Dog Town

Jacob Bird lives in Riga, the capital of Latvia, with his father. Jacob loves maps like his dad, and is fascinated by the legend which warns that no one must say ‘Riga is ready’ or the river will flood the town, tall ships will sail down the main street, and building the city will have to start all over again.

One day Jacob mutters the fateful words. But all that happens is he is sent to live for the summer with his grumpy cousin Mimi and Uncle Eagle, because his dad is too busy to look after him. But strange things are afoot in the run-down Maskachka district of Riga, where Jacob now has to live. Evil Skyler Scraper’s scheme to transform it into a concrete jungle is being fought tooth and paw by the stray dogs, lead by their fierce commander Boss, his mate Bianca and their twin puppies. Jacob is astonished when Boss starts to talk to him, but hurt when Mimi doesn’t want him to join their fight against Skyler. Then Bianca goes missing and Jacob’s maps may be the only thing that can bring her home and save the talking dogs of Maskachka.

Originally published in Latvian as Maskačkas stāsts (A Tale of the Maskachka District) in 2013, this heart-warming novel tells the story of Jacob Bird, who is fighting to save a run-down but characterful area of his hometown of Riga from developers, with the help of the district’s very own gang of talking dogs.

The book won The Annual Latvian Literature Prize for The Best Children’s Book 2014, and was included in a Latvian Children’s Jury list. Latvian National Radio has created a radio play version, and it is also currently being made into an animation film.