An epic adventure children’s book written by
Jenny Kerr Schroen and Chris Eccleston

that inspires a new generation to embrace the power of GRIT and the Magic of Building!

illustrated by Justin Donaldson with Rachel Danae

You can help ignite a movement to change the way the world sees the construction trades.

THANK YOU!

CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES COMMITTED TO BRINGING THE BOOK TO THE CLASSROOM

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Imagine a world that has forgotten how to build...

Adventurous siblings Tegan and Trig live in a decaying dystopian society that has been hypnotized by mysterious glowing stones.

After a devastating earthquake causes the city to teeter on the edge of a cliff, the duo embark on an epic journey to a place called Greatness, believing it holds the key to saving their city from disaster.

Obstacles continually block their path, but the kids, fortunately, befriend fanciful creatures who teach them important trade skills as they weave their way through a treacherous land.

Will the children have the GRIT to face their challenges, find Greatness AND figure out a way to change their world?

Grit Leads To Greatness draws in both children and adults to the world of construction through secret passageways, snowboarding, volcanos, waterslides, and rollercoasters. By telling a creative tale, one that puts kids in the shoes of the protagonists, they can begin to see reflections of their current world and the not-so-distant futuristic society that could exist if the construction trades are forgotten. Kids are encouraged to find Greatness in their own life by resisting distractions, believing in themselves, and taking action when others do nothing. Most importantly, they can understand in simple terms how GRIT is the cornerstone of a well-lived life.

What People Are Saying

Thank YOU for the opportunity to read such a captivating story to the kids at Prince Street Elem.

The kids were so interested in what Delaware Elevator does, they had intriguing questions and were in awe of the facts of the trade.

I felt I left them with more to ponder than they had before; that my answers and stories gave them a perspective of the world they had never considered.

— Delaware Elevator

The book is great, and I love the message behind it. I enjoy not only the encouragement of getting into trades, professions that are needed to build the world; but also, the factor of hard work and dedication leading to wonderful things! If you put your mind to anything you can achieve it and I was happy and privileged to read your empowering message to the children today!

— Elizabeth White, Salisbury Door & Hardware

The children were very engaged in the story & we discussed the vital role all the building trades play in our life. I thought the message was delivered in a way they could comprehend.

….Every student in the room was engaged and several took turns reading from it. They loved meeting with the characters and looked to Chris & Jenny as famous people signing their book. For me, there’s nothing better than seeing the younger generation, excited about learning. The smiles on their faces recapped how I felt about the whole experience

— Karen Bromley, Avery Hall

Wow! What a FANTASTIC EVENT!!!! So many students were talking about the book and characters, but most importantly trades yesterday after you left! I heard students saying they wanted to be a mason when they grow up because it would be great to make something that would “stand forever”. Others said they wanted to be an electrician because it would be great to be able to “wire things up”. The experience truly allowed students to think about what they would like to do in the future with a career in the construction trades now at the forefront! Thank you so much for thinking of our county and providing this opportunity for so many scholars! Your partnership is truly appreciated!

— Jason L. Miller, Principal, Prince Street Elementary

Why this book?

If we don’t understand, teach, and celebrate the trades…

the modern world will crumble

Summary

Grit Leads to Greatness is the story of a brother and sister Trig and Tegan. The siblings live in a decaying dystopian city that was once grand but had forgotten how to build over time because people were hypnotized by mysterious glowing stones. The duo are different, however, and believe there is more to life like being adventurous.

While playing near crumbling statues one day at the city center, Trig is rescued from a falling piece of marble by a mysterious old man named Ohm. The old man tells the story of the once-mighty statues and explains that they found Greatness. But he says most people give up on finding Greatness because it can’t be found without GRIT. GRIT is the driving force from within that gives you the power to face any challenge and the guts to keep going.

Ohm points to the inscription at the base of the monument that reads "Grit Leads to Greatness"

No sooner than he spoke, a devastating earthquake causes the town to teeter on the edge of the cliff and will be destroyed if someone doesn't repair it. Realizing that no one knows how to save their city, The children return to the old man and ask for advice. He produces a map that will lead them to a town called Greatness which they believe has all the answers. The journey is tedious, but the kids meet different fanciful characters along the way that represent various construction trades that are vital to keeping the world going.

They help construct a mountainside retaining wall with a surprisingly intelligent, artistic, and timeless Ogre named, Mason the Mason. They rebuild a grand alpine school with miniature carpenters called Snomes. They connect steel to span a bridge near the base of a volcano with their metallic robot friends Arc and the Welders. They learn about plumbing amidst an endless maze of twisting waterslides with an amphibious creature named Copper. Lastly, they discover how electricity can power anything on a swift roller coaster ride through whirring circuits with the eccentric and animated Electrician Magician.

Near the end, the kids think they've almost reached Greatness only to discover it's a dead end. The Electrician magician reminds the kids that "Grit Leads to Greatness" thus revealing his true identity- the old man Ohm they met in the beginning!

He pulls back the stone wall to what the kids think is their destination only to find themselves back at the base of the crumbling statues they started from. Ohm explains that Greatness isn’t a destination, it has to be created. The siblings begin to realize that the obstacles themselves allowed them to possess the ability to save their city. They could change their world now! Gathering their friends they met on their journey, they march down to the cliffside and repair the city using all the trade skills encountered along the way. Other kids look up from their hypnotizing stones and drop them into the dirt to be part of something truly epic.

In the end, a grand parade is held for Trig, Tieg, and their trade friends as new statues are unveiled in the city center. They weren't great men and women of old, they were two kids, Trig and Tiegan. Witnessing their city full of hope again left no doubt that the inscription had to be true: Grit Leads To Greatness

An epic adventure children’s book written byJenny Kerr Schroen and Chris Eccleston