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Babe: The Gallant Pig |
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| Author: |
Dick King-Smith |
 Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
0679873937 |
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| Availability: |
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Book Review
Babe is a sensitive soul, deeply loyal to those who are kind to him. So when he is taken in by Farmer Hogget's sheepdog, Fly, it's only natural that he would want to follow in his foster mum's paw-steps. Even with Babe's considerable handicaps as a sheepdog--namely, that he's a pig--he manages to overcome all with his earnestly polite and soft-spoken ways, proving once again that might doesn't always make right. After saving the sheep from rustlers and wild dogs, Babe convinces Hogget that his idea of becoming a sheep-pig "b'aint so stupid" as it might look. But neither Hogget nor Babe, nor anyone else, could have predicted what follows. As utterly charming as Charlotte's Web, this book is bound to pluck even the tightest heartstrings. Masterful characterization brings every personality to vibrant life, while... |
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The Golden Goose |
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| Author: |
Dick King-Smith |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Hardcover |
| ISBN: |
0375829849 |
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| Availability: |
Usually ships within 24 hours. |
From Booklist
Gr. 2-5. Farmer Skint, the hapless proprietor of Woebegone Farm, can't seem to do anything right. He buys high and sells low, his cows get foul-in-the-foot, and foxes are always consuming his chickens. Then his goose hatches a golden egg and life takes a decided upturn. He wins the lottery, a racetrack bet pays off on 50 to 1 odds, and a friendly neighbor decides to make a film documenting Skint's golden goose. King-Smith's fans will appreciate his signature rural setting, full of genial livestock and good-natured incompetents, and those familiar with his autobiography, Chewing the Cud (2002), may even recognize some of King-Smith in Skint. His novel shares some elements with the Aesop and Grimm stories of the same name, but King-Smith keeps things light, eliminating both the greed and moral lessons. This isn't a... |
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The Water Horse |
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| Author: |
Dick King-Smith |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
0375803521 |
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From Publishers Weekly
"The cozy domestic formula that has worked well for the author in other venues translates smoothly to this setting," said PW of this legend of the Loch Ness monster's origins. Ages 8-10. (June) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 2-5-Set in the 1930s, this story tells of a young Scottish girl, Kirstie, and her brother, Angus, who find a mysterious egg capsule washed up on shore after a storm and take it home. To their delight, this "mermaid's purse" hatches into a lovable sea monster they call Crusoe. It keeps growing and growing, until finally it is too big to live anywhere but in nearby Loch Ness. Children who enjoy animal stories will welcome one about this unusual creature. The characters are believable and, since... |
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Pigs Might Fly |
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| Author: |
Dick King-Smith |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
014034537X |
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From Publishers Weekly
Daring and courageous Daggie may be the runt of the litter, but his newly learned skills help him save the farm after a damaging flood; PW found this "a soaring, heartening fantasy." Ages 8-12. Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Book Description
Daggie Dogfoot, the runt of the litter, is in danger. The pigman, who takes all runts from their pens, is coming for him! But Daggie is a pig of remarkable qualities, and he's not about to let the Pigman get him. Instead, he runs away and decides to learn how to fly. But when he tries leaping off a cliff, he discovers another talent— a talent he'll need to save the entire farm
See all Editorial Reviews
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Emily's Legs |
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| Author: |
Dick King-Smith |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
0340854081 |
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| Availability: |
Ships within 3-4 days. |
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Titus Rules! |
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| Author: |
Dick King-Smith |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
0440420008 |
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From Publishers Weekly
King-Smith (Chewing the Cud) affectionately pokes fun at Britain's Royal Family in this agreeable romp. One of a herd of Pembrokeshire corgis in constant attendance on Queen Elizabeth II, Titus is just a puppy when the tale opens. He quickly makes "quite a name" for himself, however, first by not piddling on the castle carpet ("What a good boy!" says the Queen) and, later, by nabbing a light-fingered footman, sounding the alarm when a fire breaks out and otherwise displaying his cleverness. Although "Madge," as her Consort calls her (short for Majesty), is quick to protest that she doesn't believe in favoritism, it's soon clear who rules the roost. "I may be a queen among my people but you're a king among my dogs," the Queen eventually confides, and a documentary on vandalism inspires her to pull a prank with a... |
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Martin's Mice |
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| Author: |
Dick King-Smith |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
067989098X |
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From Publishers Weekly
Martin is a farm kitten who likes micebut not for dinner. Martin likes mice as pets. He catches a pregnant female, Drusilla, and keeps her in a discarded bathtub. As Martin grows up he learns about friendship, loyalty and responsibility; he is shattered when Drusilla escapes at the first opportunity. But not until he, too, is taken from his outdoor life and imprisoned as a pet in a luxurious apartment does Martin perceive the true meaning of freedom. King-Smith adds another winner to his distinguished body of work. The creatures that inhabit his rural universe, intent on their day-to-day lives (but occasionally aspiring to greatness), are sharply and believably characterized; the story is fast-paced and gripping. Illustrations not seen by PW. Ages 8-11. Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This... |
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Invisible Dog |
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| Author: |
Dick King-Smith |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
0679870415 |
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| Availability: |
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From Publishers Weekly
King-Smith produces another winner with this latest animal yarn starring a lovable little girl with a jumbo-size dream. Rupert, the family dog, has long been in his grave when Janie discovers his collar in the garage. Knowing her parents would never buy another Great Dane (they are too expensive to feed), the determined eight-year-old decides to invent a pet of her own. Enter Henry, the invisible dog who eats invisible food purchased with invisible money . . . . What follows is a captivating conglomeration of propitious events, acts of fate and magical brewings which lead to Henry's metamorphosis into a real live dog. Like its predecessors, including Babe the Gallant Pig , Pretty Polly and Paddy's Pot of Gold , this slim volume is chock-full of warmth, zany imagination and soft-hearted irony. This novel will... |
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Chewing the Cud |
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| Author: |
Dick King-Smith |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Hardcover |
| ISBN: |
0375814590 |
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| Availability: |
Ships within 2-3 days. |
From Publishers Weekly
"I wasn't a particularly good soldier or farmer or salesman or factory worker or teacher, but at last I've found something I can do reasonably well," concludes this warm and witty memoir by the author of Babe: The Gallant Pig and more than 100 other children's books. But how he arrived at his career as author makes for delectable fodder in this humorous and conversational volume, peppered with accomplished pen-and-inks by Horse (Little Rabbit Lost). King-Smith recounts an eventful life that spanned the greater part of the 20th century and is still going strong into the 21st. He traces his meandering career path recalling many comic moments during his years spent farming with his wife, Myrle (he confesses somewhat sheepishly, "For Myrle and me, life at Woodlands Farm was really an extension of our childhood pet... |
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Funny Frank |
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| Author: |
Dick King-Smith |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Hardcover |
| ISBN: |
0375814604 |
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| Availability: |
Ships within 2-3 days. |
From Publishers Weekly
This cheery twist on the ugly duckling story finds a barnyard chick named Frank longing to be a duck. From the moment he's hatched, Frank spends all his time at the edge of the pond. "Chickens can't swim," his worried mother tells him, but he tries anyway with near-disastrous results. Frank is rescued by the farmer's daughter who, with the help of her veterinarian uncle and dressmaker mother, devises a little wet suit for him out of an old hot-water bottle and makes flippers from rubber gloves. Frank quickly becomes not only a speed demon on the pond, out-swimming his web-footed pals, but also a hero when he saves his mother from a fox. Nevertheless full happiness eludes him ("He was after all a chicken at heart"), and when a speckled pullet named Gorgeous catches his eye, he finally learns to embrace life on... |
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Funny Frank |
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| Author: |
Dick King-Smith |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
0440418801 |
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| Availability: |
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From Publishers Weekly
This cheery twist on the ugly duckling story finds a barnyard chick named Frank longing to be a duck. From the moment he's hatched, Frank spends all his time at the edge of the pond. "Chickens can't swim," his worried mother tells him, but he tries anyway with near-disastrous results. Frank is rescued by the farmer's daughter who, with the help of her veterinarian uncle and dressmaker mother, devises a little wet suit for him out of an old hot-water bottle and makes flippers from rubber gloves. Frank quickly becomes not only a speed demon on the pond, out-swimming his web-footed pals, but also a hero when he saves his mother from a fox. Nevertheless full happiness eludes him ("He was after all a chicken at heart"), and when a speckled pullet named Gorgeous catches his eye, he finally learns to embrace life on... |
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Lady Lollipop |
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| Author: |
Dick King-Smith |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
0763621811 |
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| Availability: |
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From Publishers Weekly
King-Smith's sprightly confection dresses up a standard-issue plot with amusing, old-fashioned storytelling. Spoiled, willful and insufferably rude, young Princess Penelope is "a right pain in the neck," as the palace courtiers and servants agree. Her parents, especially her father, seem bent on indulging her every whim, however, and when Penelope insists on a pet pig for her eighth birthday ("I wanna pig, I wanna pig, I wanna pig!"), they reluctantly summon all the pig keepers in the land. To her parents' dismay, the princess chooses "the scruffiest, ugliest pig of the lot." Lollipop may not be comely, but "she's the brightest, cleverest pig you ever did see," as her keeper, Johnny Skinner, assures the royal family, an assertion that quickly proves correct. Before long, the boy and his charge have charmed not... |
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Titus Rules! |
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| Author: |
Dick King-Smith |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Hardcover |
| ISBN: |
0375814612 |
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| Availability: |
Ships within 2-3 days. |
From Publishers Weekly
King-Smith (Chewing the Cud) affectionately pokes fun at Britain's Royal Family in this agreeable romp. One of a herd of Pembrokeshire corgis in constant attendance on Queen Elizabeth II, Titus is just a puppy when the tale opens. He quickly makes "quite a name" for himself, however, first by not piddling on the castle carpet ("What a good boy!" says the Queen) and, later, by nabbing a light-fingered footman, sounding the alarm when a fire breaks out and otherwise displaying his cleverness. Although "Madge," as her Consort calls her (short for Majesty), is quick to protest that she doesn't believe in favoritism, it's soon clear who rules the roost. "I may be a queen among my people but you're a king among my dogs," the Queen eventually confides, and a documentary on vandalism inspires her to pull a prank with a... |
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Mouse Called Wolf |
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| Author: |
Dick King-Smith |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
0375800662 |
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| Availability: |
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From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3. Another King-Smith critter to love. Wolf is such a minuscule mouse that his mother decides to give him a big name. A slightly chewed piece of sheet music yields "Wolfgang Amadeus Mo"?hence W. A. Mouse or Wolf for short. The family mouse hole is just behind the leg of a grand piano played twice a day by an elderly woman. Wolf loves the music and, to the delight of Mrs. Honeybee and the bemusement of his mother, he becomes the first singing mouse. His special talent even enables him to summon help when Mrs. Honeybee falls and can't get up. The three central characters are nicely crafted in this sweet story. Budding young musicians will relate to Wolf's struggles to develop his talent and share it with his not-so-musical mother. Those who haven't discovered their talents will enjoy this... |
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Babe |
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| Author: |
Dick King-Smith |
Book Review
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| Format: |
(Hardcover) - Anniv. Ed. |
| ISBN: |
0375829709 |
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| Availability: |
Ships within 2-3 days. |
Book Review
Babe is a sensitive soul, deeply loyal to those who are kind to him. So when he is taken in by Farmer Hogget's sheepdog, Fly, it's only natural that he would want to follow in his foster mum's paw-steps. Even with Babe's considerable handicaps as a sheepdog--namely, that he's a pig--he manages to overcome all with his earnestly polite and soft-spoken ways, proving once again that might doesn't always make right. After saving the sheep from rustlers and wild dogs, Babe convinces Hogget that his idea of becoming a sheep-pig "b'aint so stupid" as it might look. But neither Hogget nor Babe, nor anyone else, could have predicted what follows. As utterly charming as Charlotte's Web, this book is bound to pluck even the tightest heartstrings. Masterful characterization brings every personality to vibrant life, while... |
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The Catlady |
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| Author: |
Dick King-Smith |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Hardcover |
| ISBN: |
0375829857 |
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| Availability: |
Usually ships within 24 hours. |
From School Library Journal
Grade 2-4–In this beginning chapter book set in 1901, Muriel Ponsonby, aka the Catlady, keeps a large number of felines on her large country estate. The eccentric woman is a firm believer in reincarnation; she examines each new kitten thoughtfully and can determine if it's someone she once knew or just an ordinary cat. As the story opens, her deceased parents are living with her. She is both surprised and pleased to find Queen Victoria among her latest arrivals. The royal guest is allowed to eat first, has a bed of honor, and receives all other special treatments befitting a monarch. Miss Ponsonby secures a village girl to help around the house and develops a strong friendship with Mary. When the elderly woman finally dies, the property is left to the Royal Society for the Protection of Cats, with... |
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School Mouse, Vol. 1 |
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| Author: |
Dick King-Smith |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
0786811560 |
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| Availability: |
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From Publishers Weekly
Of all the mice occupying the schoolhouse, only young Flora is interested in eavesdropping on the lessons taught to human children. Little by little, she begins to make sense out of the black scrawls in books. Realizing the benefits of education (which includes recognizing the word "poison" on a bag of pellets), Flora refuses to leave her place of study when her family decides to migrate to the field. Flora is lonely until a handsome white mouse named Buck enters the scene. But before long her family returns, in need of Flora's teaching. Both eager and reluctant readers will relish Flora's quest to become educated as well as her amusing exchanges with her scruffy, tailless father, Ragged Robin; her no-nonsense mother, Hyacinth; and fastidious, nearsighted Buck, all of whose traits are hilariously embellished in... |
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