The novel is about Conrad, a young boy, who spends each Thursday afternoon with his uncle, Mr. Ringelhuth. One Thursday –it happens to be the 35th of May– they meet Negro Caballo, who is well-versed in German literature, and at the same time, is the best roller skater in the world. Negro Caballo is a black horse that can speak. Together they enter Uncle Ringelhuth's huge wardrobe, which stands in the hallway (cf C. S. Lewis) and end up in a series of fantasy lands, starting with the land of Cockaigne ("free entry — children half price"), followed by a mediaeval castle complete with jousting, an upside-down world in which children send bad parents to reform school, a science fiction nightmare city with mobile phones and moving walkways, and a south sea island. On his return to the real world, Conrad writes a school essay about his experiences. (From
wikipedia)
