UK kids' author whose book inspired 'Babe' dies

[January 06, 2011]  LONDON (AP) -- British children's author Dick King-Smith, whose novel "The Sheep-Pig" inspired the hit Hollywood movie "Babe," has died at the age of 88.

His publisher, Random House Children's Books, says the writer died in his sleep early Tuesday morning at his home near Bath, about 100 miles west of London, after suffering from poor health in recent years.

King-Smith was honored by Queen Elizabeth II when he received an OBE last year for his services to children's literature.

The writer worked for 20 years as a farmer before he trained as a primary school teacher. In his 50s, he began to write his first story, "The Fox Busters," about chickens taking their revenge on foxes.

He had since published over 100 books, selling more than 15 million copies worldwide.

[Associated Press]

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