After his two earlier careers, farming and teaching, Dick found huge and enduring success and satisfaction later in life as a children’s author. He wrote around 130 books, which have been translated into many languages and have sold over 15 million copies worldwide.

He won many awards, including the 1984 Guardian Children’s Book Award for The Sheep-Pig, Children’s Author of the Year at the 1991 British Book Awards and the Children’s Book Award for Harriet’s Hare in 1995, as well as a number of honorary degrees from different universities. He was appointed OBE in the 2010 New Year’s Honours.

In January 2011, Dick died, aged 88, having been predeceased by Myrle in 2000, and is survived by his second wife, Zona, three children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

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