Books with author Smith Dick King

Farmer Skint and his family have fallen on hard times at Woebegone Farm until their goose lays a golden egg. With the birth of Joy the Golden Goose, the fortune of the Skint family begins to change. But what will happen when people find out about their golden-feathered friend? How long can they keep Joy a secret?From beloved author Dick King-Smith comes the heartwarming story of a magical golden goose perfect for beginning readers.

"Harry's parents and friends think he's crazy because he acts out the rich fantasies of his 10-year-old imagination. And when his eccentric American uncle dies and leaves Harry a parrot named Madison (Mad), they're convinced of it. A believable, satisfying animal fantasy, with memorable characterizations and playful humor...a sprightly read-aloud."--Publishers Weekly

Spider Sparrow has always been different from other children. He can't walk like them, he can't talk like them, he can't learn like them. But Spider has a very special gift: He can perfectly imitate the sounds of animals, drawing them to him, soothing them. Spider amazes himself when he uses his gift to hand-feed a fox. He amazes others when he uses it to save a life. And while Spider's world is sometimes difficult, he lives each day with enthusiasm, joy, and courage.With rich, evocative detail, beloved children's book author Dick King-Smith depicts an English farming community before and during World War II and celebrates the mark one special boy makes on its inhabitants.

The Hodgeheg by Dick King-Smith is a much-loved classic! Max, the hedgehogwho becomes a hodgeheg,who becomes a hero!Max's family dreams of reaching the Park. But no one has ever found a safe way of crossing the very busy road. Young Max, who is brighter than the average hedgehog, is determined to solve the problem.'A nicely told, darkly humorous story about how hedgehogs can avoid getting squashed on the road' - Guardian 'A huge favourite' - ObserverDick King-Smith served in the Grenadier Guards during the Second World War, and afterwards spent twenty years as a farmer in Gloucestershire, the country of his birth. Many of his stories are inspired by his farming experiences. He wrote a great number of children's books, including The Sheep-Pig (winner of the Guardian Award and filmed as Babe), Harry's Mad, Noah's Brother, The Queen's Nose, Martin's Mice, Ace, The Cuckoo Child and Harriet's Hare (winner of the Children's Book Award in 1995). In 2009 he was made an OBE for services to children's literature. Dick King-Smith died in 2011 at the age of eighty-eight.

Unlike most kittens, Martin doesn't like eating mice - let alone catching them. When he catches one by mistake he decides to keep it as a pet and soon Drusilla the mouse is established in an old bath tub in the attic. Martin is kept busy getting food, water, bedding - and then Drusilla's babies start to arrive. How can Martin cope with all his mice?From the number one author of animal magic comes this wonderful new edition of Martin's Mice.

A candid and very funny memoir from beloved children’s book author Dick King-Smith.Before he was a children’s book author, Dick King-Smith was a soldier, a farmer, a salesman, a factory worker, and a teacher. But he was always a devoted family man who loved the countryside he lived in and the animals he kept. In this insightful memoir, Dick King-Smith recounts the joys and failures of his life with equal humor and candor. And he remembers a delightful cast of animal characters–from Anna, the dachshund who turned out to be just stubborn, not deaf, to the 600-pound pig Monty, who liked to be scratched on top of his head, to Wilhelmina, a pet badger who was fond of love bites. As readers delight in recognizing the inspiration behind many of Dick King-Smith’s books, they’ll also see how a collection of experiences made a man a writer.