Dick King-Smith - The Invisible Dog

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First published by Viking 1995

Published by Puffin Books 1997

Published with new illustrations 2003

This edition published 2017

Text copyright Fox Busters Ltd, 1995

Illustrations copyright Ann Kronheimer, 2003

The moral right of the author and illustrator has been asserted

Cover illustration by Stephanie Laberis

ISBN: 978-0-141-38907-3

All correspondence to:

Puffin Books

Penguin Random House Childrens

80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL

Dick King-Smith served in the Grenadier Guards during the Second World War, and afterwards spent twenty years as a farmer in Gloucestershire, the county of his birth. Many of his stories are inspired by his farming experiences. He wrote a great number of childrens books, including The Sheep-Pig (winner of the Guardian Award and filmed as Babe), Harrys Mad, The Hodgeheg, Martins Mice, The Invisible Dog, The Queens Nose and The Crowstarver. At the British Book Awards in 1991 he was voted Childrens Author of the Year. In 2009 he was made OBE for services to childrens literature. Dick King-Smith died in 2011 at the age of eighty-eight.

Discover more about Dick King-Smith at:

www.dickkingsmith.com

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BLESSU

THE CROWSTARVER

DINOSAUR SCHOOL

DINOSAUR TROUBLE

DUMPLING

FAT LAWRENCE

THE FOX BUSTERS

GEORGE SPEAKS

THE GOLDEN GOOSE

HARRYS MAD

THE HODGEHEG

THE INVISIBLE DOG

THE JENIUS

JUST BINNIE

LADY DAISY

THE MAGIC CARPET SLIPPERS

MAGNUS POWERMOUSE

MARTINS MICE

THE MOUSE FAMILY ROBINSON

POPPET

THE QUEENS NOSE

THE SCHOOLMOUSE

THE SHEEP-PIG

SMASHER

THE SWOOSE

UNDER THE MISHMASH TREES

THE WATER HORSE

Rupert died when Janie was only two, so she didnt really remember anything about him.

She knew what he looked like, of course there were lots of photos of him: on his own, or with Mum or Dad, and one she specially liked of herself as a toddler sitting on the lawn with Rupert standing beside her. She was just sorry shed never known him.

Mum, Janie said one day, how long ago did Rupert die?

Oh, lets see, her mother said. He died when you were two and now youre seven. So five years ago.

And how old was he?

He was eight.

Thats not very old for a dog, is it? Janie said.

Not for most dogs, her mother said, but then Rupert was very big, a giant really. Great Danes dont usually live as long as smaller dogs.

What did he die of?

Kidney failure.