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Harrys Mad
Harry isn't very pleased when he inherits a parrot from Great-Uncle George, but Maddison is no ordinary parrot. Not only can he talk, but you can have conversations with him and he and Harry quickly become great friends - but then Maddison is stolen ... Will he and Harry ever be reunited?
128 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
14 people are currently reading
395 people want to read
About the author
Dick King-Smith
328 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 - 30 of 70 reviews
January 18, 2012
Harry is a highly adventurous boy who likes to use his imagination daily. One fine morning, Harry receives an interesting letter, telling him that he has inherited something from his great Uncle George, who lived in far away in America. Harry’s imagination begins to run wild and he is convinced he has inherited an absurd amount of money. Imagine Harry’s disappointment when he learns that he has inherited an African grey parrot instead! The parrot answers to the name Madison (Mad for short), and we soon learn that this bird is no ordinary bird. You see, Harry’s great uncle was a professor of linguistics and Mad learned a lot from George. Not only can Mad talk, but he can actually have full conversations with you. Mad is highly intelligent and possibly more intelligent than most humans! Like most of Dick King-Smith's books, Harry’s Mad has a memorable character and playful humour.
As the story progresses, Mad makes Harry aware of the important fact; if anyone was to find out that he was different from the ‘average parrot’, they would have every newspaper man, television interviewer, scientist and showman to their door. Harry must inform his parents about Mad’s talent but they decide to have some fun first, playing funny tricks on them. After the two have had their fun, they tell Harry’s parents. Whenever friends and family call over, Mad performs like a normal parrot, repeating words like ‘hello’ and ‘pretty Polly’. It is vital that the family act as normal as possible when others are around……
This fabulous story is suitable for those who enjoy the use of slight exaggeration and imagination. Mad becomes an instant family member and Harry and Mad become the best of buddies, becoming inseparable. They have great fun chatting constant and playing games like chess and monopoly. It’s fantastic how Madison turns out to be a great help to Harry, especially while doing his homework! The relationship between Mad and every member of the family grows stronger and stronger every day. Life couldn’t be better for the Holdsworth family. That is, until one fine day when a burglar breaks in their house looking for valuables but he ends up stuffing Mad into his bag to shut him up. Will the Holdsworth’s ever see Mad again? Is mad intelligent enough to find his way back to the family? Read the book and see for yourselves!!
This is a heart-warming, humorous book about owner - pet relationships. This book would appeal to children who enjoy animal fantasy. This book would be suitable for children aged 7 to 12 years old. Younger children would also enjoy it, as a sprightly read aloud. This book is just over 100 pages long and it contains short paragraphs, maybe ideal for a bed time story. Children could discuss different aspects of this book in great detail for e.g. in PSHE it would be suitable to discuss relationships. Perhaps, in Literacy, this book would be fun to use in alternative story endings. I’m sure the children would have some creative ideas for an exciting, alternative ending.
As the story progresses, Mad makes Harry aware of the important fact; if anyone was to find out that he was different from the ‘average parrot’, they would have every newspaper man, television interviewer, scientist and showman to their door. Harry must inform his parents about Mad’s talent but they decide to have some fun first, playing funny tricks on them. After the two have had their fun, they tell Harry’s parents. Whenever friends and family call over, Mad performs like a normal parrot, repeating words like ‘hello’ and ‘pretty Polly’. It is vital that the family act as normal as possible when others are around……
This fabulous story is suitable for those who enjoy the use of slight exaggeration and imagination. Mad becomes an instant family member and Harry and Mad become the best of buddies, becoming inseparable. They have great fun chatting constant and playing games like chess and monopoly. It’s fantastic how Madison turns out to be a great help to Harry, especially while doing his homework! The relationship between Mad and every member of the family grows stronger and stronger every day. Life couldn’t be better for the Holdsworth family. That is, until one fine day when a burglar breaks in their house looking for valuables but he ends up stuffing Mad into his bag to shut him up. Will the Holdsworth’s ever see Mad again? Is mad intelligent enough to find his way back to the family? Read the book and see for yourselves!!
This is a heart-warming, humorous book about owner - pet relationships. This book would appeal to children who enjoy animal fantasy. This book would be suitable for children aged 7 to 12 years old. Younger children would also enjoy it, as a sprightly read aloud. This book is just over 100 pages long and it contains short paragraphs, maybe ideal for a bed time story. Children could discuss different aspects of this book in great detail for e.g. in PSHE it would be suitable to discuss relationships. Perhaps, in Literacy, this book would be fun to use in alternative story endings. I’m sure the children would have some creative ideas for an exciting, alternative ending.
January 3, 2018
What a surprisingly delightful little romp!
I only read it because it’s on the BOB list for this year but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Harry is a bit miffed to inherit a parrot from a great-uncle he’s never met, but Madison, the parrot, turns out to be a fun surprise. Madison is a brilliant bird that can help with homework, do crosswords, and share delicious recipes. Things are going peachy until the unthinkable happens and Madison is stolen.
The book is a short, quick read full of that delightfully droll British humor. The ending was my absolute favorite. I laughed out loud at that. I’m going to try and convince my fifth graders to read this one but I think adults will appreciate the humor more.
I only read it because it’s on the BOB list for this year but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Harry is a bit miffed to inherit a parrot from a great-uncle he’s never met, but Madison, the parrot, turns out to be a fun surprise. Madison is a brilliant bird that can help with homework, do crosswords, and share delicious recipes. Things are going peachy until the unthinkable happens and Madison is stolen.
The book is a short, quick read full of that delightfully droll British humor. The ending was my absolute favorite. I laughed out loud at that. I’m going to try and convince my fifth graders to read this one but I think adults will appreciate the humor more.
May 18, 2021
I would like to say I read this book to the kids but I can't - it was on the pile so it had to be read!! It was a fun story and I'm sure most kids between 5- 10 would appreciate it. Mad is the cleverest parrot you could ever come across and I can see how it would be a great subject for the tv series it became.
September 6, 2020
What a cute, fun read for the pre-teen to teen group, but I must say it was totally enjoyable to me as an adult.
February 5, 2018
Delightful.
A quick treat.
A lost treasure.
This book needs more attention in the world of children's fiction. I am inspired to read more Dick King-Smith books and see were those adventures take me. I checked this book out to read aloud to my kids but got stuck reading a warrior cat book instead (much to my dismay). I couldn't wait and I read this to my self and I'm excited to read it again to my kids. I hope they enjoy it as much as I did.
A quick treat.
A lost treasure.
This book needs more attention in the world of children's fiction. I am inspired to read more Dick King-Smith books and see were those adventures take me. I checked this book out to read aloud to my kids but got stuck reading a warrior cat book instead (much to my dismay). I couldn't wait and I read this to my self and I'm excited to read it again to my kids. I hope they enjoy it as much as I did.
December 30, 2014
Not at all what I expected, but it turned out to be a quick, fun read. Clever! Now I can say I've read all 20 of the Battle of the Books books for my grade level this year. I started in May! Only took me 8 months...so I'm a little suspicious of the kid who told me he read all 20 in two weeks...;)
August 9, 2018
Oh I do love King-Smith's animal fantasies. They usually don't teach a whole lot, or have a meaningful theme to discuss, but they're just so fun! Read too many of them though and you're going to think there's a burglar in every neighborhood....
November 12, 2017
J'ai bien aimé ce livre car c'est un livre de fantaisie avec un perroquet qui peut parler mais n'ose pas au début de l'histoire... Un jour, il arrive un malheur au perroquet qui se père. Vas t-il s'en sortir?
July 31, 2011
Probably my favorite King-Smith novel.
April 25, 2019
It was a fun read. Madison, the parrot, is a real character and I think children would enjoy him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2025
I read this for the first time AGES ago ... I was a book loving teen, and my mom was volunteering at the elementary school as "The Library Lady" for my younger brother. She'd go in, read a bit from a book to hopefully get the kids interested and excited enough to finish it themselves. She would get a huge stack of books and have me read them all, and tell her which were my favorites.
This one was a favorite. Years later as I was married and in my own home, I found the book at a library sale. During my #middlegradeMay2025 I figured I should give it a re-read. While it is an older book, I was surprised it wasn't at any of my libraries, not in any format. Looking online, there isn't a Kindle or ebook edition at all. There is audio, but I can't justify spending a credit for a kid's book that's just over two hours. It was only $5 cash price ... but I happened to check Spotify (we get 15 hours of audiobook with the monthly plan) and it was there. So, I listened.
The audio was great, very animated with fun voices ... one being Madison, the parrot. It takes place in England, so British accents. 3rd person/past tense. 15 chapters. Even though it's been 30+ years since I read this, I had a vague memory of events. It lived up to my memory. Very cute and imaginative book. One I'd recommend. The paperback is available to buy new. There are some cute illustrations in the print copy.
This one was a favorite. Years later as I was married and in my own home, I found the book at a library sale. During my #middlegradeMay2025 I figured I should give it a re-read. While it is an older book, I was surprised it wasn't at any of my libraries, not in any format. Looking online, there isn't a Kindle or ebook edition at all. There is audio, but I can't justify spending a credit for a kid's book that's just over two hours. It was only $5 cash price ... but I happened to check Spotify (we get 15 hours of audiobook with the monthly plan) and it was there. So, I listened.
The audio was great, very animated with fun voices ... one being Madison, the parrot. It takes place in England, so British accents. 3rd person/past tense. 15 chapters. Even though it's been 30+ years since I read this, I had a vague memory of events. It lived up to my memory. Very cute and imaginative book. One I'd recommend. The paperback is available to buy new. There are some cute illustrations in the print copy.
November 2, 2021
Harry Holdsworth’s family received a letter from their Great-Uncle George, in the U.S., telling them that Harry is to receive an inheritance. Imaginations run wild, while waiting for it to arrive.
When it arrives, it introduces itself in perfect English. It’s name is Madison and it is an African Grey Parrot. It seems Great-Uncle George has taught Mad (short for Madison) well. Mad is an excellent mimic, and can actually think and hold conversations!
The family realizes that they can’t let anyone outside of the family know about Mad’s talents. Also that Mad is quite an addition to the family in many ways.
When a burglar breaks in and steals Mad one day, the family is afraid they’ve lost an important family member. Will they ever get Mad back?
It’s an enjoyable read with great characters. King-Smith draws the reader in and makes the story line believable, even if it is a bit outlandish. This is a characteristic of King-Smith’s writing, and I have read a number of his books and enjoyed them all.
When it arrives, it introduces itself in perfect English. It’s name is Madison and it is an African Grey Parrot. It seems Great-Uncle George has taught Mad (short for Madison) well. Mad is an excellent mimic, and can actually think and hold conversations!
The family realizes that they can’t let anyone outside of the family know about Mad’s talents. Also that Mad is quite an addition to the family in many ways.
When a burglar breaks in and steals Mad one day, the family is afraid they’ve lost an important family member. Will they ever get Mad back?
It’s an enjoyable read with great characters. King-Smith draws the reader in and makes the story line believable, even if it is a bit outlandish. This is a characteristic of King-Smith’s writing, and I have read a number of his books and enjoyed them all.
March 22, 2022
Ten-year-old Harry, who lives in London, receives a letter from America informing him that his great-uncle has left him something in his will. It turns out to be…a parrot named Madison. But Madison is no ordinary parrot!
I giggled all the way through this book. If you like puns and wordplay and the British sense of humor generally, you will enjoy this book too, regardless of your age. The collision of cultures between the English family and the American parrot is a lot of fun, too. I think it would be really fun as a read-aloud, if the reader is willing to tackle multiple accents, including the parrot’s imitations of Humphrey Bogart! It’s a shame that this one isn’t on Audible.
Recommended for ages 8 and up, although there are a few difficult words that young ones might need help with (especially when Madison is helping Harry’s dad with his crossword).
I giggled all the way through this book. If you like puns and wordplay and the British sense of humor generally, you will enjoy this book too, regardless of your age. The collision of cultures between the English family and the American parrot is a lot of fun, too. I think it would be really fun as a read-aloud, if the reader is willing to tackle multiple accents, including the parrot’s imitations of Humphrey Bogart! It’s a shame that this one isn’t on Audible.
Recommended for ages 8 and up, although there are a few difficult words that young ones might need help with (especially when Madison is helping Harry’s dad with his crossword).
February 15, 2023
I loved this book as a kid and recently unearthed my mildewed, yellowed copy from my parents' garage. So i figured I'd read it one last time before consigning it to the bin.
It was as fun as i remembered, with quite sophisticated language given its intended audience was fairly young, including a rather clever cryptic crossword clue (and answer).
As a child, i wanted a parrot. My parents never obliged to that but we did get into breeding smaller parakeets and other birds. This book, amongst others, was both encouraging of my love of birds and also inspired me to write my own books later in life.
Dick King-Smith is largely forgotten now, alas, but he was very prolific in his day, and i am sure captured the hearts and imaginations of many of my generation.
It was as fun as i remembered, with quite sophisticated language given its intended audience was fairly young, including a rather clever cryptic crossword clue (and answer).
As a child, i wanted a parrot. My parents never obliged to that but we did get into breeding smaller parakeets and other birds. This book, amongst others, was both encouraging of my love of birds and also inspired me to write my own books later in life.
Dick King-Smith is largely forgotten now, alas, but he was very prolific in his day, and i am sure captured the hearts and imaginations of many of my generation.
November 22, 2022
I read a couple of books by this author over the weekend. I didn't enjoy either of them. I wouldn't do a review I can't justify and I started this with a little trepidation too. Turns out I enjoyed this a lot more Ethan the previous books of King-Smith I have read.
It is a simple enough concept. Boy inherits parrot. Anything else I typed would be a spoiler.
Although I enjoyed this more there were parts and ideas that I feel could have been omitted to make the story flow better. There was also an unnecessarily cruel element to the text near the end which didn't fit in with the theme.
I feel this could be enjoyed by a modern audience of various ages.
It is a simple enough concept. Boy inherits parrot. Anything else I typed would be a spoiler.
Although I enjoyed this more there were parts and ideas that I feel could have been omitted to make the story flow better. There was also an unnecessarily cruel element to the text near the end which didn't fit in with the theme.
I feel this could be enjoyed by a modern audience of various ages.
June 15, 2017
Harry Holdsworth, a young boy living in Great Britain, inherits an African Grey parrot, Mad(ison), from his great uncle from America. Mad quickly becomes part of the family with his extraordinary talking skills. One day, the Holdsworth discover that Mad has been kidnapped. Mad and Harry work together to bring Mad home. I thought this book was very funny and I would recommend it to 3rd-4th graders who like funny books. (Sophie, Age 9)
June 19, 2025
The was a fun book! (Written by the author of Babe).
Content notes:
A parrot mimics a mobster because he watched movies with his old owner.
There is a burglar (not necessarily scary).
Brief reference to a drunk man.
I listened to the audiobook in the car, so I may have missed a few things.
Content notes:
A parrot mimics a mobster because he watched movies with his old owner.
There is a burglar (not necessarily scary).
Brief reference to a drunk man.
I listened to the audiobook in the car, so I may have missed a few things.
Read
January 12, 2021This is a superb book and I would also like to read this book but I don't know how to open the book and read whenever I press the option read It doesn't open and I can't read so pls tell me some advice how to do so.
Yours sincerely
Zahabiyah Ajmerwala
Yours sincerely
Zahabiyah Ajmerwala
March 21, 2025
I remember really enjoying this book as a kid. We were in a bit of a slump as far as family read-alouds, but this was just what we needed–quick, fun, and my kids always love an animal (especially a talking one).
September 22, 2017
Đọc quyển truyện cười không nhặt được mồm. Đôi khi đổi gu đọc mấy chuyện như này, ý nghĩa, mà hưng phấn tinh thần :D
December 16, 2017
I put off reading this one from our list, but ended up liking it.
February 16, 2018
Good for the younger ones. Talking parrot and the adventures.
April 23, 2018
Chuyện dễ thương, đáng yêu.
Có lẽ inspire mình nên nuôi con vật, để nuôi dưỡng tâm hồn, tình yêu thương...
Có lẽ inspire mình nên nuôi con vật, để nuôi dưỡng tâm hồn, tình yêu thương...
June 1, 2020
Very cute children's story about a boy and his friendship with an African gray parrot.
December 13, 2020
The best.
June 1, 2021
Même veine que Roald Dahl. Histoire sympathique et farfelue
August 11, 2021
I loved this as a kid but on a re-read the plot doesn't feature as much of Harry as I would like. Mad(ison) is a fun character and the stuff about Freddy is good... but it's not one of D K-S's best.
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November 23, 2021entertaining to the core
September 15, 2022
Very amusing story about a super-intelligent parrot. The children found it funny and delightful.
October 27, 2023
Ce récit nous plonge dans un univers assez enfantin auquel j'ai moins accroché. Toutefois, l'humour et les idées ne manquent pas d'originalité !
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews