Babe the Gallant Pig (by Dick King-Smith)

Babe is not your ordinary pig: he's mannerly and intelligent--and one talented sheepherder! This delightful tale relates how one remarkable animal, with a little help from his friends, escapes the slaughterhouse to master an unusual skill and earn a secure place in hearts of readers.

 

As animal fantasies go, BABE THE GALLANT PIG has earned the right to be compared favorably with the benchmark pig classic Charlotte's Web. It has all the necessary characteristics: suspense, kid appeal, plenty of emotion, and charismatic animal characters. Babe is the underdog -- er, underpig -- who, through sheer sincerity and genuineness, defies the odds in this heartwarming, farmyard equivalent of a rags-to-riches tale. It's an action-packed, universal story of unlikely friendships and even unlikelier triumphs, of forgiveness, determination, and the power that results from believing in oneself. Even the most disrespectful characters are ultimately reformed by Babe's positive example, providing a subtle yet effective lesson in virtuous behavior that won't be lost on readers of any age.

Part of the book's immense charm comes from the portions of dialogue that reflect rural British speech. In addition to deciphering the richly authentic dialect, some young readers will need assistance defining terms such as daft and cultural references such as dialing 999 when an emergency occurs. But don't let this be a deterrent; the UK influence will only serve to enrich the cultural, behavioral, and language lessons this remarkable book provides.

Author: Dick King-Smith
Illustrator: Mary Rayner
Publication date: January 1, 1985
Number of pages: 118
Paperback price: $4.99