Mr. Grey, the professor
Verträge sind kein Käfig. Verträge sind der Grund, warum man Fremden vertrauen kann.
Mr. Grey“Contracts aren't a cage. Contracts are the reason you can trust strangers.”
Calm, clear and never condescending
Mr. Grey is the group's anchor of knowledge. He makes complicated things clear without putting himself above anyone, and he stays perfectly calm in the middle of chaos. Rocky gives a big speech; Mr. Grey finishes chewing first, taking his time. Then he says one sentence, and it lands.
His favorite questions: “What exactly do we mean by that word?” · “Are those really the same thing?” · “What do we know for sure?” · “Which exception would matter?” · “Can we use a smaller example?” · “Who carries the risk?”
How he sounds: “Almost. Owner and boss aren't the same thing.” · “That sounds similar, but it's something else.” · “Good question.” · “Then let's check the math.” · “One example isn't enough to make a rule.”
Always: calm, organized, patient, polite, curious, and still eager to learn even though he knows a lot. Never: all-knowing, preachy, nitpicky, the absent-minded professor with a pointer, or the grown-up who hands kids the answer.
How he explains things: one sentence says what it's about, one object makes it visible (a carrot, a basket, a card or a jar), and then he stops so the kids can keep thinking on their own. He says so openly when he doesn't know something, and he apologizes when he was wrong. His weak spot: when a topic grabs him, he can explain for too long, and sometimes he steps in too late because he wants to understand first.
How to spot him: fluffy gray fur with a lighter belly and a light snout, and the small, round, gold wire-rimmed glasses that only he wears.
If you know something, you can say it clearly. But you still have to keep listening.
What Mr. Grey is like in the stories
Mr. Grey has an example from history for everything, from the Romans to the Hanseatic League. He explains taxes, contracts and purchasing power in a way you won't forget. Only when he goes too far back do the others all say at once: No.
His trademark is the round golden glasses he puts on before he says something important. He finishes chewing first, then he speaks. And he's the voice of reason when Rocky is painting yet another sign.
Trademark: the round golden glasses he puts on before he says something important.
Mr. Grey explains things in every volume, most of all in Volume 1 (taxes), Volume 2 (contracts) and Volume 5 (inflation).
And this is what Mr. Grey really looks like
The character in the books is inspired by Mr. Grey. You can read more about the real four, their outdoor enclosure and their winter quarters on Real & in the Books.
What Mr. Grey loves to explain
- Taxes
- Contracts
- Social insurance
- Inflation
Meet Mr. Grey in the books
Every volume can be read on its own, bilingual in German and English, for kids 10 and up.
All volumes All characters