Sophie Hits Six - Softcover

Dick King-Smith (1922-2011) is one of the world's favourite children's book authors. He won the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize for The Sheep-Pig (later filmed as Babe), he was named Children's Book Author of the Year in 1991 and won the 1995 Children's Book Award for Harriet's Hare. In addition to the Sophie series, his titles for Walker include The Finger-Eater, Aristotle, The Twin Giants and two books about a very special pig: Lady Lollipop and Clever Lollipop. Hannah studied illustration at the University of Brighton and graduated in 2004. She has since created a number of critically acclaimed award-winning children's books, including Evil Weasel, which won the Cambridgeshire Children's Picture Book Award. Her recent Stan Stinky series is the first of her own creations for older children. She also illustrated the popular Disgusting Sandwich by Gareth Edwards and The Great Hamster Massacre series by Katie Davies as well as The Fabulous Phartlehorn Affair by ML Peel. Hannah currently lives in Stroud, Gloucestershire. Visit her website at www.hannahshawillustrator.co.uk

Gr. 2-4. King-Smith has a gift for creating memorable characters, whether animal or human, and Sophie is no exception. She is a sturdy, serious, determined five-year-old, whose stated ambition is to be a "lady farmer" and who goes about preparing for her career with a single-mindedness that many an adult might envy. She takes good care of her pets, a cat and a rabbit, cultivates the friendship of Andrew because he lives on a farm, and feels about agriculture shows the way most five-year-olds feel about carnivals. The plot deals with believable, everyday events in Sophie's life. For example, pragmatic Sophie decides that since she has to participate in field-day events, she may as well win one and has the sense to go to her superathletic brothers for advice. When carefully rehearsed Plan A comes a cropper, she returns to her twin coaches for Plan B, follows their advice carefully, and carries the day. Parkins' engaging pen-and-ink drawings show a stalwart, often mussed little girl and her world filled with action, animals, and people. This is a delightful book to help bridge the gap between picture books and longer fiction. Sheilamae O'Hara