The Stray [Paperback]

Dick King-Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 10, 1998 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Now in Knopf Paperback, from the author of Babe: The Gallant Pig, comes the touching story of a "stray" old woman's amusing antics and the large, loving family that adopts her.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This cozy, old-fashioned novel from the author of Babe: The Gallant Pig is the literary equivalent of milk and cookies. Henny Hickathrift, age 75, wakes up one morning and decides to run away from home, or, "to be more accurate... from the Home?the old age home where she lived." Spending all her savings on a first-class train ticket and an unwholesome breakfast, she arrives at an English seaside village, where no sooner does she pronounce herself a "stray" than the five Good siblings (who might have wandered in from an E. Nesbit novel) take her under their collective wing. Henny quickly joins their household, becoming a cherished member of the aptly named family. Similar wordplay laces the narrative, which also includes Henny's rescue of another stray (a dog) and a lottery (which Henny wins). While not for kids who insist on action-heavy plots, the book will endear itself to readers in search of low-key but big-hearted diversion. Ages 7-11.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5-The Stray by Dick King-Smith (Crown, 1996) is a delightfully wholesome story about families of pets and children. It's about the relationship between a family and an elderly woman who has run away from a nursing home on a quest for independence and adventure. The healthy family life portrayed is welcome listening material. Jane Whitfield, an English actress with radio and TV experience, gives authentic English speech and dialect to the characters as she relates the story that is set in Saltmouth, England. Used with a class of fourth graders, it inspired research on foreign coins and word origins as well as discussions of generation gaps, family life, and the ethics of lotteries. A fine purchase for group or individual listening.?Katherine A. Galloway, Ladd Elementary School, Waynesboro, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Yearling (March 10, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679891013
• ISBN-13: 978-0679891017
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.4 x 7.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,091,144 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #20 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( K ) > King-Smith, Dick
  • #67 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Social Issues > Runaways

More About the Author

Dick King-Smith was a farmer for twenty years before becoming a writer, and most of his animal stories are based on his farming experiences. He won the Guardian Award with The Sheep-Pig, which became the blockbuster film Babe. Dick lives in Gloucestershire.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Stray By Dick King Smith, April 24, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Stray (Paperback)

My book is called The Stray, It takes place on the beach and at a nursing home and a house that a old lady runs away from the nursing home because she was bored at the nursing home. This book has lots of action. This is sad too because the old lady thought this boy at the beach was drowning and she thought it was a boy that she knew and she went out to the water and picked the boy up and carried him to the beach. The boy was saying let me go and this boys dad said to this old lady let go of my son so the old lady let go of the boy and saw the boy that the old lady was looking for then she had a heart attack. Then she fell over on the beach. Then the boys dad came to the beach and saw the old lady that he lived with on the sand of the beach.
I think everybody that likes to read should like this book because it has lots of action. I think all ages would like this book because it has kids in it that little kids would like and it has hard words in it for older people.
The authors main idea is a old lady running away and living with 4 kids and a mom and a dad. In the morning the kids and the old lady goes to the beach. and at night they go home and sleep.
I would give this book 15 stars if it was a scale from 0-15 and i would also give it two thumbs up.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Stray, April 4, 2006

By 

Riley - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Stray (Paperback)

The Stray by Dick King Smith is a good story. This story mainly takes place at Salt mouth and Seaside. This little old lady named Hennerita, her friends call her Henny, takes a train to a hot and sunny place. She gets really really bored of the same old boring people and the same boring food every day. So she decided to leave and a family of seven people invites Henny into their home to stay.

I think that some parts of the book funny but most of the novel just a normal book. I would recommend this great fictitious novel to anybody who wants to have a good laugh. I think that Henny is a really independent and courageous person, and if you want to know why, read this novel.
By James.s

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Stray, January 23, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Stray (Paperback)

The Stray is about an elderly woman named Henny. On her birthday she desides to move to a worm place and out of her senior citizen home. When she gets there she meets the Good family. Since at the time she only has one pound left. The Goods give her shelter and food for her watching / playing with their five kids. Soon, Henny gets very sick and can't do much. Once she has gotten over her sickness a burgerler comes. Henny gets Mr. Goods attention. The burgerler is the antagonist. Atfer that, Mr. and Mrs. Good go on vacation. Durring their vacation Henny finds a stray dog and names it Sweep. Mr. and Mrs. Good come home. You will have to read the book to know the ending.