Kugy’s Story — Revised English Text (Strength-Focused)
Age Range: 7–10
Approach: Neurodiversity framing, strength-focused, minimal cause emphasis
PAGE 1
Visual: Otters playing joyfully in/around the lake
In a big lake in the forest, many young otters lived with their families.
They swam and dove, played hide-and-seek in the reeds by the shore.
Sometimes they explored the forest and built little dens.
They had lots of fun together.
PAGE 2
Visual: Other otters running, criticizing Kugy with speech bubbles
But one otter had no fun, and that was little Kugy.
The other otter kids never wanted to play with him.
They always found something to criticize.
Speech bubbles: - “You’re too lazy!” - “You can’t remember anything!” - “You don’t understand our games!”
PAGE 3
Visual: Kugy (with purple bow) surrounded by more criticism
Speech bubbles: - “You’re too weak!” - “You’re annoying!” - “You always take so long!” - “You’re too small!” - “You can’t find the way!”
PAGE 4
Visual: Kugy swimming sadly underwater, fish watching
When the other otter kids once again didn’t want Kugy to play, he swam sadly back to his mama and asked:
“Am I really a proper otter?”
“Of course you are a proper otter,” his mother replied, amazed.
“You have a beautiful, thick brown fur, four strong paws, a long tail, and you can swim.”
“Then why won’t the others play with me?” sobbed Kugy.
“Why do they say I’m not like them? Why am I different?”
Then Mama Otter took little Kugy in her arms and said:
“Let me tell you a story.”
PAGE 5
Visual: Mom swimming underwater with colorful bubbles, discovering secret lake
“A while ago,” Mama Otter began, “when you weren’t born yet but were already growing in my belly, I once discovered a little tunnel at the far end of the lake.
I was curious and swam through it into another, much smaller lake.
Around this lake stood many fruit trees, and the water tasted completely different from our lake — sweet and tingly.
It tasted so good that I kept coming back to drink from it.
But I didn’t tell anyone.
It was my secret.”
PAGE 6
Visual: Mom happy on land, talking animatedly
“And then?” asked Kugy, excited.
“I was so happy about you,” Mama Otter continued.
“One day, shortly before you were born, I went back to that little lake to drink the water.
It made me so happy and giddy that I couldn’t keep my secret anymore.
When I came back, I told the other otters about it.
I thought they would be happy too and would swim through the tunnel into the little lake with me.
But that’s not what happened.”
Kugy’s mother suddenly looked very sad.
PAGE 7
Visual: Butterflies (different colors) flying in meadow
“The other otters were shocked,” she told him.
“‘Don’t you know,’ they cried, ‘that the water from the little lake is dangerous for otters carrying babies?’“
“‘No,’ I said, ‘I didn’t know that.’“
“The other otters explained that the water changed because of the rotting fruit — it created something called alcohol.
Alcohol isn’t harmful to grown otters, but for little otters who aren’t born yet, it can affect how they grow.”
“Why?” asked Kugy.
PAGE 8
Visual: More butterflies, meadow scene continues
“Because when baby otters are growing inside their mama, they drink the same water she does,” Mama Otter answered.
“And if they grow while drinking that special water, their brains and bodies develop in their own unique way.
Some things might work differently — they might be smaller, or need more time, or think in different patterns, see the world through different eyes, or have special capabilities.
But they’re still real otters, just as valuable as any other.”
PAGE 9
Visual: Mom hugging Kugy, flowers and butterflies around them
“So I’m different because of that?” asked Kugy.
“Yes,” said Mama Otter. “That’s why you’re different and very special.
I love you very, very much!”
She hugged Kugy close and kissed him on the nose.
“And do you know what we do now?” she asked.
“What?” asked Kugy.
“We tell the other otter kids our story.”
PAGE 10
Visual: Mama Otter addressing gathering of otter kids, Kugy with colorful paws/tail visible
Mama Otter called all the otter kids together by the lake and told the story one more time.
“And that’s why,” she said at the end, “Kugy has some special colors that show how his brain and body work:
PAGE 11
Visual: The otter kids looking at Kugy with different colored features
He has an orange paw because he’s small and light.
He has a purple paw because he learns in his own special way.
He has a green paw because he thinks and feels in his own way.
He has a red paw because his brain developed differently before he was born.
And why do you think he has a golden tail tip?”
The otter kids looked with big eyes.
PAGE 12
Visual: Other otters speaking kindly, excited
“Because he’s so helpful!” said one otter kid.
“Because he’s the best at finding things we’ve lost!” said another.
“Because he can do such amazing somersaults in the water!” a third added.
“Because he’s so nice, even though we’re mean to him,” said a fourth, embarrassed.
Mama Otter beamed. “Exactly!” she said.
“And there’s so much more!”
PAGE 13 (FINAL)
Visual: Otter kids playing together, Kugy included, swimming and playing joyfully with his colorful markings visible
Now the other otter kids understood why Kugy was a bit different.
They knew it wasn’t his fault.
And they knew that even though he was different, he was still an otter, just like them.
So now they didn’t tease him anymore, but helped him when he was sometimes a bit too slow.
And sometimes they even admired his golden tail tip.
Color Symbolism Key (Revised)
🟠 Orange paw: Small size and light build (physical difference)
🟣 Purple paw: Learns differently (learning style)
🟢 Green paw: Thinks and feels in unique ways (cognitive/emotional processing)
🔴 Red paw: Brain developed differently before birth (FASD acknowledgment — neutral, factual)
✨ Gold tail tip: Special strengths (helper, finder, swimmer, kind heart, persistence, noticing details)
Key Changes from Original
- Reduced cause emphasis: Red paw mentions brain development factually, not dramatically focused on cause
- Strength-first framing: Gold tail gets equal/more emphasis than challenges
- Neurodiversity language: “Developed in their own unique way” vs. “damaged/hurt”
- Active strengths: Specific examples (somersaults, finding things, kindness) vs. vague “he tries hard”
- Community response: Other kids name his strengths, not just mom defending him
Ready for feedback or further refinement.