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The Cuckoo Child
After encountering an ostrich at the local zoo, Jack steals an egg to bring to his farm, but not having planned for any problems, Jack gets a big surprise when it finally hatches. Reprint.
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
About the author
Dick King-Smith
333 books308 followersDick King-Smith was born and raised in Gloucestershire, England, surrounded by pet animals. After twenty years as a farmer, he turned to teaching and then to writing children's books.
Dick writes mostly about animals: farmyard fantasy, as he likes to call it, often about pigs, his special favorites. He enjoys writing for children, meeting the children who read his books, and knowing that they get enjoyment from what he does.
Among his well-loved books is Babe, The Gallant Pig, which was recently made into a major motion picture, and was nominated for an Academy Award.
Dick lived with his wife in a small 17th-century cottage, about three miles from the house where he was born.
Dick writes mostly about animals: farmyard fantasy, as he likes to call it, often about pigs, his special favorites. He enjoys writing for children, meeting the children who read his books, and knowing that they get enjoyment from what he does.
Among his well-loved books is Babe, The Gallant Pig, which was recently made into a major motion picture, and was nominated for an Academy Award.
Dick lived with his wife in a small 17th-century cottage, about three miles from the house where he was born.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 31, 2021
Farm stories are the staple of Dick King-Smith's literature, and The Cuckoo Child explores the setting with fondness and optimism. Every member of the Daw family has a favorite animal on their farm, and young Jack's is birds. Chickens, ducks, turkeys, anything with feathered wings that flap. Birds love him in return; even Lydia and Wilfred, a pair of geese that rule the roost, run eagerly to Jack when he approaches. They're aggressive toward the other Daws, but Jack's tender hands have earned their trust. He would do anything for the birds on the Daw farm, or those not lucky enough to be a member of their barnyard family.
When Jack's school takes a field trip to Wildlife Park, he's astonished by the ostrich exhibit, nine-foot-tall birds that look nothing like farm fowl. Their eggs are strewn about the enclosure, too many for the mothers to incubate; the ranger remarks that the extras will be fed to the snakes. Unborn birds being eaten by reptiles horrifies Jack, so he makes a decision on the spur of the moment: he hides one of the massive eggs in his backpack. At home he gently scoots Lydia the goose off her newest batch of eggs, sneaks the ostrich egg underneath her, and puts Lydia's eggs under other birds. Jack has no idea if a goose can incubate an ostrich egg, but the baby bird has better odds than the snakes would have given it. Nervous and excited, Jack passes his days waiting for an ostrich to emerge.
Lydia and Wilfred can hardly believe their eyes when the creature pops out of her gigantic egg. Oliver, as Jack names him, looks nothing like a goose, but Lydia and Wilfred dismiss this and love him from the first. Wilfred swells with pride at the size of his "gosling" and the speed with which Oliver zips around the barnyard. He's concerned by Oliver's lack of aptitude for swimming, but no matter; the gosling will learn. Jack is elated that his experiment worked, but keeping Oliver secret from the Daws is impossible. When he confesses removing the egg from Wildlife Park without permission, Jack's father insists the ostrich be returned..."sooner or later." But the exotic animal wins the Daws' hearts, even Jack's prickly sister Margery. Who can resist the scrawny bird jetting around cooing, cawing, and roaring (yes, roaring!) to express himself? Lydia and Wilfred ostracize Oliver when their new brood arrives, fearful the giant bird could hurt the baby geese, but eventually he proves he's much more an asset than a liability to his family. Jack learns to ride on Oliver's back at speeds up to forty miles per hour, but he knows someday his friend must go back to Wildlife Park. Oh, how Jack will miss him that day. Might an arrangement be reached for Oliver to live among ostriches without leaving Jack forever?
The Cuckoo Child is one of Dick King-Smith's funnier stories, but shows real feeling. Oliver is downhearted when Lydia and Wilfred ban him from the barn so he won't step on their new brood of geese; why are they treating him like a stranger, or worse, a threat? Oliver is larger than his siblings and looks nothing like them, but he needs to be part of the family as much as they do. He needs to belong. The way Oliver wins Lydia and Wilfred over is satisfying to those who have been excluded based on externalities that shouldn't matter. Similarity of heart is more important than differences in appearance. I like The Cuckoo Child and would consider rating it two and a half stars; it isn't as poignant as Dick King-Smith's best books, but is a fun, comforting read that made me think, and I say that's a pretty good deal.
When Jack's school takes a field trip to Wildlife Park, he's astonished by the ostrich exhibit, nine-foot-tall birds that look nothing like farm fowl. Their eggs are strewn about the enclosure, too many for the mothers to incubate; the ranger remarks that the extras will be fed to the snakes. Unborn birds being eaten by reptiles horrifies Jack, so he makes a decision on the spur of the moment: he hides one of the massive eggs in his backpack. At home he gently scoots Lydia the goose off her newest batch of eggs, sneaks the ostrich egg underneath her, and puts Lydia's eggs under other birds. Jack has no idea if a goose can incubate an ostrich egg, but the baby bird has better odds than the snakes would have given it. Nervous and excited, Jack passes his days waiting for an ostrich to emerge.
Lydia and Wilfred can hardly believe their eyes when the creature pops out of her gigantic egg. Oliver, as Jack names him, looks nothing like a goose, but Lydia and Wilfred dismiss this and love him from the first. Wilfred swells with pride at the size of his "gosling" and the speed with which Oliver zips around the barnyard. He's concerned by Oliver's lack of aptitude for swimming, but no matter; the gosling will learn. Jack is elated that his experiment worked, but keeping Oliver secret from the Daws is impossible. When he confesses removing the egg from Wildlife Park without permission, Jack's father insists the ostrich be returned..."sooner or later." But the exotic animal wins the Daws' hearts, even Jack's prickly sister Margery. Who can resist the scrawny bird jetting around cooing, cawing, and roaring (yes, roaring!) to express himself? Lydia and Wilfred ostracize Oliver when their new brood arrives, fearful the giant bird could hurt the baby geese, but eventually he proves he's much more an asset than a liability to his family. Jack learns to ride on Oliver's back at speeds up to forty miles per hour, but he knows someday his friend must go back to Wildlife Park. Oh, how Jack will miss him that day. Might an arrangement be reached for Oliver to live among ostriches without leaving Jack forever?
The Cuckoo Child is one of Dick King-Smith's funnier stories, but shows real feeling. Oliver is downhearted when Lydia and Wilfred ban him from the barn so he won't step on their new brood of geese; why are they treating him like a stranger, or worse, a threat? Oliver is larger than his siblings and looks nothing like them, but he needs to be part of the family as much as they do. He needs to belong. The way Oliver wins Lydia and Wilfred over is satisfying to those who have been excluded based on externalities that shouldn't matter. Similarity of heart is more important than differences in appearance. I like The Cuckoo Child and would consider rating it two and a half stars; it isn't as poignant as Dick King-Smith's best books, but is a fun, comforting read that made me think, and I say that's a pretty good deal.
May 7, 2022
Absolutely gorgeous book that only someone who had been both a farmer and elementary school teacher could have written. The reading level is somewhere about 7-years-old or up. King-Smith has a knack for writing in plain English, with just enough of a sprinkling of harder, more grown-up words to interest a school child.
King-Smith has packed in an enormous amount of information about domestic birds—mostly geese and ostriches—without ever sounding pedagogical. The eye-rollingly bad dad jokes, mostly care of silly goose Wilfred, should appeal to the over 7’s. I thought they were hilarious. This is also the kind of book I should love to read out loud to 4 or 5-year-olds.
I have the 1994 edition with exquisite illustrations (in, I think, charcoal) by Leslie W Bowman. The book is worth it for these alone.
King-Smith has packed in an enormous amount of information about domestic birds—mostly geese and ostriches—without ever sounding pedagogical. The eye-rollingly bad dad jokes, mostly care of silly goose Wilfred, should appeal to the over 7’s. I thought they were hilarious. This is also the kind of book I should love to read out loud to 4 or 5-year-olds.
I have the 1994 edition with exquisite illustrations (in, I think, charcoal) by Leslie W Bowman. The book is worth it for these alone.
August 10, 2017
Greatbquick read, quite entertaining. Definitely very appropriate for younger readers. i liked that there is a level of fact with the story about bird behaviour and facts about ostriches.
June 30, 2018
Jack Daw loves birds - all shapes, sizes, and breeds. One day his class visits the local zoo, and weighing 345 punds, this tremendous creature immediately captures jack's heart. That's when Jack comes up with a plan. He steals an extra ostrich egg that's about to be fed to a snake, and brings it home to his family's farm. But will this "cuckoo child" hatch? and what will Jack do if it does?
December 29, 2018
‘I shall call you Oliver,’ Said Jack Daw to his egg.
The story is entertaining and cute.
Jack likes bird so much. It all started when he asked his father for a bird and his father said he will give him his own bird when he turns 5 and then each year jack gets more birds. On a trip from school he picks an egg of ostrich from a wild life park and and lets two geese foster it.
The story is entertaining and cute.
Jack likes bird so much. It all started when he asked his father for a bird and his father said he will give him his own bird when he turns 5 and then each year jack gets more birds. On a trip from school he picks an egg of ostrich from a wild life park and and lets two geese foster it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2024
I liked this more than his more famous work, Babe. After reading, I showed the kids a real ostrich egg (one I found on Amazon, of all places) and we watched some videos on baby ostriches from YouTube. Combined with the hands-on, visual learning opportunities, this book really came to life for us in a fun and memorable way. I would definitely read this aloud again in a few years.
December 25, 2019
Adorable. (also I learned some stuff about ostriches, and I'm an adult)
July 24, 2020
I loved this book!! Reading age 5-99 years old.
I love Jack and Oliver, so sweet.
I love Jack and Oliver, so sweet.
July 27, 2024
Cute read aloud with kiddos
June 23, 2024
Bought this cause it has a pretty cover. Nice to read. Not particularly memorable, though I would not criticise it. Pleasant.
June 12, 2007
I like this better than the Sheep Pig. Nicely written and I just loved every part of it.
February 21, 2014
Nevada's sayings nice story. i think that it is amazing how much a boy and a bird can like eachther.
September 24, 2016
Fun little book that has a cool little story of friendship in unlikely places.
April 1, 2016
gr 3-5
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews