The story begins harmlessly enough: 'Last year we had a very hot summer.' At first, the heat attracts only flies and mosquitoes, and the people in the city react conventionally – with their sprays and swatters. After all, the little nuisances will be gone by winter. A year later, sheep graze among the streetcar tracks: an idyllic picture perhaps, but unsettling. Two tortoises saunter across the street, while the lights change from green to red, and a cow munches away at the flower arrangements in the park. Everything comes to a standstill, and nothing is as it was between humans and animals. Only the children enjoy the pleasures of a slower and more colourful world. What happens when the animals come to the city, to reclaim their old habitats" Michael Krüger"s story, a humorous tale with a serious message, is perfectly matched by Quint Buchholz"s wonderfully enigmatic illustrations.