Showing results by author "Dick Smith" in All Categories

Aristotle is a bold little cat who is always getting himself into danger. He lives with a good witch called Bella Donna who thinks he'll make a proper witch's cat one day – if he can live long enough. Like all cats, Aristotle has nine lives – and he needs every single one of them.

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.

"Isn’t he e-nor-mous!" says the giant father when his first twin son is born. "There’s a-lot-uv-’im!" notes the giant mother when the second twin boy arrives. And as Normus (a vegetarian) and Lottavim (a carnivore) grow and grow, the two are hugely happy - playing Roll the Boulder, singing badly, and doing everything together: waking up, going to sleep, even sneezing. So when they reach the age of 20 and the height of 12 feet, it's not surprising that they each think the same thought at exactly the same time: "It's about time I found a wife!"

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!

Frank is a funny chick. Unlike all his brothers and sisters, he wants to dabble about in the lovely duck pond, splashing himself with water. Most of all, he wants to learn to swim. Can Jemima, the farmer’s daughter, find a way to help Frank? All he thinks about are webbed feet, waterproof feathers, and the cool water of the pond. So when Frank takes a dip and nearly drowns, his mood turns foul. Luckily, he gets a little human help - in the form of a man-made wet suit and a pair of flippers - and soon he’s the speediest bird in the water.

Peter is a young boy, living on a farm. One day, whilst out doing chores for his father, he comes across a strange white stick floating in the stream. He reaches out and catches it - and finds an exciting new friend in the process. Ninnyhammer is the local village simpleton, but Peter knows there's more to him than that - he's a magician and the white stick is his magic wand. Ninnyhammer is so grateful that he starts to help Peter and his family with their struggling farm. But Peter wants to do something for Ninnyhammer in return.

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.

Captain, Ladybird and Herbert – two Shire horses and a Suffolk Punch – are not pleased when Jenny, a retired seaside donkey, arrives at the Old Horses' Home. It's supposed to be a home for horses, and they don't want to share their field with a common little donkey. Then rustlers are spotted in the area: thieves who like nothing better than to steal horses and ship them abroad – to be made into horse pie! Can Jenny and her friends save the huge heavy horses?

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.

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.

Fitzherbert, the son of a goose and a swan, gets tired of being teased for being a swoose and leaves the farm, ending up in Windsor Castle, where he becomes a favourite of the recently widowed Queen Victoria.

Mary's little brother, Billy, seems perfectly normal, until one moonlit evening Mary finds him floating above his bed. From then on, whenever the full moon rises, Billy the Bird flies up, up and away and home again! In the second story, Jackson is a rabbit with a dream. He spends his days watching the tall sailing ships coming and longs to go to sea, too. So one day Jackson stows away on the Atalanta.

Smasher is always getting into trouble, whether it's chasing chickens, chewing up Mrs. Buzzard's slippers, or breaking all her china. Now she wants to get rid of him. Can Farmer Buzzard find a way to save him? Or is Smasher in the doghouse...for good?

When Mr Gray is caught by a cat, Mrs Gray is left alone with her three babies. She remembered her old granny's words, 'The gravest of all mousely sins – is to produce a set of trins!' Trins is another name for triplets, and this is the story of Mrs Gray's boys, Tom, Dick and Harry.

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?

When Ned helps his grandmother clear out her attic, he finds a very unusual Victorian doll – she speaks! Ned and Lady Daisy soon become fast friends, even though he's teased at school for owning a doll. Ned learns to stand up to his father and the school bully in order to protect Lady Daisy. But then the doll is stolen – will Ned ever find her again?

When Teresa Tamworth gives birth to only one female piglet in her litter, it causes a sensation among the animals at the Rare Breeds Survival Centre. Young Triffic's independent and boisterous ways soon arouse the disapproval of the others.

Henrietta Hickthrift decided to run away from home - the Old People's Home. Packing just one small suitcase, she sets off on the train to the seaside. But Henry doesn't have much money. In fact, by the end of her first day she has exactly one penny. That is when she meets the Goods - Angela, Barney, Eleanor, Rosie and Rowley - who decide to adopt this unusual stray. But will their parents let them keep her?