binxthinx's review
3.0
I wanted to like this book more than I did, but it was strangely dull and many of the stories King-Smith recounted weren't particularly interesting. From bits and pieces, he sounds like he had an interesting life, but these stories poorly represent it.
jessferg's review
3.0
A weird combination of war, romance, and farm stories written in a style appropriate for children but containing quite a bit of subject matter that would not be appropriate for, or would be upsetting to, children.
While there are a few actual biographical details about King-Smith's life as a child, courtship and marriage, and he mentions the name of his kids, but really it's pretty much a detailing of how every animal he ever met died. Plus a few bawdy mating tales and a drunken cocktail party for good measure.
I have to suppose this is a token book for fans of King-Smith's children's books, but I don't see how they would like it.
While there are a few actual biographical details about King-Smith's life as a child, courtship and marriage, and he mentions the name of his kids, but really it's pretty much a detailing of how every animal he ever met died. Plus a few bawdy mating tales and a drunken cocktail party for good measure.
I have to suppose this is a token book for fans of King-Smith's children's books, but I don't see how they would like it.
aimiller's review
4.0
This was a lovely book, just as lovely as the movie except it kept using the word "bitch" in its animal meaning and that uh took me aback every time? But Babe is lovely and amazing and I love having the book and being able to read it after all these years of watching the movie.
ruthisheretoo's review
4.0
I randomly found this book when I was hurriedly looking for a quick, fiction read at the library before a car trip. Well, this isn't fiction but it was a quick read.:-) It's the autobiography of Dick King-Smith who wrote the book that became the movie Babe, as well as many other children's books featuring animals. I kind of feel like I "knew" him before he was famous simply because The Sheep Pig was one of the last books I read by him as a kid...prior to that, however, I read every book by him that our library had. I'm not even much of an animal person but I always enjoyed the books he wrote so it was a treat to read his bio.:-) Interesting and humorous!
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