The cover artwork for the new book “Wink’s Magic Tale” by Storyteller Laurie

This story is about the challenges in integrating someone with special needs within a community.

Wink is an abandoned squirrel who is adopted by Esther, who is a sorceress. But even with all her powers, she cannot get Wink to eat. Until he tastes corn. He becomes obsessed with corn, and gets bigger and bigger until his head sticks out of Esther’s chimney.

Too big to stay home, Esther gives Wink a magic bag of corn seed to feed his appetite. Whenever he drops the seed on the ground, corn magically sprouts from the earth.

The animals and birds love Esther for her powers of healing. But they don’t want Wink. The corn he is planting chokes out the grass and the flowers the animals need for food. They are also don’t want their young to be friends with Wink, because they are afraid that they might become addicted to corn.

Wink vanishes, where he has he gone?

What can Esther do? Can the power of magic, or the strength of love bring Wink back?

Esther, Alfred and Wink – artwork by Laurie Campbell