The Water Horse book
When 8-year-old Kirstie brings home a strange egg from the Scottish shore, her family never expects it to hatch. But the next day, Kirstie discovers a baby sea monster swimming in the bathtub!
Part horse, part toad, part turtle and part crocodile, he is the oddest-looking creature Kirstie and her family have ever seen. Only her grandfather knows what the beastie really is - a water horse.
This lovable creature is the perfect pet. The only trouble is that he can’t stop growing. He gets bigger. And BIGGER… AND BIGGER. Before long, he’s outgrown nearly every loch in sight.
Will they ever find a home that’s large enough for their water horse?
Meet the author
'The Water Horse' is by Dick King-Smith, who was born and raised in Gloucestershire, England. After 20 years as a farmer, he turned to teaching and then to writing children’s books that delight readers around the world.
The inspiration for writing 'The Water Horse' came to Dick King-Smith as a result of visiting friends who lived near Loch Ness.
'I’d always been fascinated by the concept of a monster somewhere in that enormous loch. That’s really where my thinking about 'The Water Horse' started and the fact that I’m particularly fond of that part of Scotland. For me, there’s something about the misty, very tranquil sense to that place. I think that is an attractive part of it.
If you’re thinking about the sea, well the sea is either calm or rough; lochs one thinks of as tranquil places, with a flat, placid surface that might suddenly be broken by the emergence of a strange-looking head, perhaps. Or a body. Or a tail.'
Dick King-Smith has written many books for children, including 'Mr. Ape', 'Martin’s Mice', and 'The Sheep Pig', which was made into the major film 'Babe'.
Author interview
This interview with Dick King-Smith was recorded by the makers of 'The Water Horse' film.
You may experience difficulties viewing this video as it is externally hosted. To resolve this issue you can also view footage from The Water Horse on the YouTube website directly.
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Related links
The Loch Ness Monster's Song
Scottish poet Edwin Morgan was inspired by the Loch Ness Monster; read and listen to his poem and write one of your own.