Squirrel E. Burke

In this first installment of the Squirrel E. Burke series, Our hero finds that each of our differences are what make up this beautiful tapestry of life that we are so lucky to enjoy. We don't always "fit in", and we aren't all the same... that's what keeps our short glimpse of this wonderful lifetime so precious and so interesting. "Be weird and be wild. Love like it's an instinct. Default to kindness. Sing out loud and never ever forget that you are loved."

First time Grandpa (or "Grumpa" as his family calls him), Burke creates a hero of sorts in Squirrel E. Burke to walk his granddaughter through some of life's little lessons. The book is also forwarded and closed with "love letters" that Burke writes in his journals at night after Renee has gone to bed. The poetry is wonderful and each page builds from the last in this wonderful story. "There's just something so special, so innocent and fragile about this little lady. When I'm gone, I'd like to leave her with something that let's her know just how much she meant to this old man."

Burke is not an author, a poet, a romantic a comedian or even a very good story teller. Burke just does what's next on his heart where things can be appreciated just for being. Burke has been in some capacity or another on every continent around the globe with the exception of Antarctica. He attributes his unique view of the world to this fact and can oftentimes be found literally counting the friends he's made around the world on what he calls "an absolutely incredible trip through the stars". The birth of his first grandchild (Renee Claire) drove Burke to the pages of his notebooks where he penned every little love letter that came to mind as this little girl quickly stole his heart. He began imagining what he might be able to teach her, and the things in life that she might be able to see and understand before she experienced them. Renee and her "Grumpa" (Burke) spend some of their mornings together feeding squirrels at his home in Colorado, so naturally, it needed to be a squirrel that shared Grumpa's stories with her. Burke adds - "In the million or so stories that I'd like to write for my Granddaughter, there's only one lesson that I'd like for her to grasp in all of it..." "When we finally realize just how insignificant we are in the universe, we'll finally understand just how important we are to each other." - Burke