Some stories begin with a small disruption—something subtle enough to shift a character onto a different path. The Book of Four Journeys by Veronica del Valle gathers four narratives rooted in that early moment of departure. Each tale highlights the instant when routine loosens, a boundary is crossed, and the world ahead grows wider than expected.
The Book of Four Journeys introduces four separate tales linked by the idea that every adventure changes the one who undertakes it. The stories center on Alfalfa Spooly, Mumik and Pimnik, Neboo McCloudy, and Lincoln Jax—each encountering a path that leads into uncertainty, risk, and discovery.
Alfalfa Spooly, a dedicated postman, takes on a mission that requires him to step across the threshold into the unknown, forcing him to face challenges far beyond the routines he knows. Siblings Mumik and Pimnik begin in different places but move through unfamiliar territories as they search for one another, uncovering new dangers and surprises along the way. Neboo McCloudy, a grumpy but determined creature, confronts his greatest fears as he seeks a secret treasure connected to a world beyond what he understands. And Lincoln Jax, an orphan girl driven by longing and curiosity, travels toward a hidden kingdom that may hold the answers she has been seeking.
Across these four stories, Veronica del Valle weaves adventures that blend peculiar characters, unpredictability, and the quiet courage required to face the unknown.
Read an Excerpt
Mumik Opipok opened his eyes and knew straight away what he had to do. It would take courage, loads of it. He would have to summon it all because he was not the most confident person. In fact, Mumik Opipok’s life had so far been dotted with doubtful moments: should I fish with my fishing rod or with my net? Should I walk to the lake or go on my sledge? Should I wear my white scarf or my checquered one? Should I make fish fillet, or seafood chowder for lunch? For each choice, Mumik debated with himself for hours, and when he finally made a choice, he would second-guess it one more time. Just in case.
But not that morning. Mumik was more confident than he had ever been about any decision. In fact, he had made up his mind as soon as he’d heard what the White Bright Sprite had told him. He knew what he had to do. There was no other way to look at it.
From that moment, his day was dedicated to getting everything ready for his journey. He borrowed an old sailboat courtesy of a former sailor-turned-igloo-maker who had a spare boat. It was rusty, but it floated and that was what mattered. The former sailor-turned-igloo-maker taught Mumik the essentials of sailing: the menaces one can find at sea, how to read charts, how to trim the mainsail and how to use a sextant to let the stars guide him to his destination.
When the sailing class was over, Mumik walked home. He lived in an igloo of bluish blocks of ice in the Northernmost Part of the World. “The top of the globe,” he liked to say. This was a place shrouded in eternal winter, which meant it was always very very cold, but also very very snowy, silvery white and spotless. His good friend, Koko, a wordy and cunning Arctic fox, was waiting by his front door.
“All ready?” Koko asked.
“Almost,” Mumik answered. “Where are Sesi and Sila?”
“Around the back of the igloo, sleeping like true grey wolves,” Koko said.
Mumik went inside and packed some items of clothing, his fishing rod, some cans of food and many bottles of water. He was aware he was not the best planner, but he figured he would be fine with the things he had selected. Before sunset, everything was ready. He would leave in the morning.
When the full moon lit the sky, Mumik went outside and woke up Sesi and Sila.
“Come on, my friends, time for one last ride.”
About the Author: 
Veronica del Valle is the author of The Word-Keeper and The Book of Four Journeys. She holds an MA in Creative Writing from Kingston University and has worked as an editor and writer for news organizations and magazines in both London and Argentina. She has also taught creative writing at Universidad de San Andrés. Now based in Buenos Aires, she continues to write stories shaped by her love of language, imagination, and adventure. Learn more at her website and on Instagram.
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