Since Dodie Smith's Hundred and One Dalmatians first barked in Britain, their adventures have been published in ten other countries and also made into the brilliant Walt Disney cartoon film, 101 Dalmatians. Now the countless children (and many grown-ups) who loved that story will be happy to know that The Starlight Barking is a new book about those famous dogs and that it is as original, amusing and exciting as the first.

Pongo and Missis are living happily at Hell Hall, with most of their puppies (now fully grown) and many of the other Dalmatians they rescued from the wicked Cruella de Vil. Life is peaceful—until, in summer during the Dog Days, an astonishing new adventure begins.

One morning Pongo finds that his humans, Mr. and Mrs. Dearly—though obviously in perfect health—are unwakeable. And he soon learns that the same thing has happened everywhere. The "mysterious sleeping", of all humans and all creatures except dogs, has begun.

Dogs have to take over. And they look to Pongo for leadership. They also look to his daughter, Cadpig, who has managed to become the Prime Minister's dog and has often appeared on television. From No. 10 Downing Street she rallies Dogdom; then forms a government. Pongo and Missis, leading an army of Dalmatians to London, arrive it time for the first All Dog Cabinet Meeting.

Everywhere dogs bravely prepare for an Emergency—but what Emergency? Something tremendous seems about to happen—but will it be good or evil? Dogs aren't exactly frightened; they are expectant. And they have surprising new powers, including the capacity to "swoosh", which is a sort of individual Hovercrafting. From far and near, summoned by Cadpig, dogs of all breeds and sizes make the Great Swoosh to London. But no dog knows what lies ahead.

Then, in a most unexpected way, instructions come to Downing Street. Dogs are to gather in Trafalgar Square at midnight! And there they wait in their thousands, under the unusually bright stars, until Big Ben strikes the hour. What happens after that is terrifying—and then marvellous. Pongo, Missis and Cadpig, and all other dogs, at last learn the secret of this strangest of Dog Days; and they find themselves faced with a choice to make and a question to answer such as dogs have never known before.

From the dust jacket