Mandy Dandie's Pink Lemonade

Pen Jen's Inkwell Podcast

With a little pink lemonade and a little musical magic, one special little girl can save her endangered neighborhood.
Mandy Dandie refuses to let Sherwood Neighborhood—which is going downhill fast—be turned into a major freeway. People are unemployed and don’t talk to each other except to fight. Ruben Gruff offers to buy their backyards, and they’re thrilled about the much-needed cash, but Mandy, 10, is upset about losing the old oak trees. She sets up a lemonade stand: she’ll give the money to her neighbors, so they’ll reject the disastrous project.
Mandy’s first attempt with her “secret recipe” hardly sells so she uses all her coins to purchase an odd pink lemon tree. This new pink drink is a hit. And . . . everyone who drinks the magic lemonade sings about secret worries and dreams, and then forgets they did so. Mandy just listens. Gruff the developer downs a cup and sings his secret plan to run a four-lane highway through the neighborhood, making him a millionaire at the expense of all those homes.
At the council meeting, Ruben hands out sales contracts. Mandy tries to warn everybody and tell them of his plan, but Ruben argues she’s not on the agenda, and Mandy is not allowed to speak. She walks home in tears. Mandy drags her pink lemon tree to the next meeting. People crowd around and are soon singing the truth. The neighbors all sympathize and encourage each other. Ruben then drinks and reveals his own devious secret. The neighbors band together and reject Gruff Construction’s plans. Mandy and her pink lemonade save Sherwood Neighborhood.