Magic Hannah and the Story Stealing Wolves

I have a wonderful daughter. Her name is Hanna and she is 16 years old. During the last year, we have had her diagnosis of autism confirmed. It has been a bumpy ride.

The autism, in some respects, is no big deal. It is part of who she is and I wouldn’t want to wish it away. But the diagnosis comes with accepting that parts of my past parenting probably weren’t up to meeting who she is.

In particular, I think about the children’s parties. They were supposed to be fun. For Hanna, they would have been chaotic, noisy and a whole heap of sensory overload.

About three years ago, she dropped the last ‘H’ of Hannah – choosing her own spelling. It was also around that time that the sense I had been getting something wrong was gaining some clarity. It seemed right that she had some determination about who she was going to be.

But amongst all the misunderstandings there were precious moments of story-telling. Just me and her, making up a world and living our best lives.

Magic Hannah and the Story-Stealing Wolves was a story we wrote together and then I got printed up for her 4th birthday. I was working as a lecturer at the time, so was a dab hand with PowerPoint and I had access to photocopying and paper. Hannah was at nursery, three days a week and obsessed with rules and behaviour. It was her idea to put the wolves in a cage. We talked about what that might mean for them, so it was also her idea to take them out of the cage.

The book was a testament of our love for each other, for story-telling, oh, and libraries – that blissful, quiet space where you don’t have to interact with anybody outside of your imagination.

She still has that story book. I hope she knows that I still think she is magical.

Here goes…

Once upon a time, a long time ago there was a girl called Hannah. She liked everything to be right and everything to be fair. An when things weren't right or weren't fair, she turned into... Magic Hannah.

One day Hannah goes to the Nursery with her friends, Mitchell, Lily Lauren, Molly, Amy and Andrew. The grown-ups say it is a time for a trip to the library. But when they get there, there is a big sign, which says:

LIBRARY CLOSED – ALL THE BOOKS ARE GONE!

Everybody is very upset. The grown-ups say that everybody has to go back to nursery without any books.

But just as they are leaving, Hannah hears a noise. It is a rustling noise, a papery noise. It is a ….

... wolves reading books noise.

Hannah looks behind a hedge and there she sees a...

family of wolves all reading library books.

Daddy Wolf is reading a crime novel.

Mummy Wolf is reading a book about DIY

Sister Wolf is reading a Pirate Book

Baby Brother Wolf is reading a baby book.

And all around them are stacks and stacks of books.

“You naughty, naughty wolves,” says Hannah.

“Go away,” says Daddy Wolf.

“Those aren’t your books,” says Hannah.

“I don’t care” says Daddy Wolf.

Now when Hannah hears those words, do you know what happens?

She wriggles her nose

She flutters her fingers

And says “Abracadabra!”

Then she makes a spell.

“Ibble Dibble, Dobble Dage

Put those wolves into a cage!”

And whoosh the wolves are in a cage.

But she hasn’t finished yet…

“Ibble, Dibble, Dobble Dooks

Fill the Library with these books”

And the library fills with books.

Hannah and her nursery friends all shout “Hooray” and they go to the library after all.

Mitchell reads a pirate book.

Lauren Reads a fairy book.

Lily reads a dinosaur book.

Amy reads a dancing book.

Andrew reads an alien book, and..,

Hannah reads a Magic Hannah book.

They are all happy!

But it doesn’t end here….

When Hannah goes outside the wolves are still in their cage.

“Hannah”, they all say, “we’re sorry. We didn’t mean to take the books”

“And do you promise not to do it again?” says Hannah

“Yes,” says Mummy Wolf, Sister Wolf and Baby Brother Wolf.

“What about you Daddy Wolf?” asks Hannah.

“Well, there is just one problem. I like reading books but I don’t have any money, so I can’t buy any.”

“You don’t need money,” says Hannah.

Hannah has an idea.

She wiggles her nose.

She flutters her fingers

And says, “Abracadabra”.

Then she makes a spell!

“Ibble Dibble Dobble Dards

Give the wolves Library Cards”

And the wolves’ cage disappears and all the wolves have library cards.

“Now,” says Hannah, “you can have library books whenever you want.”

And everybody is happy!

Hooray!

THE END

Now, if you’re really good I will read you Magic Hannah and Santa’s Little Helpers, but you must promise you will go to sleep and have lovely dreams…