Dimka, or The Guinea Pig

Dimka and Dinka were twins. Twins who could not stand each other and were always arguing. And sometimes, it’s embarrassing to admit, they even fought.

There was nothing in common between the brother and sister! They liked different games, books, and movies. Dinka only ate healthy food, while Dimka was crazy about sweets. It was because of this that he once had a toothache and his cheeks swelled up, almost ruining the family trip to Stockholm: at the airport, a shortsighted employee mistook the chubby boy for a guinea pig and sent him to the baggage compartment of the airplane!

In the baggage compartment, where the passengers' pets traveled, Dimka met a beautiful white cat named Alain Delon, a talkative parrot, and the last rare tiger in the world, who was in danger. The thing is, a villain - a chef - had secretly infiltrated the airplane; he wanted to steal the tiger, prepare exquisite dishes from it, and sell them to his wealthy clients.

Learning about the villain's plans, Dimka and the other animals decided to stop him at all costs. But they could not do it alone, and they needed Dinka’s help. Although the brother and sister were very different, in a difficult moment, they forgot all their disagreements and joined forces for a truly important and good cause. After all, that’s what brothers and sisters are for - to support each other in decisive moments.

Yulia Spiridonova is one of the most in-demand and widely read contemporary children’s writers in Bulgaria, a laureate of many national awards. She also became the first Bulgarian author nominated for the most prestigious award in the world of children’s literature - the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.

Illustrator: Miglena Papazova
Translator: Maria Shiryayeva