Dot and Anton [Paperback]

'Matches, buy my matches, ladies and gents!' calls Luise Pogge, a.k.a. 'Dot', evening after evening, standing on Weidendammer Bridge in the middle of Berlin. Of course, her wealthy parents have no idea of her whereabouts, believing her to be in the safe care of her nanny, Miss Andacht. But Miss Andacht is being blackmailed by her shady fiancé, which is where Dot comes in. Anton, on the other hand, has to beg because he and his mother are paupers, and desperate. When the two children make friends on the streets of Berlin, Dot, who is no fool, has a brilliant idea which is sure to solve both their problems, and in the process they even solve a dastardly crime... An unlikely secret friendship leads to a scotched burglary and generous quantities of just deserts in this freshly translated caper from the author of Emil and the Detectives. . . First published in 1931 and last available in English in 1973, the tale is presented here in handsome packaging with its original fluent line drawings, and it wears its age reasonably well. . . A minor classic featuring a pair of intrepid protagonists, a comically suspenseful climax, and a mildly caricatured adult cast. — Kirkus Reviews

Walter Trier's deceptively innocent drawings are as classic as Kästner's words; I never tire of them. —Quentin Blake

Groundbreaking... quite remarkable. . . My favourite book as a child... funny, exciting and very atmospheric. —  Michael Rosen onEmil

A little masterpiece... Read it and you will be happy. —  Maurice Sendak onEmil

Marvellous'; 'A great political story: democracy in action. — Philip Pullman onEmil(inthe Independent's 'The 50 books every child should read')Erich Kästner, writer, poet and journalist, was born in Dresden in 1899. His first children's book,Emil and the Detectives, was publishelq