Sophie's Lucky (by Dick King-Smith)

(Amazon UK link)

I was delighted to discover the books by Dick-King Smith when my sons were younger. The writing is good with a tinge of humour, the characters are real, and - since the author was a farmer before he started writing books - he knows a great deal about animals too.

'Sophie's Lucky' is the last of the six 'Sophie' books by this prolific writer. The series is about a small and determined girl who wants to be a lady farmer. She has older twin brothers who tease her, and parents who don't entirely understand her. But they encourage her in her interests, knowing that she will almost certainly realise her ambition one day.

In this story, seven-year-old Sophie and her family have the excitement of a holiday in Scotland to stay with the elderly Great-Aunt Al. Sophie and Aunt Al have been the best of friends for some time, and have rather similar personalities. Sophie totally falls in love with a pony she is lent during the holiday.

The ending of the book is both sad and encouraging, and brings a most satisfactory conclusion to this delightful series for small children.

(I wrote another review of 'Sophie's Lucky' 18 months later when reading it aloud to a small friend)

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 20th August 2010