Achilles and the Twins
London: Dennis Dobson, 1964; New York: Franklin Watts, 1965. Illustrations by Carol Barker. The third of three children's picture books illustrated by Carol Barker (preceded by Achilles the Donkey and Achilles and Diana ). Achilles, discontented and missing his mother, lashes out at his boisterous twins, Miki and Moko. Taking his injunction to "go away" seriously, they stray far from home in search of their grandmother and grow very thirsty; just in time they discover the fantastic estate of the wealthy and fat Madame Zena Putitoff, rescuer of birds and animals. At the suggestion of the twins, she sets her "detective-messenger department" to work on finding Popo the penguin and eventually receives news that Popo has been poisoned by a fruit seller (from whom Achilles had escaped, in the initial Achilles book). Rescuing Popo in her gold-plated Rolls Royce, Madame Putitoff rebukes the fruit seller, and has him arrested and jailed). Popo recovers under her care, leads her to Achilles's mother, and the story ends with a grand reunion of twins, parents, Popo, Madame Putitoff, and the grandmother, celebrated with champagne. Again featuring wonderful illustrations of rich coloring and humor, the story includes the puzzling regret by the twins that "if we hadn't run away it [Popo's poisoning] would never have happened," which would make more sense had there been some explicit connection made between the publicity to find Popo and the fruit seller's attack. This and the first volume both promote the concept of justified rebellion against inhumane treatment, with the animals at Madame Putitoff's estate calling "Up the rebels! Freedom for ever!" However, the first and third books skirt the fruit seller's claim to Achilles, whom he fairly purchased.