The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me

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The Giraffe the Pelly and Me is a children's book written by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake.

[edit] Synopsis

The story itself is loosely based around Billy, a young boy who has always dreamed of owning a candy shop, especially since there is an abandoned one named The Grubber (an old slang English word for sweet shop) near where he lives. One day, he soon finds that the old building has been renovated and has become the head office for the Ladderless Window-Cleaning Company. Billy then meets its workers, a Giraffe, a Pelican (or "Pelly" as he is called by the others) and a Monkey, whom he then befriends. They all band together when they receive a letter from the Duke of Hampshire asking them to clean the windows of Hampshire House.

When they get there, things go smoothly until the Giraffe and the Monkey spot a burglar while cleaning the windows of the Duchess's bedroom, who attempts to steal the Duchess's diamond jewellery. The Pelican then flies in and catches the burglar in his beak, holding him there while the others panic. Eventually, the police arrive to arrest the burglar, whom the Chief of Police identifies as "The Cobra", one of the world's most dangerous cat burglars.

As a reward for retrieving the Duchess's diamonds, the Duke invites the L.W.C.C. to live on his estate as his personal helper. Billy's dreams come true as since the Giraffe, Pelican and Monkey will no longer be needing the Grubber building; with a little help from the Duke, the Grubber is reopened and ends up being owned by Billy himself.

[edit] Editions

• ISBN 0-224-06493-2 (hardcover, 2003)
• ISBN 0-224-02999-1 (hardcover, 1985)
• ISBN 0-14-131127-4 (paperback, 2004)
• ISBN 0-14-056819-0 (paperback, 2004)
• ISBN 0-14-036527-3 (paperback, 1993)
• ISBN 0-14-050566-0 (paperback, 1987)