all learning how to raise children, and Mr. Kenney showed that in this book. I applaud his determination to stay with this little boy, and his ability to take a kid that really could have continued the cycle of abuse, and change him into a productive part of society. I personally don’t know if I could have handled it. I highly recommend this book, and realize that no parent is perfect, but we all doing our best to raise our children. 

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dr drunner 5.0 out of 5 stars - Highly recommended for all to read!

This book is highly recommended for all to gain a perspective of foster care children, foster care workers, and foster/adoptive parents. I think we can all benefit from having an understanding of these significant impacting experiences. This book was really easy to read and I didn’t want to put it down as I kept wanting to know more about the story.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASENew book “Some Way Home: A Memoir in a Myth” by David and Barbara Kenney is released, a moving story of a young boy’s journey through trauma to find a loving, stable home “Some Way Home: A Memoir in a Myth” by David and Barbara Kenney has been released worldwide. This harrowing tale, based on real events, follows young Dylan through the foster care system and a series of traumatic experiences that damage his mental health and threaten to prevent him from forming lasting bonds. The vivid story of resilience spans Dylan’s birth to his life at age 15 and serves as a source of education about early childhood psychological injuries, personality development, and the power of love and Patience.  Encountering both awful foster homes and caring people devoted to finding the boy a safe, healthy place to live and grow, readers will be drawn into Dylan’s tumultuous childhood, and find a hopeful message of compassion as he finds his forever family and begins the healing process. 

Some Way Home: A Memoir in a Myth (ISBN: 978-1503370210) can be purchased through retailers worldwide, including Barnes and Noble and Amazon. The paperback retails for $17.84 and the ebook retails for $2.99.

From the back cover: Some Way Home is a passionate account of raising, loving, and trying to heal a severely injured child. It takes the reader through the highs of victory and the inevitable emotional devastations along the way. In the end, the reader is left with the hope of a mystifying victory obtained through enduring compassion. Based on a true story, Some Way Home is the account of the handling and healing of Dylan, a prototypical foster child. He comes into this world a fairly anonymous character and is soon sent wandering through the government's child protection agencies in search of a home. He lacks a stable family to hold, care, or protect him; so early on, he is subjected to several, significant traumas of abuse and abandonment. He suffers but strives to emotionally survive until his mental health is challenged to the brink of psychosis. After Dylan's first short stay in foster care, he and his brother move in with their Aunt Patti, who wishes to adopt them. There, Dylan and Patti fall in love. Unfortunately, Patti is also living with her boyfriend, Bruce, who becomes the "bad daddy". Eventually, after various episodes of brutality and loss, Dylan is permanently removed from Patti and placed into the foster care system again. The story continues as Dylan's social worker, Adam McDonnell, tries to heal Dylan's hurt and place him into a safe environment. However, reality intervenes in the appearance of abnormal behaviors that surface when a child is isolated, beaten and confronted by true rejection. Distress and the will to survive generate the little boy's desire to earn some value in society. Even after a complete deterioration in a disastrous second placement, his third placement brings new hope when Dylan learns of love again. But this positive period rapidly slips away with an increase in Dylan's impulsive and destructive behaviors that define him as a severe management problem. A permanent placement, an adoptive home, is Dylan's only hope.