Harmony Parker thought animals much nicer than people, and saw everyone she knew as some non-human species. Her father, for example, was most definitely a bald-headed Sea Lion, her mother a tubby, fussy Pouter Pigeon, and her tiresome older sister a Siamese cat.

But Harmony’s parents would not allow her to have real pets of any kind - not even a harmless gerbil. Then Uncle Ginger arrived from India and gave Harmony a very special present …