Sunday 3 March 2019

MARCH'S AUTHOR by Sharon Tregenza



DICK KING-SMITH




Dick King Smith was born Ronald Gordon King-Smith in Gloucestershire on the 22nd March 1922. He was the  oldest child of Ronald and Grace. 

He had several professions during his lifetime - a soldier, a farmer, a primary school teacher and of course a best-selling children's author.

He was fifty-six when his first book, The Fox Busters was published by Victor Gollanez.  It was a huge success and after that there was no stopping him. In 1980 Doggie Dogfoot was published quickly followed by The Mouse Butcher and Magnus Powermouse. Over the next twenty years he went on to write over a hundred books.



                                        





        



In 1983, The Sheep-Pig came out. It became his most famous book and was turned into the hugely successful film, Babe.
   





Five fun facts about Dick King-Smith:

 1. Dick was once kicked over by a cow called Midnight.

2. His brother, Tony, had a pet badger called Wilhelmina

3. One of his cats, called Dulcie Maude, had a hundred and four kittens in her lifetime.

4. Dick was brilliant at The Daily Telegraph crossword.

5. He didn't like flying, pineapples, nuts or turnips.



Dick King Smith died on the 4th of January 2011 in Bath.





sharontregenza@gmail.com
www.sharontregenza.com

1 comment:

Lynne Benton said...

Very interesting, Sharon. Another interesting fact: his second wife, Zona, was my daughters' English teacher at our local comprehensive school! (And very nice she was too!)