A bilingual kids story, a funny dog story for kids, Issy and Poppy.

👨‍💼 The Human Narrator

I’m the curious dad with a notebook full of clues and biscuit crumbs 🕵️‍♂️🍪. I write it all down — collecting clues, spotting odd details, and hiding digestives in strategic places. I ask questions, stir up stories, and occasionally get swept into Jasper’s wild theories (some of which turn out to be true).

🐕‍🦺 Issy & Poppy

Issy — a levitating Spanish greyhound, thinks in two languages, floats when she’s deep in thought, and loves a dramatic entrance.

Poppy — the monocled sister, serious about clues and biscuits – can collapse a fib with one raised eyebrow.

👻 Ghost Pet Crew

Ghost pets from my childhood and my children’s come and go — always leaving a trail of biscuit crumbs 🍪:

Glen — a Scottish Sheepdog-Border Collie cross with smoky metaphors.

Russ — his Lancastrian brother, with dry wit.

Jasper — a bonkers rabbit from South London with wild ideas.

Master Whisker-Wan — a Jedi hamster with tiny sabres and cryptic wisdom.

Stanley Whisker-Wan — the scruffier brother, definitely not a Jedi.

Gary — fast, loud, brilliant in tight spaces.

Pecky — London street pigeon poet and crumb courier.

Goldie — a goldfish who sings through bubbles and remembers everything.

Stanley — a tortoise with slow steps and perfect timing.

Chelsea — Spanish tabby, excellent at ignoring everyone.

Spiny Norman — a hedgehog who mixes up his words. “Importanter!”

Kizzy — a northern white cat, an expert rat-catcher and a sun-napper.

🌞 The Courtyard

At Casa Adora, a sunlit Andalusian courtyard hums with the following:

Clattering teacups ☕

And biscuits

Whispering cobblestones

Gentle fountain splash 💦

Olive trees swaying just beyond the walls 🌿

Kizzy the white cat napping in her favourite sunny alcove 😴🐈‍⬛

Mysteries, bilingual thinking, and ghostly antics make the courtyard a playground for clever thinking, silly twists, and occasional biscuit-powered breakthroughs 🍪.

🧑‍🌾 Village Characters

Sometimes villagers join the adventures:

Antonio Kung Fu — owns the village toolstore, and in his spare time keeps up his old passion for martial arts. Trained in Madrid before retiring to the village, he now has a small dojo attached to his house and teaches the local children twice a week.

José Sombre — so big he casts a shadow.

Antonio Chispa — the village's retired electrician and welder, though he still turns his hand to the odd welding job. Keeps an allotment (his "solar") near Casa Adora, home to his two dogs, Chipi and Lika.

Antonio Tuerca — mechanic with petrol smell and mystery.

Amador — olive mill manager.

Paco Papá Noel — retired builder, big beard.

Paco el Jefe — thinks he’s the boss.

José Loco — colourful helper, friendly past.

Pilar & Christina — pharmacy duo, all remedies.

Marta — the general store manager, knows everything.

Esperanza — serves at Alicia’s bar with a wink.

Piqui — baker’s assistant and crumb expert.

José Grande — village maintenance is key to everything.

Paco Sabanicas — “Little Sheets", nickname history lost.

Vicente el Pintao — “The Painted One" — always stands out.

Rafa Cabo — “The Corporal", always saluting.

Pepe Gazpacho — never seen without a cold tomato drink.

Miguel Polonio — "Polonio", slow drawl, sharp wit.

Rosa la Catalana — keeps her Catalan accent alive.

Fernando & Luís Zancarrones — “Spindly-Legs Brothers", tall, thin, always together.

Paco Tripillas — “Little Guts" — loves tripe stew, storyteller.

Village Words / Palabras del Pueblo

• Pueblo blanco — literally "white village," the traditional whitewashed villages found across Andalucía, painted white to reflect the summer heat. / Los tradicionales pueblos de casas encaladas que se encuentran por toda Andalucía, pintados de blanco para reflejar el calor del verano.
• Chispa — "spark," Antonio Chispa's nickname, from his years as the village electrician. / "Spark" en español — el apodo de Antonio Chispa, por sus años como electricista del pueblo.
• Tuerca — "nut" (as in nuts and bolts), Antonio Tuerca's nickname, since he's the village mechanic. / "Nut" (como en tuercas y tornillos) — el apodo de Antonio Tuerca, el mecánico del pueblo.
• Sombra — "shadow," the root of José Sombre's nickname — he's so tall, he casts one wherever he goes. / "Shadow" en español — el origen del apodo de José Sombre, que es tan alto que siempre proyecta una.
• El Jefe — "the boss," Paco el Jefe's nickname (whether or not he actually is one). / "The boss" en español — el apodo de Paco el Jefe (sea cierto o no).
• Loco — "crazy," José Loco's nickname — affectionate, not literal! / "Crazy" en español — el apodo de José Loco, dicho con cariño, no en serio.
• Grande — "big" or "great," part of José Grande's nickname. / "Big" o "great" en español — parte del apodo de José Grande.
• Papá Noel — Spanish for "Father Christmas," the source of Paco Papá Noel's nickname, thanks to his big beard. / "Father Christmas" en español — el origen del apodo de Paco Papá Noel, gracias a su gran barba.
• Gazpacho — a cold Andalusian tomato soup, and the source of Pepe Gazpacho's nickname, since he's never without a glass of it. / Una sopa fría andaluza de tomate, y el origen del apodo de Pepe Gazpacho, ya que nunca está sin un vaso.

What to Expect from This Bilingual Kids Story 🕵️‍♂️

Short stories, cartoon clues, musical bubbles from Goldie 🎶, and recipes that turn into mysteries.

Every dispatch includes Issy, Poppy, and Dad — sometimes a ghost pet, sometimes a villager, always a clue.

Pull up a chair, grab a Digestive (or Custard Cream, Rich Tea, Hobnob, or Garibaldi 🍪), and bring a pocket translator for Issy’s Spanish.

We live at Casa Adora in Monte Lope Álvarez, a pueblo blanco tucked into rural Andalucía. Ghost pets come and go. Biscuit crumbs disappear mysteriously.

This story is part of the Issy & Poppy: Kids Edition collection — bilingual adventures with Issy and Poppy in Andalucía. You can explore the whole collection in the Kids Edition Hub.

Esta historia forma parte de la colección Issy & Poppy: Kids Edition — aventuras bilingües con Issy y Poppy en Andalucía. Descubre toda la colección en el Kids Edition Hub.

Footnote: A bilingual kids story from The Flexible Chef — AI images, my stories.