Babe: The Gallant Pig

I remember reading all of Dick King Smith's novels as a child, but Babe sticks out as the one I remember most. I loved the story, and he has a magical way of bringing animals to life.

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LibraryThing member mutu

this is about one pig named babe. it's heart-warming story and i quite like the end of the story.

LibraryThing member shepdog

Ok, let's just get it over with at the beginning of this review: the movie, Babe, is one of my all-time favorites. It's what you call "uplifting", and it is definitely fun. Well, here's news: the book from whence it came is equally wonderful, with lovely illustrations, and the movie stays pretty

close to the book's plotline. The book has all the classic sheepdog themes: sheep rustlers, attack by stray dogs, uncertainty as to whether the hero was the attacker, and triumphant win at the sheepdog trials. After that, it couldn't be more different from any other sheepdog book you've ever read. But everyone knows that because they've all seen the movie. Now it's time to read the book!

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LibraryThing member tgraettinger

Charming is the best word to describe it. Very enjoyable and easy to read. The movie resembles the book pretty well, and even added some interesting facets.

LibraryThing member donnammccoy

Babe parts with his mother and the other pigs; them to slaughter (although he doesn't know that) Babe to a county fair where his weight is guessed by a farmer who takes him home. From them on, the other animals at the far introduce him to the concept that although some people are good, most animals

are being kept for food. "Meat is murder" screams the duck, but Babe goes on to prove that there are those exceptions, or maybe just exceptional situations, when he learns how to herd sheep and fills in at the contest for the injured border collie, thus helping the farmer and making friends with the touchy farm dog.

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LibraryThing member PhantomoftheLibrary

A pig is a prize at a local fair which Farmer Hogget happens to be at. Hogget guesses the pig's weight and that very day receives word that the pig is his.
The Hogget farm has no room for a pig, so Mrs. Hogget intends to serve the pig at Christmas time after fattening him up. However, Babe the Pig

proves to be more than a main course, first by warding off several would-be sheep rustlers from stealing the Hogget sheep, then by becoming a first-rate sheep-dog... er, sheep-pig. Babe is so good that Farmer Hogget enters him into the National Sheepdog Trials, though certainly the odds, the audience and the judges, would be against them.

Personally, I didn't even know about "Babe the Gallant Pig" by King-Smith before a recent school assignment. I certainly never connected the dots after watching the movie, but my wife & I were able to kill an hour of driving time by reading this book on a long road trip, and it was absolutely amazing. The depiction of the animals, such as Fly the Sheep-Dog and Maa the Sheep, with their differences and characteristics was quite captivating. The vocabulary was fairly easy to read - after all, it is a children's book. The pictures depicted the action and the animals looked like realistic animals should.

I look forward to sharing Babe the Gallant Pig with my children one day, and hope they find it just as incredible a book as children did when it was first written.

Awards/Reviews

Winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize in 1984 for The Sheep Pig
(King-Smith was also the 1992 Winner of the British Children's Author of the Year Award)

The movie version of the book, called "Babe", won an Oscar in 1996 for Best Effects, Visual Effects and 14 other prestigious awards, including a Golden Globe (USA) for Best Motion Picture, Comedy/Musical, the London Critics Circle Film Award (UK) for Film of the Year, and the National Society of Film Critics Awards (USA) for Best Film, all in the same year.

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LibraryThing member eekazimer

This story is told from the omniscient point-of-view. Using chapter breaks and clear paragraph breaks, the author changed perspectives from the main character, Babe, to his adopted mother Fly and occasionally Farmer Hogget. I felt close to the pig Babe, and Fly. The vocabulary and the story line

are not oversimplified. The word “b*tch” is used properly and the slaughtering of pigs (and occasionally sheep) is spoken of forthrightly. Pigs are as smart as dogs, so Babe is fairly believable to me. There are so many themes in this story like not stereotyping others, being polite, and being brave that are brought out without being preachy.

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LibraryThing member mdonley

Pig, the runt of the litter was being raised to be a holiday meal. however, Pig had other plans. Adopted by Mama, the sheep dog, Pig learns the ropes and becomes quite a herder himself. Will the farmer see Pig's talent and take him to the competition? That'll do Pig, that'll do!!!

LibraryThing member bereneezypie

I loved, loved, LOVED this book! I got it because I loved the movie when I was younger and the book brought me back! Babe is an intelligent pig and lucky to have such a cool friend. I even read some parts allowed to my super-serious-all-the-time boyfriend and he got a big kick out of it!

LibraryThing member chrisblocker

A fun and heartwarming story that doesn't talk down to kids. The characters really make this book. Mr. and Mrs. Hoggett are classic children's storybook characters. Babe is funny and sensitive and tells the story that needs told.

I watched the movie right after finishing the book. I figured this

would be one that wouldn't need changing; I was surprised at how much was different. Personally, I felt the book captured the relationships and the humor much better. No duck. No cat. No Rex. Just a nice story.

I read this to the kids and they really enjoyed it. And what great reminder to not so easily accept one's limitations.

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LibraryThing member simchaboston

Adorable and very funny. I will have to rewatch the movie (it's been years), but I'm pretty sure it does a good job of capturing the gentle fantasy of this tale. This was a good and, aside from one bit, not at all scary bedtime read.

LibraryThing member engpunk77

Glad it was required: I loved it, and I learned the word "obliged."

LibraryThing member ctpress

A charming little tale about the piglet Babe who becomes the best in understanding the sheep - and thus also a very good “sheep-pig”. I liked Babe as a character - earnest, polite and affectionate - and determined. I knew the story from the movie “Babe” - and the movie captures the feeling

of the novel very well. A good reading by Stephen Thorne.

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LibraryThing member Cheryl_in_CC_NV

I don't recall the movie, but I have a sense of having watched it - enough so my view of the book may be colored. But I think the book was darling, for early chapter readers who can suspend disbelief readily. My library's edition was printed for the 20th anniversary, and is illustrated. I don't

know if other editions have pictures. I liked the illustrations a lot, but I don't know if they're key - I'm just informing you.

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LibraryThing member fingerpost

Sort of a long short story, really. Babe, the Gallant Pig is simple, straightforward, sincere, and sweet.
Farmer Hogget wins a piglet at the town's fair and brings it home. His wife is excited, because a year from now they can have all kinds of delicious pork products from him. But the pig quickly

is adopted by Fly, Hogget's sheep-dog, who teaches Babe a thing or two. But in time, Babe teaches Fly a thing or two as well. The simple message of the book is, "Be kind."
While Fly thinks sheep are stupid and must be forced to her will, Babe treats them with courtesy and kindness, so they WANT to do anything he asks of them. Babe the sheep-pig becomes a better sheep-dog than any dog ever was.
That'll do.

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