–
April 24, 2025
In Gather by Kenneth M. Cadow, Ian Gray fights to maintain his family’s home, find a job, and care for his mother as she recovers from her opioid addiction—all the while adopting Gather, a stray dog he isn’t supposed to have. Cadow’s debut novel is a coming-of-age story based in rural Vermont about the importance of resiliency, survival, and companionship.
Kenneth M. Cadow is an educator and writer who lives in Pompanoosuc, Vermont. Gather is his first young adult novel. He is currently coprincipal of Oxbow High School in Bradford. About this book, Cadow says, “In my teaching career, I have encountered dozens upon dozens of stories like Ian’s: kids whose spirits are threatened to be crushed by societal disregard. The kids who are able to pull through by the ingenuity of their skill set and the strength of their character, as well as the care of their larger communities, are some of the strongest people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.”