The Stranger - Tapa blanda

The night after Claire’s birthday party, a mysterious stranger shows up and takes residence in the garden. This event distresses all of the animals in the neighborhood. The mouse squeaked at the sight of him, the raccoon bumps into the trashcans from fright, the bird’s chirp in fear of the stranger above their nest, and the dachshund investigates noisily throughout the night. The next morning Claire and her brother Brian discover that the stranger is still staying in the maple tree. They managed to dislodge it from the branches and let it fly away to the delight of the animals in the neighborhood. The story “The Stranger” is filled with crazy surprises loaded with wacky involvements and interactions and shows a delightful sense of humor. With lyrical imagery, fantastic sequences, the animals decide to get rid of the unwanted stranger together with an unexpected surprise.

Irmgard Schippmann I was born in Germany. As a child I liked to read,“The Grimm’s Maerchen” very much. They (Grimms Fairy Tales) were my very favorite fairy tales at that time. I have always felt attracted to children and children to me. When I was a child, I was most happy when lots of children were around to play with, and one day, when my friend Gisela became sick I visited telling her stories right out of my head. Gisela felt better then. The other children found that out and they came over to Gisela’s, so I told them all stories, too. This continued for quite some time, even when Gisela was back to her normal activities. I liked to write in my diary when I was a teenager. Later, I loved becoming a registered nurse in the operation room of an ear-nose and throat specialty hospital. I married and had two daughters, one of them married and they have two daughters, ISABELLA and TATIANA. A great joy has filled my life from that moment, I am in Oma heaven (Oma means granny). My grandchildren grew up surrounded with love and tender care, and they soon discovered books. It has always made me smile to see that they like to read and they also love to listen to my stories, always. My storytelling came to life again, when my grandchildren asked me for bedtime stories. They have requested that these stories be written down, and here is one of them...