Master Storyteller

Author Lee Arrowood is a master storyteller. In The Unlikely Adventures of Joe and Nick, he keeps the reader engaged through charming, whimsical characters and their fast-paced adventures from childhood to adulthood. From chasing snakes to stealing chickens, each story gives the reader a slice of life—good, bad, or hilarious—and often all three.

Joe grew up in rural West Virginia near the small town of Wayne, which is reminiscent of the fictional community of Mayberry, North Carolina in The Andy Griffith Show. In Joe’s small-town world, I could almost see “Opie” heading to the river to go fishing with his dad, “Sheriff Taylor.”

Living with a boorish stepfather, who is "a piece of work," Nick finds life less than ideal. But with the help of his brother Alex, Nick puts the man in his place, enjoying the fallout. I enjoyed it too.

Well-written, the adventures are heartwarming and light—easy reading. When you start one, you must finish it, championing Joe and Nick all the way.