Babe: The Gallant Pig

I have very fond memories of listening to my mother and a first-grade teacher read this book to me as a child. I thought it was hilarious! I highly recommend it as an introduction to chapter books for younger children. I saw another review complaining about the author using the breeder's term for a female dog, which I was surprised to realize is used fairly frequently. Obviously, in this context, it is not a "bad" word, but I remember my mother editing it out while reading aloud as I was so young and then explaining the difference between the uses when I was old enough to read the book by myself.I have already added it to my daughter's bookshelf for when she is a little older and has the patience to listen to a couple of short chapters before bedtime.

This is such a fun book to read aloud with children. My first grader who love animals could also read it with a little help. The pictures are darling and the message brings so much joy. Don’t forget to read his other book, The Water Horse which is also a keeper!

I bought this book to read to my 1st grade class. We read a book & then watch the same movie. It's so hard to find good books with G rated movies that accompany them but this is one.My only issue, and it's not really one, is that the book refers to the female dog in a way that I didn't dare say to my kiddos. If they were a little older, I wouldn't mind at all. But honestly, that's a part of the charm of this book.Highly recommend this book for any age. My students actually cheered at the end which was the sweetest.

This just took a great read aloud to the next level. It’s simple but thought provoking for young readers. Just what I was looking for. My second grader approves.

I'm only giving this book a 4 start because the b**** is used many times in the beginning as a name for the female dog. This usage of the term goes on until chapter 4 and then once more in the last chapter. I did not know this and never remembered this detail when I read it as a child in school. When my small group of 4th graders started reading it I had to stop them and write a letter home to give permission to read the book. I then blacked out all the b**** words.

I always liked the movie, never have read the book. Was thinking to add it to her collection and then see the movie when she was done. But I started reading it to myself first. Was not engaged by page 3-5. To complicated for a good (second/third grade reader). Old school words, and by page 9 the word bitch (truly giving the meaning of a female dog), and stupid twice. Maybe it would have been good in the past, but todays society it’s not adequate for children.

This was one of my favorite stories when I was a kid, and I was thrilled to find a copy with the original illustrations (they're so beautifully done and really add to the story) that I remember in my own original copy. My 3-year old LOVES the story, which needed almost no parental editing for age. It's not really meant for 3-year olds, but she's got a long attention span and gobbles up books. She likes chapters to be read over and over again once we get all the way through the story, and King-Smith's writing holds up to repetition - I never got tired of reading it. It's a gentle, inspiring, love-filled story with some great heroism and excellent demonstrations of why good manners are important and how powerful they can be compared to rudeness - an added bonus! Older kids could certainly read on their own, but it's a fabulous read-aloud book that parents and kids will enjoy.

What a charming book. It's a story about kindness, perseverance, and love. It is also full of humor. It has a message, but is neither mawkish nor preachy. Since it is about a pig, there are inevitable comparisons to E.B. White's Charlotte's Web, but Babe stands on its own as another lovely story about overcoming adversity.Just a quick comment about The "b" word. The book uses the word "bitch" several times in describing a border collie on a working sheep farm. The library copy I read before my purchase had the word crossed out in ink by a Mrs. Grundy trying to "protect" our children. Another reviewer who gave the book 5 stars nonetheless felt obliged to point out its inclusion. Out of curiosity I did a word search for American Kennel Club and bitch and found 948,000 references relating to breeding, care, application forms and the like. Grow up folks! Oh, yes, and buy the book. You'll love it.