Elise and the Second Hand Dog , livre ebook

101

pages

English

Ebooks

2019

Écrit par
Kirsten Raagaard

Publié par
Wacky Bee Books

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101

pages

English

Ebooks

2019

Lire un extrait

Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne En savoir plus

Publié par

Wacky Bee Books

Date de parution

01 août 2019

Nombre de lectures

EAN13

9780995697287

Langue

English

Poids de l'ouvrage

11 Mo

Elise is lonely. Her mum is far away in Brazil helping to finish the building of a suspension bridge and her dad is busy trying to get by as a musician in the Danish city of Copenhagen where they live. So when Elise asks for a dog to keep her company, her dad finds it hard to refuse. But the dog that Elise ends up with is no ordinary dog. He is second-hand, he looks like an ugly rabbit, he smells of cheese...and he can talk!

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Publié par

Wacky Bee Books

Date de parution

01 août 2019

EAN13

9780995697287

Langue

English

Poids de l'ouvrage

11 Mo

Children's literature

E li s e

Bjarne Reuter

andEtheSelconidhasndDoge

Bjarne Reuter Illustrated by Kirsten Raagaard

aElise ng do tD nd heSondha ec

Bjarne Reuter

Illustrated by Kirsten Raagaard

Translated from the Danish by Siân Mackie

Published by Wacky Bee Books Sakespear House, 168 Lavender Hill, London, SW11 5TG, UK

ISBN: 978-0-9956972-8-7

First publised in te UK 2018

his translation as been supported by he Danis Arts Foundation.

Te rigts of Bjarne Reuter and Kirsten Raagaard to be identified as te autor and illustrator of tis work as been asserted by tem in accordance wit te Copyrigt, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rigts reserved. No part of tis publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mecanical, potocopying, recording, or oterwise, witout te prior written permission of te Publiser. Any person wo does any unautorised act in relation to tis publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

Design by David Rose

Printed and bound in te UK by Clays Ltd, St. Ives Plc

his book as been publised wit te support of Arts Council England and BookTrust.

www.wackybeebooks.com

“A girl and her dog sit eating salty liquorice on a halfbuilt suspension bridge in the Amazon rainforest.”

No, wait a minute, that’s no way to begin a story. Let’s take it from the beginning and start with the first chapter.

C H A P T E R 1

One clear starry nigt on te cusp of winter, te moon could be seen rising above te rooftops wit an expectant smile. It ad come far and was full of anticipation, for it was now tat te story of te girl and te dog would begin.

D Te girl was called Elise. Se lived wit er dad in Mysundegade, were te sun rarely sone, and so tey made teir own ligt. Tey were up on te roof – were tere was a barbeque, two wicker cairs, an old telescope and a view of te wole city and alf of space – grilling sausages and roasting cestnuts. Elise’s dad was explaining tat no one knew ow old te stars were, and tat Saturn, Mars and Pluto

were just as mysterious as te rest of te universe, and to tis Elise said se wanted a dog. “A dog?” asked er dad. “I tougt we were talking about stars.” Elise ad er mum’s old winter coat on, and tere was a bag of liquorice sweets in er pocket. Her dad reminded er tey only ate tings like tat on Fridays. Elise said te liquorice se ad in er mout was from last Friday. Her dad sook is ead. “Let’s see if you can find Cassiopeia.” Elise pused te telescope away. “You can’t see anyting troug tat old piece of junk, and I’d rater talk about a dog. I’m tinking a girl dog wit a soft belly and nice floppy ears.” Her dad said it would be too difficult to ave a dog on te fourt floor, never mind te fact tat a dog cost a lot of money, and if tere was someting e didn’t ave, it was a lot of money. He also said tat if e did ave a lot of money, e’d spend it on a new telescope.

Elise was well aware tat er dad didn’t earn a lot from playing te violin at weddings and funerals – and sometimes outside Illum department store. “And besides,” said er dad. “I’d prefer we were able to afford a little frivolity.” Elise soved er and in er pocket and pulled out anoter piece of liquorice. “I’m pretty sure I could do witout frivolity if I ad a dog.” Her dad took te sweet bag and said no one bougt a dog witout giving it careful tougt first. “We bougt te red sofa witout giving it careful tougt,” said Elise, “and it’s te best sofa in te world for jumping on.” “A dog’s a living creature,” said er dad, “and it needs care and love, and don’t forget you need to walk a dog, unlike a sofa – wic by te way you souldn’t be jumping on.” “But couldn’t we get a second-and dog?” asked Elise, knowing er dad ad bougt a second-and bike.

Elise’s dad started to gater up te food. “I tink I’ve said all I need to say on te matter, and besides, it’s your bedtime and I want to watc someting important on cannel 6.” Elise said se wouldn’t be able to sleep until er dad ad promised tey would at least go and look at a dog. After all, it didn’t cost anyting to look. Elise and er dad often went into te Magasin department store just to look. Elise’s dad unbuttoned is coat. “Look. I’m wearing my old Liverpool sirt, and I ave two beers in te fridge, one for eac alf. I don’t know anyting about dogs, couldn’t tell a Labrador from an air mattress, and rigt now, I know a young lady wo needs to it te ay.” Elise grabbed er dad and fised te bag of liquorice out of is pocket. “I’ll take care of te dog. I’ll walk it and train it so it doesn’t cew te table or eat your slippers. Maybe we could get one tat as red air like you. Wouldn’t tat be nice?”

“Don’t tink I didn’t see wat you did wit te sweet bag. Give it ere.” “Te dog can stay in my room – you’ll never see it. Dad, I swear on Great-Grandad’s grave.” “Your great-grandad’s alive and well.” “I meant Great-Great-Grandad’s grave.” “Say goodnigt to Cassiopeia.” Elise’s dad opened te door to te kitcen stairs. Elise positioned erself in front of im. “And ello to a dog.” “No, and tat’s final, and wen I say tat’s final, you know I mean it.”

C H A P T E R 2

Potifar’s Pet Salonwas located between a grill and a sop were you could get fake nails. Elise ad often stood outside peering in troug te window of te sop, were you could get your dog’s air cut, its nails trimmed and its teet cleaned. Tere were lots of dog baskets, tins of dog food and small reflective vests for dogs to wear in te dark. You could get everyting you needed in Potifar’s sop, wic also sold dates, spices and ceap watces. Potifar was a large man in a dirty wite undersirt wo always sat in an armcair outside te sop talking to te people walking past. Today was te same. He struggled to is feet and eld out is and to Elise’s dad. “Welcome to my sop. Wat’s your name, friend?” “I’m Anders, Elise’s dad.”

“And I’m Ali Potifar. Migt I interest you in a classic watc from Bulgaria?” Elise prodded Potifar’s arm. “We want to see a dog.” Elise’s dad said is daugter ad cosen er words very carefully: tey adn’t come to buy a dog, just to look at one. Potifar smooted is comb-over. “In my sop, you’ll find all you could ever want, and a pretty girl like you migt be interested in some bracelets I just got from India tat cange colour depending on your mood. Tey’re called te calip’s magical rings.” Potifar ad already put a bracelet on Elise’s wrist. “See, it’s turned red – tat means you’re appy! But if you feel down and upset, te bracelet canges colour to blue. Only nine kroner… two for eigteen.” Elise repeated tat se’d come to see a dog. Potifar took Elise’s and and sowed er around te sop, wic smelled of coffee, dog food and Potifar’s lunc.

“Tis,” e said, “is te animals’ domain. I love animals. Everyting tat walks on four legs is a friend to Potifar. Here we ave a small stuffed cat.” “Wo on eart would stuff a cat?” mumbled Elise’s dad. Potifar’s broter-in-law, apparently. Elise looked around, but couldn’t see any dogs, not even a second-and one. “You don’t ave any dogs, do you?” Potifar iked up is trousers. “My animals need a lot of fres air. I look after and care for tem as if tey were my cildren. In fact, I love tem so muc I’d rater not sell tem, but I’ll make an exception for Elise and Elise’s dad.” Potifar pused a curtain of plastic beads aside and bowed. “Welcome to te animals’ paradise.”

D In is backyard, Potifar ad a wooden sed witout a roof, or rater, te remainder of te roof was still tere, but since it was only a few planks, it was more accurate to say it didn’t ave a roof.

Potifar said te animals liked it better tat way. “Tey sit in te sun and enjoy te fres late-summer air. All my animals ave ruddy ceeks.” Potifar opened te door to te animals’ paradise. “Allow me to give you a free tour – no paying! – starting wit Svetlana, wo’s tree years old and a jewel of er species. Svetlana’s aving a siesta rigt now, but oterwise se’s a lovely little pot-bellied pig wit a positive and welcoming nature. Se’s on offer tis week.” Elise stared at te pig lying farting in te ay. Elise’s dad said it reminded im e needed to pone is financial advisor. “Svetlana,” explained Potifar, “isn’t fussy. Se eats wat’s put in front of er and sometimes a little more – in fact, se ate my braces.” Elise asked im were te dogs were. Potifar moved on to te next cage. “Patience, my friend. Here’s Hannibal, a successful cross between a pure-bred boxer and a prize-winning king poodle.”

Voir