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Informationen zum Autor Deanna Kizis; Illustrated by Hannah Peck Klappentext In a park of Regency-era London, Penelope, a little pug, gets separated from her Lady and is found by Lady Diggleton, so Penelope does her best to mind her manners in order to stay with her new Lady. Leseprobe Chapter One It is a truth everyone knows that all dogs need a forever home, and for Penelope the pug, this was no different. Penelope was a stray in Puggleton Park, you see, although it was not always this way. She had a collar, and a name tag, which meant she had an owner. But for the life of her, Penelope could not find the Lady to whom she belonged. If you have ever been to Puggleton Park, then you know it’s a lovely place right in the center of London. There are acres of grass to picnic upon, beds of bluebells to sniff, and a bubbling brook from which to drink. If you stand in just the right spot, you can even catch a glimpse of Buckingham Palace looking ever so much like a tall, frosted wedding cake. Everyone in the city loved to visit Puggleton Park—especially Penelope. A kindly pup just shy of eleven months old, she was fond of gnawing bones, playing fetch, and eating dog biscuits. She was also well known for kissing humans she especially liked, and her manner was gentle, although she was rather untrained. This was not Penelope’s fault, of course, but the fault of her Lady’s—a caring woman who simply could not help spoiling her dog. On the day Penelope got lost, she and her Lady had been having a most splendid time. They played fetch near a grove of old oak trees, picked bluebells from the field, cooled their feet in the bubbling brook, and finally found the perfect spot for a well-deserved picnic. While her dear Lady ate raspberry tarts, which were her favorite, Penelope lay at her feet, chewing the dog biscuit she always got as a special treat. Feeling satisfied, Penelope gazed at two nearby fox terriers who were rolling over one another in a pretend battle that was growing most energetic indeed. “Come play with us!” one of the terriers said during a brief pause in the match. “No, thank you,” Penelope said, rolling over with a yawn. The sun was warming her belly, you see, and it made her drowsy. Besides, I prefer the company of my Lady to any other, Penelope thought, just as her owner reached over to give her a scratch and a pat. There is no reason to move. Suddenly, something caught her eye. Oh, but it was the most dreadful squirrel. I should say now that Penelope did not care for squirrels in general, but this one was more dreadful than most, with his ratty tail, shifty eyes, and huge buckteeth. She watched in dismay as he darted up to her Lady’s picnic basket, plucked up a raspberry tart, and ran. But this simply would not do! So, like any good pug defending her Lady’s property, Penelope barked, “Stop, thief!” and raced after her prey. And what a race it was! Penelope chased Dreadful Squirrel past the playing puppies, through the field of bluebells, and over the bubbling brook. They raced past the old oak trees and dashed across a green meadow, zigzagging this way and that. She almost caught him near Swan Pond, his tail a mere acorn’s length away from her snapping jaws, but at the last moment, Dreadful Squirrel darted up a tree with a taunting “Pleased to make your acquaintance!” And just like that, he—and the raspberry tart—were gone. Oh, but Penelope was furious , for she truly hated to lose. However, she was also wise enough to know when it was time to accept defeat and go back the way she came. She looked to the right and saw nothing but trees. She looked to the left and saw nothing but grass. That was when she realized she was lost. Not a little bit lost, mind you, a lot bit lost.
