THE DOG THAT SMILED

Hans Ludwig Van Beethoven is a small dog for such a big moniker; he lives next door to Lisa and Martin and belongs to the Cooks and one day he disappears to be found down the cellar, paralyzed (a common dachshund disability). The Cooks want to put him to sleep, but Lisa and Martin persuade the veterinarian they can take care of him: Lisa will nurse him and Martin will earn the money to pay for the medicines. This they do although Martin has one occupational disaster and they are rewarded with Hans Ludwig's smile and the gift of his pedigreed papers... Unexceptional, but Harter's tale wags in a friendly fashion which will presumably have the assist of Charles Walker's illustrations, not seen here.