The funny, heart-warming story of two young comrades-in-arms, by the author of Emil and the Detectives.

Gorgeous cover and package design presents a perfect collectable classics library for young readers


What was I going to say just now? Oh yes, I remember. The story that I’m about to tell you this time is extremely odd. It is odd because first, well, it just is odd, and second it really happened. It
was in the newspaper about six months ago. Aha, you’re thinking as you whistle through your teeth, Kästner’s stolen someone else’s story!

But he hasn’t.


Dot loves play-acting, dressing up her pet dachshund Piefke and making up words like 'splentastic'. Her best friend is Anton, who lives in a little apartment and looks after his mother.


They share a secret - every night, when their parents think they are asleep, they sell matches and shoelaces on the streets of Berlin with Dot's grumpy governess. But why?


The answers involve a villain called 'Robert the Devil', a club-wielding maid, a wobbly tooth, a pair of silver shoes and a policeman dancing the tango, as Dot and Anton get into all sorts of scrapes and even solve a crime.

This is a story about two resourceful and spirited best friends, to whom the class divide means nothing.