This is three books in one: the first three in the 'Sophie' series about a small but determined girl who wants to be a lady farmer when she grows up.

In 'Sophie's Snail' we meet the four-year-old Sophie who already has a strong character and a deep love for animal life, as well as her twin brothers Matthew and Mark. Sophie starts to save up for her farm, and adopts a wide variety of small creatures from her garden.

In 'Sophie's Tom', Sophie meets a black cat on her fifth birthday, which also happens to be Christmas Day. Her parents do not in the least want a cat, but Sophie has other ideas... Sophie starts school in this book, too.

In 'Sophie hits Six', Sophie gets more used to school, visits a farm show, and works on persuading her parents that the family should have a dog...

Lots of great characterisation, humour that appeals to adults as well as the more earthy kind for children, and even some gentle educational material about farms and animals in general.

They're the first half of a series of books which I loved when my sons were small, and was delighted to read aloud to a young friend in 2011. I was even more pleased that my three-year-old grandson liked it enough for me to read all three books to him over the course of a few days in 2017.

Very highly recommended, to fluent readers of any age, or as an excellent read-aloud. ( )