[1] Madeline falls into the Seine River one day and is saved by a stray dog.

Late that night, Miss Clavel wakes up and finds Genevieve in the light of the doorway.

Even later that night, Madeline and the girls, with Miss Clavel, find that Genevieve has given birth to eleven puppies.

The book was adapted to television in 1991 by Cinar as a half-hour animated special on the Family Channel.

The special starred the voices of Marsha Morceau as Madeline and Christopher Plummer as the narrator, and premiered on June 6.