Emil and the Detectives
Read Emil and the Detectives online, or download the EPUB (works on Kindle too) or PDF.
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- First published
- 1929
- Pages
- 113Digital edition
- Language
- English
- Reading difficulty
- 4 of 10
A little about the story
Emil is travelling alone to Berlin with money for his grandmother pinned inside his jacket. When a man in a bowler hat steals it on the train, Emil follows him through the big city, and a whole gang of Berlin children joins the chase.
Erich Kästner's story is one of the most famous children's books ever written, and it invented the kids-as-detectives adventure.
Things You May Not Know About Emil and the Detectives
- A worldwide classic, translated into dozens of languages and filmed many times.
- Illustrated by Walter Trier, whose pictures are as famous as the text.
- Translated by May Massee, a legendary American children's book editor.
Get “Emil and the Detectives”
- EPUB ebook: one file that works on Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Google Play Books and phone reading apps.
- PDF: fixed pages, for printing or reading on a computer.
Reading on Kindle? Send the EPUB to your Kindle with Amazon’s Send to Kindle (app, website or email). Amazon converts it for you.
Part of Freebookia's children's classics collection, added November 2026.
