Holidays at last! Elli has been looking forward to the planned skiing holiday 
with her parents for so long. All her friends at school are also going away on holiday, in other words nobody at home to play with. But, as Elli might have expected, her parents cancel the whole journey just before departure. Typical! Mum has to attend a congress urgently and unexpectedly, and dad always has a lot to do at the company anyway. His mobile rings everywhere all the time. And as if that weren’t enough, the three of them are also let down by the babysitter. What should Elli do now, if nobody has time for her? A plan is required!
The old and somewhat quirky neighbour, Mrs. Neudeck, steps in. She can tell wonderfully bizarre stories of the past and Elli likes anything that is bizarre. Together with Mrs. Neudeck, the cat Basti and Mrs. Neudeck’s friend Mr. Pospischil, Elli experiences all kinds of exciting adventures, totally forgetting to be sad about the cancelled skiing holiday. Elli now has three new friends, after all, who she can always go to if she ever feels lonely, or her parents are too busy as usual. There is still time to teach Elli’s parents to slow down. Children have to be patient with adults.
… as if time was a cake—as soon as we’ve had a piece, it’s gone.
by Renate Welsh
Obelisk Verlag | hc | 96 pp | b&w illustrations | 2017 | 9+
All rights available
[original title: Zeit ist (k)eine Torte]