Showing results by author "Dick Smith" in All Categories

His mother was amazed when she saw the size of her newborn infant and realised that feeding him was going to cause problems. She turned to a box of patent Porker Pills, used for fattening pigs. But the bigger Magnus grew, the more problems he caused.

Abigail would love to have a pet parrot, but they're too expensive. So she decides to teach one of her father's chickens to talk instead. To the amazement of Abigail's family, she succeeds. Soon, they have to stop Polly being quite so chatty.

Best known for his best-selling novel, Babe, which was made into a major motion picture, Dick King-Smith draws on his over 14 years of experience on Woodlands Farm to create this thoughtful and humorous memoir. His time on the farm inspired countless stories as well as the numerous lovable characters found in them. In Chewing the Cud, he candidly talks about what moved him to become a children’s author.

Lubber the dog and Squintum the cat join forces with a racing pigeon and a pretty young Irish setter to search for Lubber's home. All he can remember is that he lives in a cottage below a hillside on which is carved a white horse.

Harmony Parker thought animals much nicer than people, and saw everyone she knew as some non-human species. Her father, for example, was most definitely a bald-headed Sea Lion, her mother a tubby, fussy Pouter Pigeon, and her tiresome older sister a Siamese cat. But Harmony's parents would not allow her to have real pets of any kind – not even a harmless gerbil. Then Uncle Ginger arrived from India and gave Harmony a very special present ...

Puffin presents seven stories, in audio for the first time, from master storyteller Dick King-Smith. This collection includes: Connie and Rolo, Warlock Watson, Bobby the Bad, Dragon Boy, What Sadie Saw, Treasure Trove and Back to Front Benjy. Get ready to go treasure hunting with Ben, cast spells with Sam and take flight with Montagu in this beautifully recorded new collection.

Down in Blackberry Bottom lives Miss Slade, a strange – and rather dirty – old lady. The village children think she's a witch. But Patsy and Jim like her and her six dogs, her donkey and other assorted animals. Miss Slade may not be a witch, but she's not what she seems.

When Brigid sees a tiny carrot moving about in the garden she can't believe her eyes. When the carrot turns out to be a tiny leprechaun, she can't believe her luck. She is the only human who can see him - but where is his pot of gold?

Flora was born on the first day of term in the new school year, which might be why she's a very special mouse indeed – a mouse who has taught herself to read! Flora lives in a classroom, and is determined to learn all sorts of things that no mouse has ever learned before. Her family is horrified at first, but then Flora's reading saves their lives.

At the zoo, Jack steals an ostrich egg that's about to be fed to a snake, brings it home to his family's farm, and persuades a pair of geese to be its foster parents.

Stand and deliver! Young Tod Golightly is off to find fame and fortune as a highwayman, with help from his four unlikely accomplices: Matilda the wise old donkey, Digby the mastiff, Loudmouth the magpie and a strong-smelling ferret called Evil. A daring robbery makes Tod the terror of the Great West Road, but the Bow Street Runners are hot on his trail...A funny, moving story about a boy and his animal friends, from bestselling author Dick King-Smith.

Puffin presents five classic children's stories from master storyteller Dick King-Smith. This collection features tales from the farm yard including Julius Caesar's Goat. Julius Caesar's Goat is the story of how Julius Caesar became the owner of a goat so smelly, the enemy ran away at the merest whiff of him! And then there's Caesar's girlfriend... Queen Cleopatra may be beautiful but she uses Siberian wolf's wee for perfume and rancid donkey milk for bathwater. How can Caesar stand to be near this pungent pair?

Puffin presents a collection of magical stories from master storyteller Dick King-Smith.This collection of exciting stories includes The Magic Carpet Slippers! The other brilliant stories included in this collection are: Uncle Bumpo, Philibert the First and The Ghost at Codlin Castle....

In Dinosaur School Basil Brontosaurus is teased at playschool by all the other little dinosaurs, who call him stupid. His mother tells him he's special because he has two brains—one in his head and one is his back. Basil is so pleased that he starts to throw his weight around at playschool. That is, until he meets a large Tyrannosaurus rex!

Snail on board! Siegfried loves to explore. One day his explorations take him on a big adventure – from his home in the grass, to the airport, on to an aeroplane and all the way to America! There he makes some very important friends, Mr Ambassador and Mr President, finds a new home in a sandwich box – and also meets the lovely Peggy Sue ...Another magical, funny story from the master of animal tales, Dick King-Smith.

Charlie Muffin breeds mice of every imaginable colour – except green, of course. Everyone knows that mice are never green. But his friend Merry Day really wants to see a green mouse and Charlie Muffin really wants to please Merry Day.

It's not easy having a younger brother, William finds. Especially one like Charlie who shows off, asks a million questions, and will say "absolutely" all the time. But when Charlie is in trouble, William is the first to come to the rescue. After all, they are friends and brothers.

From master storyteller Dick King-Smith, this is the hilarious story of a family turned upside-down by an unusually gifted (and demanding) infant. Laura is amazed when her baby brother George starts talking to her when he's only four weeks old, particularly as he sounds like a grown-up! It's a big secret to keep from their parents and the rest of the family and leads to all sorts of comic confusion until George's first birthday - when he makes a speech to his startled family.

Muriel, the Catlady, lives alone with just her feline friends for company. When a new kitten is born, it soon becomes clear it is no ordinary cat. Vicky is a kitten with a very regal character, and strangely enough, was born on the very day that Queen Victoria died.

Look up into the starry sky on the night of the full moon and you'll see...a bird? A plane? No...a little boy! Eight-year-old Mary Bird has discovered a secret: Her four-year-old brother Billy can fly! Floating around his room is bad enough, but when he takes off out an open window, Mary's sure disaster isn't far behind. She may be right!