[PDF 4/5] Manu and the path that grew backward: The spiral beneath the steps

Manu and the Path That Grew Backward is the fourth journey in the Tales of Niky series—an illustrated, rhyming fable about non-linear thinking, trust in uncertainty, and discovering that sometimes the wrong way is the only way through.

In the Misty Grove, where fog braids between ancient trunks and moss softens every step, Manu walks with maps. He believes in straight lines, marked trails, and solving problems by moving forward. But one morning, the paths begin to change. Trees whisper in reverse. Footprints lead the wrong way.

When a sudden storm unravels his route home, Manu is forced to trust his failing map—or follow a path that leads backward into the mist. Guided by a spiral-shaped fern, a peculiar stone fox, and the rhythm of his own breath, Manu steps into the unknown.

In the Grove, not everything is what it seems. And sometimes, the way ahead... is behind.

This is a story

🌫️ Letting go of linear thinking and forced progress
🦊 Discovering clarity in confusion and patience in pause
🍃 Accepting that some paths must twist to reach the truth
🌀 The spiral as a pattern of return, reflection, and unseen direction

Each spread

Rhymed narrative passages in ABAB or AABB form
Black-and-white hand-drawn illustrations on the facing page, capturing mood and mystery

Interactive elements to engage reflective

🧩 A footstep-based puzzle hidden in the moss trails
🖋️ A personal “Design Your Own Symbol”🌿 Symbolic patterns and riddles woven into the visual details

Who is it for?

This book speaks to analytical thinkers, over-planners, or anyone who has felt frustrated by detours in life. It is a quiet invitation to step outside the straight path and trust the backward spiral as a form of forward growth.

Not all who turn around are lost. Some are finally seeing.

Part of the Tales of Niky

Each book reveals a new region of the same interconnected world—where echoes, symbols, and natural wisdom link all stories. Read them in order or as standalones; the spiral binds them together either way.

Book 1: Niky and the Leaf That Let Go – The Fall Before the Flight

Book 2: Lina and the Ember That Waited – The Flame Beneath the Stone

Book 3: Tamy and the Shell That Sang Alone – The Silence Beneath the Song

Book 4: Manu and the Path That Grew Backward – The Way That Found Itself

Book 5: The Spiral That Chose Itself

Written by Nora Etta

Published by Echo Tales Editions (www.EchoTalesEditions.com)

Sometimes, the clearest direction is the one that curves.