Puffin Schools has been created by the children’s publisher Puffin to help bring together all the inspiring content we create for schools into one place.
Dick King-Smith was 56 years old when his first book was published, yet he went on to write over 130 books in his lifetime! His stories help children understand the world while being entertaining, and they can be vital to the classroom to help develop literacy skills.
KS1
This collection of stories includes King-Smith's stories for younger readers, including Dinosaur School!
In Dinosaur School, Basil Brontosaurus is teased at playschool by all the other little dinosaurs, who call him stupid. His mother tells him he's special because he has two brains - one in his head and one is his back. Basil is so pleased that he starts to throw his weight around at playschool. That is, until he meets a large Tyrannosaurus rex!
The other stories included in this collection are: Blessu, Dumpling, Henry the Pond Poet, Happy Mouse Day and Under the MishMash Tree.
KS1
This collection of Farm Yard Tales is a perfect introduction to Dick King-Smith's animal stories. This collection features tales from the farm yard including Julius Caesar's Goat, the story of how Julius Caesar became the owner of a goat so smelly, the enemy ran away at the merest whiff of him!
KS2
Max is a hedgehog who lives with his family in a nice little home, but it's on the wrong side of the road from the Park where there's a beautiful lily pond and plenty of juicy slugs, worms and snails!
The busy road is dangerous but Max is determined to make his way across. If humans can do it, why can't hedgehogs? His first attempt ends in a nasty bump on the head and, when Max tries to speak, he realises his words are all mixed up. He is no longer a hedgehog but a hodgeheg!
Still determined to fulfil his mission, Max discovers the best way to cross the road - with the help of the lollipop lady and some careful detective work...
KS2
The Sheep-Pig is one of Dick King-Smith's most famous tales. It shot to further fame when the film adaptation, Babe, was released in 1995.
'Why can't I learn to be a Sheep-Pig?'
When Babe, the little orphaned piglet, is won at a fair by Farmer Hogget, he is adopted by Fly, the kind-hearted sheep-dog. Babe is determined to learn everything he can from Fly. He knows he can't be a sheep-dog. But maybe, just maybe, he might be a sheep-pig.
'An unexpectedly thrilling, funny charmer of a book' - Guardian
KS2
Flightless, helpless and often, more than a little silly, chickens are no match for the cunning, merciless foxes stalking their coop. Or are they?
Thanks to a careless farmer and generations of determined foxes, the chickens on Foxearth Farm have evolved into quick-witted, long-legged, high flying fox dodgers. Then, just a week after a vicious fox ambush in the water trough, three sisters are hatched. And Ransome, Sims and Jefferies are no ordinary chicks: they grow up determined to fight back. They are the legendary Fox Busters . . .
KS2
The Queen’s Nose is a magical story about a girl called Harmony who discovers a very special fifty-pence piece (some grown-ups might remember the TV adaption!). When you rub the Queen’s nose, your wishes come true, but unfortunately, those wishes don’t always work out as planned!
KS2
Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2024, Harriet's Hare tells the story of Harriet, a hare who meets an unusual hare in a corn circle on Longhanger Farm.
'He's a wizard, that's what he is. 'Wiz,' she said.'
Wiz is a Partian, native to the distant planet Pars, and not only can he talk, he can speak any language, change into any shape, and even dance! Harriet and Wiz spend the summer galloping around the Farm together, but as his holiday on Earth comes to an end...will Wiz want to go home?
KS2
Ambrose Follows His Nose is a recently-discovered tale by Dick King-Smith which was then been completed by his great-granddaughter Josie Rogers!
Ambrose may seem like an ordinary rabbit but he has the most extraordinary sense of smell. He lives with his family in a hutch and is visited every day by Biddy, who is desperate to take him home to be her pet - if only her mum and dad would let her. Biddy trains Ambrose to become a tracker rabbit - which comes in very handy when Ambrose's little sister Roly goes missing. But when Biddy's family find themselves in real danger, can Ambrose's sensitive nose save the day?
Puffin Schools has been created by the children’s publisher Puffin to help bring together all the inspiring content we create for schools into one place.
The books on this website will range from those for EYFS through to primary and up to lower secondary school. You can discover our full range of books at puffin.co.uk
Puffin is an imprint of Penguin Random House, the world’s number-one publisher representing a vibrant community of publishing houses marked by unparalleled success. Through our world of stories, Puffin aims to open up the world to every child. Our mission is to inspire children to feel they can be and do anything, and to create readers for life.
Puffin started out as a non-fiction publisher, with its first title appearing in 1940. As the most iconic and well-known children’s book brand in the UK today, we are always on the lookout for innovative ways to tell the world’s favourite stories and for brilliant new debut talent and brands that connect with today’s young readers, from newborn up to twelve years old.
We publish a diverse and wide range of fiction, non-fiction, picture books and children’s classics. Our list includes some of the world’s favourite authors, illustrators and licensed brands, such as Eric Carle, Helen Oxenbury, Nadia Shireen, The Snowman, Doctor Who, Roald Dahl, Tom Fletcher, Jeff Kinney, Rick Riordan, Robin Stevens, and Jacqueline Wilson to name but a few.
Ladybird, Puffin and Penguin are imprints of Penguin Random House UK. Across their extensive list, we believe there is a story for every child, everywhere.
You can find information about books for all ages at penguin.co.uk
All the books featured on this website can be purchased in the usual way: as well as being available on the high street and online, you can find lots of brilliant offers via school-specific suppliers and wholesale retailers.
Whether you’ve got a brilliant idea for a lesson, a photograph of something incredible you’ve done at your school or just have a question, please email [email protected] and a member of the team will get back to you as soon as possible .
The Story-Makers Show was known as Puffin Virtually Live up until March 2019. The content and ambition of the show remains the same: to give every pupil the opportunity to engage with authors and illustrators in their own classroom using the power of the internet.
We’ve re-named Puffin Virtually Live so that it’s easier for new teachers to discover it as part of Puffin Schools and to acknowledge that the show now premieres on show day, rather than being streamed live.
Your account for Puffin Virtually Live has been deactivated as it is no longer a feature of the Puffin Schools website.
If you were registered for the newsletter, you will now receive the Puffin Schools newsletter, which is filled with all the latest information about accompanying resources and upcoming shows.
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You can watch The Story-Makers Show on the Puffin Schools site. However, please be aware that it uses a YouTube player and that you should check your school’s permissions to ensure that YouTube isn’t blocked.