Once again Eleanor Estes has written with tenderness and humor a family story in which children will find all the realities of their world, and grownups will catch echoes of years gone by.

Who can resist the Pyes? There is Mrs. Pye, the youngest mother in the town of Cranbury; Mr. Pye, a famous bird man who is often called down to Washington for consultation ("Call in Mr. Pye," is a family by-word); Rachel and Jerry, who see the world through fresh eyes and sometimes react surprisingly; Uncle Bennie, their real uncle though he is only three years old; Gramma and Grampa, and many delightful friends. And there is Ginger, a puppy whom Jerry and Rachel buy with a hard-earned dollar. With the coming of Ginger, a mysterious stranger enters the children's lives, and the only clue they have to his identity is that he wears a mustard yellow hat. Then Ginger disappears on Thanksgiving Day—spirited away, the children feel sure, by the stranger in the yellow hat. After months of fruitless search, a chance gust of wind reveals the villain to Jerry and Rachel, Ginger returns home, and Uncle Bennie is the hero of the day.

A new book by this gifted author-artist is a real event, and the host of young readers who have taken The Moffats, The Middle Moffat and Rufus M. to their hearts will love equally this unforgettable story.

From the dust jacket