Dot and Anton

I am thrilled to see some of my childhood favorites (I am originally from Germany) by author Erich Kaestner republished in English in these, judging from the cover art, beautiful editions. The translator has done a wonderful job in maintaining the author's (German) voice. The story itself, filled with a cast of very unique and loveable characters, is a timeless and universal one about friendship, family and belonging with a good dose of humor and suspense. Dot is one of those very special characters who finds a way into the reader's heart on the very first pages as she is the friend we all wish to have or want to be for someone else. Young readers will also appreciate the author's afterthoughts which are interspersed throughout the novel. Originally published in 1931, I can imagine this book to make a great read-aloud and book club title as it lends itself for conversations around how some values and beliefs change over time (for example regarding the role of woman in society in general and their image in literature in particular) while others such as honesty and caring for one another seem timeless. Highly recommended!

I loved this book, Kästner's snarky/knowing narrative sections commenting on the characters in between each chapter really make this an enjoyable read. The setting and plot are historical, but I don't think they are in anyway antiquated, and think this would be a great read for young, YA and adult readers alike.