Dotty the Hamster’s Big Adventure

In a large city there was a pet shop. It was owned by a kind elderly gentleman who loved all his animals very much and took good care of them. He was always delighted when one of them found a new owner.

Various animals lived in his shop. There was a parrot called Rosa, who was more than thirty years old. Rosa was the most famous animal in the whole town, because she could talk. And there were also several fish, parakeets, rabbits, guinea pigs, mice and hamsters. What a sight!

In a small village not far from the city, a little boy called Milo lived with his parents. His father was unwell and couldn’t go to work, so his mother tried to earn enough money for the whole family. Milo’s father often had to rest, and Milo would sit in his room, sad and bored, because he couldn’t leave his father at home alone and run off to play with his friends.

Milo wanted nothing more than a pet, who he would be able to play with when he was at home. He often went to the school library and read all the books he could find about animals. At home, he cut out pictures of hamsters from old newspapers and magazines, and drew plans for cages in his room that he had invented himself. And most of all, he loved to visit pet shops. A hamster was his biggest dream, but his parents thought they already had enough to take care of without a pet as well.

One day, Milo’s aunt Jill came to visit. She lived in the city and always travelled by train, because she didn’t have a car. She was very nice and kind, and she always listened to Milo…