New Releases by Dick King-smith

Dick King-Smith, creator of ''Babe the Sheep-Pig'', presents the cleverest guinea pig in the world! Judy''s classmates snigger when she claims guinea pigs are brainy. But, when her guinea pigs have a baby son, she decides to call him Jenius and train him to prove her point. Soon he can do all kinds of clever tricks, and Judy can''t wait to show him off at school. After all, what could possibly go wrong?

A charming animal story from award-winning writer Dick King-Smith. Poppet is a little African elephant. When he is born, his mother warns him against mice because they run up elephants'' trunks. Poppet spends some time asking various creatures if they are mice and then, to his horror, one of them says ''Yes''. However, Momo the mouse persuades Poppet that he''s been told an old wives'' tale and the two become friends. Poppet''s mother is horrified but is won over in the end by Momo''s eloquence.

Now in paperback! From the award-winning author of Babe: The Gallant Pig comes the story of how the Loch Ness monster finds his home, thanks to the human family that raises him.

Being a duck isn’t all it’s quacked up to be. But don’t try telling that to Frank—he’s a chicken with a dream. 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. And while Frank knows he’s ruffled a few feathers, he doesn’t care—there’s just too much for him to crow about. Until a certain young chick catches his eye, that is. . . .

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? From beloved author Dick King-Smith comes the heartwarming story of a magical golden goose perfect for beginning readers.

FEATHERS FLY when one smart duck decides to teach the farmyard know-it-alls a lesson. Damaris is a duck. Not the ordinary, silly, jumping-inpuddles kind of duck—she''s a very clever duck. So when the farmyard pigs start picking on the other animals, Damaris and her sheepdog best friend hatch a plot to get back at them. Her plan works so well that she soon feels sorry for the sows, especially when they are captured by the sinister Mr. Crook. Now it''s up to Damaris to rescue them. Filled with snooty sows, dotty ducks, and more than a little farmyard excitement, CLEVER DUCK is a charming adventure from the "master of animal stories."* *The Guardian, London Clever Duck is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children''s Book of the Year.

GET READY TO EMBARK ON A TINY ADVENTURE! "You mean you''re going to have a baby?" "Babies." The Robinsons are expecting...trouble, that is. With six newborn mousekins and more to come, the whole family is terrified of the savage cat who stalks the hallways. After a close call, little Beaumont, the pluckiest of the lot, decides it''s time to find a new, feline-free home. On their quest, the Robinsons meet an unlikely cast of characters—mice and humans, friends and foes—but wherever they go, they are sure to find one thing: adventure. With simple prose, gentle humor, and playful illustrations, MOUSE FAMILY ROBINSON is sure to satisfy new readers.

Dinosaurs learn about friendship, teamwork, and prejudice in this hilarious yarn for newly independent readers, from a master of children''s animal stories. Sometimes the most unlikely pairs make the best of friends . . . All pterodactyls know that flying dinosaurs are superior, and all apatosauruses know that any dinosaur with only two legs is surely second-class. Nosy, a pterodactyl, and Banty, an apatosaurus, become great friends even though their parents have forbidden them to play together. With Nosy''s fast flying and Banty''s smarts, the two take on the biggest predator on the Great Plain, and conquer their parents'' prejudices in one great adventure. "The story is a good choice for dinophiles who have moved beyond picture books and are ready for easy chapter books." — School Library Journal

BAD-TEMPERED RUNAWAY CAMEL. Funny, fast, and satisfying--a hilarious yarn from the "master of animal stories."* Tired of his lonely life at the zoo, Hezekiah--an ornery, very hairy Bacrian camel--busts out and heads across country. His adventure leads him to an eccentric (and equally hairy) aristocrat, a new life at a wildlife park, and company in the form of a female camel. Laughs, action, short chapters, and a genuine appreciation of the animal world make this a satisfying choice for newly independent readers. Nick Bruel''s antic black-and-white drawing add to the fun. *The Guardian (London)

When Mrs. Buzzard wants to get rid of the big, ugly dog that creates a lot of trouble, Farmer Buzzard decides on a plan to save this lovable monster from banishment.

Aristotle, a little white kitten, goes to live with a witch in an old cottage, where he finds so many opportunities for risky adventures that he soon has only one life left. Suggested level: junior, primary.

While on summer holidays in 1936, fourteen-year-old Evan meets a mysterious girl who bears a striking resemblance to the Alice of "Alice''s Adventures in Wonderland."

Mary, her cat Lilyleaf, and her guinea pig Mr. Keylock are astounded to discover that Mary''s little brother Billy can fly whenever the moon is full.

A non-fiction picture book about pigs written from a very personal viewpoint, mixing fact with feelings, encouraging children to think, feel and imagine as they learn.

"This accessible chapter book tells the story of Charlie Muffin, a quiet man who works as a taxidermist and mouse breeder. When he tells his friend Merry that it would be impossible to breed a green mouse, she challenges him to try, implying that she''ll marry him if he can do it. Charlie tries, succeeds, and marries Merry. Together they care for the famous green mouse, Adam Muffin, and raise a daughter, Cherry Muffin. . . . This offbeat, gently humorous story flows along happily and promises to carry young readers along with it. Another appealing book from the author of "Babe: The Gallant Pig and many other animal stories." --"Booklist

Archibald Peregrine Edmund Spring-Russell ("Ape," for short) is thrilled to be living alone for the first time in his life. Now he can finally fill his fifteen-bedroom house exactly as he pleases -- with twelve big brown hens! But Ape doesn''t stop there. Soon there are guinea pigs in the dining room, canaries in the music room, and a talking parrot in the kitchen. Lucky for Ape, he has friends like Joe and Jake -- two Gypsies whose caravan is parked nearby -- to lend a helping hand. But when an accident leaves his mansion in ruins, Ape will have to decide what''s truly important... his old house or his new friends.

Roly, poly, pudgy bellies. Little wagging tails. Funny, bumbling puppies are among life''s most wonderful friends. King-Smith, who introduced young readers to the delights of pigs in "All Pigs Are Beautiful, " and to the joys of guinea pigs in "I Love Guinea Pigs" now praises the pleasures of puppies in this new book. Full color.

Magnus was a large mouse, a fearless mouse, a real powermouse. Fattened on patent Porker Pills. he just grows and grows - and so do his problems.

The runt of the piglet litter is nicknamed Saddlebottom by the rest of the farm animals because the white marking of a saddleback has slipped a bit. Since he''s no good for showing, Saddlebottom is destined for the butchers. But he runs away and makes friends with a one-eyed cat called Bendigo.

With the unknowing help of his pet geese, eight-year-old Jack Daw decides to raise an ostrich on his father''s farm.

When seventy-five-year-old Henny Hickathrift runs away from the old people''s home, she meets five children and their parents who welcome her into their family.

Zeta meets Marinus the merman whilst on holiday in Scotland. They make friends and Marinus helps her lose her fear of water. Then, when the time comes for Zeta to leave, he gives her the secret of summoning the merpeople.

Rural life both past and present has never been depicted with such perfectly matched pictures and words.

Depuis des années que Laura espère un petit frère ou une soeur. Voilà que Georges naît. Les adultes le trouvent merveilleux, elle, décevant jusqu''à ce qu''il lui réponde. Georges n''est pas un bébé ordinaire. Il est génial, il parle couramment. De ce fait découle une suite de situations drôles.

A young girl''s life with her father on their farm in England is changed when she befriends a talking hare that is really a shape-changing alien.

When a mysterious bird arrives in Godhanger Wood to protect the frightened animals from the cruel gamekeeper, this Christ-figure deliberately sacrifices himself to save them from death.

When seventy-five-year-old Henny Hickathrift runs away from the old people''s home, she meets five children and their parents who welcome her into their family.