Hogsel and Gruntel and other animal stories - Softcover

King-Smith, Dick

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0439291321 ISBN 13: 9780439291323

Publisher: Scholastic, 2001

Synopsis

Fifteen stories about an assortment of animals, including "Poppet," "The Spelling Bee," "The Great Sloth Race," "Norty Boy," and "The Princess and the Pig."

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Grade 2-4-These 15 disappointing stories feature a dachshund who wishes to be longer, an unpleasant swan, hedgehog and dinosaur children who get their comeuppance, and an octopus with only seven legs, among others. The collection begins with a lengthy story about an elephant who learns that mice are not enemies and ends with a chameleon whose colors change to match his emotions. Children may enjoy King-Smith's takes on popular nursery tales (featuring pigs, of course). Red Riding Pig's grandmother eats the wolf, the princess kisses the pig and becomes one herself, and readers learn that the piggy in the "Owl and the Pussycat" was the contributor of the runcible spoon. Touches of humor add some interest; for example, in the title story, Hogsel and Gruntel leave the witch "to stew in her own juice." Terry's colorful, humorous illustrations brighten the tales. Overall, however, this book is not up to King-Smith's usual quality.
Sally Bates Goodroe, Harris County Public Library, Houston, TX
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist:

Did you ever wonder what happened to Piggy-wig, who sold his nose ring (which prevented him from rooting) to Owl and Pussycat? In this latest collection of 15 fables and fractured tales, King-Smith gleefully ponders such irresistible questions. So overjoyed was the pig to be rid of the ring, he presented newlyweds Owl and Pussycat with a runcible spoon. In another tale about a porker, a princess meets a pig under an evil spell. Since only a kiss from a beautiful princess can break the spell, the princess naturally puckers up--only to get a big surprise. King-Smith has lost none of his cunning in creating such delightful characters as Conrad, the "septopus," whose parents are mortified by their seven-tentacled offspring. The funny illustrations, contributed by Michael Terry, are a good match, displaying a keen sense of humor as they extend the zany stories. This won't sit on the shelf for long. Shelley Townsend-Hudson

About this edition

• Publisher: Scholastic
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0439291321
• ISBN 13: 9780439291323
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 121