The Puffin Book of Big Dreams!
Published on Wednesday, January 22nd, 2020
We are very excited to announce that Dick King-Smith’s writing will be featured in The Puffin Book of Big Dreams! It is a new collection of stories, poems and illustrations from well-loved and exciting new authors and illustrators to celebrate Puffin Books’ 80th birthday and the power of reading. Along with many other brilliant works, […]
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Inspiration
Published on Wednesday, January 22nd, 2020
When Dick was alive, one of the most common questions that children would ask him was ‘where do you get ideas for your stories?’ Being a lifelong lover of animals, it is no surprise that most of Dick’s books are about them. It must have helped that all of Dick’s family loved animals, so that […]
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Runs In The Family…
Published on Monday, January 6th, 2020
Dick’s love of animals didn’t emerge from nowhere, as his whole family were very fond of them too. Here’s Dick’s grandfather Grampy King-Smith with a somewhat languid pet dog and cat, probably during the 1940s.
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On The Nose Podcast
Published on Wednesday, December 11th, 2019
Some of you may remember Dick’s 1983 book The Queen’s Nose, or more likely, you may have seen the 1990’s BBC TV adaptation of the book, which ran for seven series. Well, lovely chaps Sam and Dan have for some time been running the On The Nose Podcast, which is dedicated to exploring and revisiting […]
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Frampton Cotterell Scarecrow Trail
Published on Friday, November 22nd, 2019
Last month, Frampton Cotterell Parish Council did Dick and the King-Smith family the great honour of theming their fifth annual scarecrow trail around characters from the books of Dick King-Smith. The residents of Frampton Cotterell and nearby Coalpit Heath did an amazing job of creating a great many wonderful scarecrow creations all around the adjoining […]
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Reading Dick’s Books: Book Four
Published on Wednesday, November 20th, 2019
Book Four: Daggie Dogfoot (1980). This book was also titled Pigs Might Fly. We, Dick’s family, have decided to start rereading (or in some cases reading) some of Dick’s books… I have just finished reading this wonderful book. To my shame, perhaps for the first time. I may have been read it as a child, […]
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Buzz King-Smith
Published on Wednesday, October 16th, 2019
King-Smith family dog Buzz has recently had his annual check up and immunisations at the vets. Being weighed was no problem. Having his heart listened to and ears looked in – fine. However, he did look very surprised at the indignity of having his temperature taken! But his finest hour was when the pretty, slim, […]
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Sophie’s Further Adventures
Published on Saturday, August 17th, 2019
Hot off the press, a brand-new edition of Sophie’s Further Adventures, illustrated by the brilliant Hannah Shaw. This handy three-in-one book contains the final three Sophie books, detailing the exciting antics of farmer-to-be Sophie, and is out now. Sophie’s Adventures contains the first three Sophie Books.
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Reading Dick’s Books: Book Three
Published on Thursday, August 8th, 2019
Book Three: The Mouse Butcher (1981). We, Dick’s family (or in this case Dick’s long-term friend, neighbour and accountant Michael), have decided to start rereading (or in some cases reading) some of Dick’s books… I once lived in the same village as Dick and so followed his books closely, and have now, all these years […]
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Small Animals
Published on Thursday, August 1st, 2019
Here’s a picture of Dick holding a baby bunny, and another one of him with a (possibly pregnant) guinea pig. For many years, Dick bred small animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs and mice, and he loved and named each and every one of them. Doing this provided him with lots of inspiration for his […]
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