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, but it didn’t ring a bell as I was reading. As it’s one of Dick’s very early books, I was only one year old when it came out.

I have to say, the story grabbed me right from the start, and I didn’t put it down until I’d finished.

It is touching, humorous, thrilling and well-rounded. I feel that it exudes the same sort of pastoral charm as Babe’s epic, The Sheep-Pig, and not only is the book, in my opinion, charming, but it’s also a rip-roaring adventure, and has a vast cast of many, many different animals, each with their own personalities.

The story follows a pig called Daggie Dogfoot, who is born the runt of the litter, with strange, misshapen feet. What Daggie does have, however, is a steely determination to survive and to thrive. Amazingly, his funny feet, far from holding him back, allow him to realise his ambition of being the first and best pig swimming expert on the farm!

Daggie goes on all sorts of adventures, helped by a few animal friends, and I won’t spoil what happens for you, in case you decide to read it too.

We, as a family, feel it’s a shame that Daggie Dogfoot isn’t in print at the moment, but you should be able to find copies second-hand, or at your local library, with luck, should you wish to search out the story.

The book is suitable to be read by 8-10 year-olds, or to be read to younger children. It is even suitable for really very big kids, like me, at 40 years old.

Charlie (one of Dick’s grandsons).

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