A sturdy koala bear, Kelly; an engaging doll, Dot; and a tiny, demure mouse, Esmeralda, who live quietly on top of a chest of drawers in the nursery, wake just at midnight to begin their adventures. They climb into an inviting picture on the wall that shows a charming landscape with a river running through it and a rowboat drawn up on the bank. But the delights of a village fair they visit turn to terror when Esmeralda is caught by a piratical cat -- and only Dot's quick wit and the boldest action on Kelly's part save all three of them from disaster.

Told entirely through lovely watercolor pictures, without words and with the effective use of half-pages to heighten the excitement, this luminous and imaginative story is filled with fresh delights for the many admirers of John S. Goodall's work. Its delicate charm and drama-in-miniature will win for him a host of new friends, young and old.