Stories, kindness, and a little forest magic
A gentle place to land, listen to stories, and let your imagination wander somewhere kinder. With Norbert as your guide, the forest becomes a place of comfort, courage, and quiet belonging for children and grown-ups alike.
A gentle update from the forest
Norbert is walking a healing path, one brave pawstep at a time. Follow his journal for gentle updates from the forest.
Read the JournalNorbert is on a healing path. Follow his journal.
Read the Journal
Norbert is the heart of this enchanted world. Gentle, watchful, and deeply comforting, he has a way of helping people feel calmer just by being himself. In storytime videos, he listens, settles in, and sometimes snores right in the middle of a tale, and somehow that simple sweetness has become part of the comfort people return for.
He is real, not imagined, and that is part of what makes him different. Norbert loves children, tiny dogs, cats, and kindhearted people. He has a special gift for helping nervous little ones feel safe, and a quiet protectiveness that reminds me to pay attention when something feels off. In these stories, and in life, he is a steady guide, leading with gentleness, courage, and heart.
"In the forest and in life, I have learned to trust the dog."Meet Norbert
Featured Book
The first published story in The Norbert Barkah Chronicles
What if the bravest thing is choosing not to pull?
When Norbert worries he may meet a bully, he learns that real strength does not always mean fighting back. Sometimes it means listening to your heart, letting go of the rope, and making room for something softer to grow.
As the first published story in The Norbert Barkah Chronicles, this book opens the door to a world of emotional truth, brave choices, kindness, and the quiet light we all carry within.
Deeper in the forest, Norbert is joined by Lyra, a tiny fairy whose kind are born without wings. Their wings begin to grow only when they witness true kindness. Lyra awakens when Norbert's bark breaks through the angry growls of a big dog bullying a tiny one. His courage and kindness call her into the world, and from that moment on, she follows him as his witness.
In this forest, kindness is never small. A soft choice, a patient heart, or a gentle word can change the whole path of a story.
Courage here does not shout. It shows up in tender steps, honest feelings, and the quiet strength to keep going when the way feels uncertain.
Every story holds a lantern. These tales help readers remember that even in fear, grief, or confusion, there is still light within to guide the next step.
Storytime with Norbert is a soft place to land. Here, the noise of the world quiets down, imagination takes over, and the stories stay with you long after they end.
What makes these storytimes different is that they ask nothing from you. You don't have to do anything here except pause, breathe, and feel safe.
Here you'll find story readings, Wednesday Wisdom food for thought, and moments of Norbert living his best life. Stories here may comfort right away. Others make you smile. And a few may linger, because the lesson is wrapped inside the metaphor and opens later.
The original Tug of War Lesson - the storytime video that inspired the book
Storyteller, artist, and the heart behind the enchanted forest
I'm Susan Higgins, a storyteller, artist, and heart guide who believes in the power of kindness, imagination, and inner light. My stories, shared with Norbert Barkah by my side, are created to help children and grown-ups find courage, connection, and calm in uncertain times. Inspired by the magic of the natural world and the quiet strength of healing, I write to offer a softer place to land.
What began as reading stories to Norbert grew into something much bigger. People did not just listen, they felt something. From those simple storytime moments came a book, a growing enchanted forest world, and a deeper calling to create stories that comfort, encourage, and help people remember the light within themselves.
About Mama SueOnce a month, I'll send a quiet note from Norbert's world, with story updates, book news, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and sometimes a short story. Think of it as a softer way to stay connected, a little doorway into the enchanted forest.
No noise, just gentle notes once a month.
Norbert