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Sophie #3

Sophie Hits Six

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Small, but very determined, Sophie loves animals and is going to be a farmer when she grows up. In this book Sophie gets some new animals - including four kittens - finds a farming friend and enters the sporting arena!

Paperback

First published August 2, 1993

2 people are currently reading
146 people want to read

About the author

Dick King-Smith

328 books309 followers
Dick 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.

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5 stars
161 (36%)
4 stars
159 (36%)
3 stars
99 (22%)
2 stars
16 (3%)
1 star
3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Profile Image for Sophie Crane.
5,221 reviews178 followers
September 4, 2020
This is a great book. It is about a girl called Sophie who wants to own a farm when she grows up. In this story she gets 4 new kittens and a rabbit, wins the egg and spoon race at school, and meets a new farming friend. My Mum and I Are Huge fans of The Sophie Series & this didn't Disappoint.
Profile Image for Sue.
Author 1 book40 followers
May 10, 2010
In this book Sophie's cat Tom has to acquire a new name, as she gives birth to kittens. Sophie has to give them away... but in return for one of them, is given a different kind of animal.

I love the character of Sophie who is remarkably like one or two other small and determined girls I have known. I'd recommend this as a read-aloud for children of about four or above who have got used to books with short chapters; it doesn't have to be read after the two earlier books (Sophie's Snail and Sophie's Tom) since it's complete in itself, although it's probably best to read them all in order.

It's interesting enough, too, that it could be read by any child of four or older who is reading reasonably fluently; the language is fairly simple, the text bigger than that of an adult book, and there are some delightful line drawings scattered throughout. And yet the characters are so real that it can be enjoyed by people of any age.

Four and a half stars, really.
Profile Image for Tim.
55 reviews1 follower
June 11, 2014
Our children (5 & 3) are enjoying these books being read to them. This is the fourth we've read in the series (I think I got them a bit out of sync). Possibly it's the best so far (not too much grumpiness or fighting with Dawn … parents being proactive and loving rather than just a backdrop for Sophie's adventures … and a very sweet ending).
I do fear however that my daughter will be getting some unrealistically high expectations of the sorts of pets she might ask for.
Profile Image for Noah Sebastian.
13 reviews1 follower
Want to read
October 15, 2009
So far so good. Chapter one has me interested already. Mom is turning me loose on it tomorrow to read by myself. THe spacing is nice for that and the words are just right.
Profile Image for Lola.
180 reviews1 follower
October 9, 2017
Its cute because her big cat has 5 little kittens. Its a very good illustrated book. (I like the pictures).
Profile Image for Laina SpareTime.
718 reviews22 followers
Read
December 31, 2020
Cross-posted from my blog where there's more information on where I got my copy and links and everything.

This was adorable. It’s very British and pretty old-fashioned. It’s definitely set in the late 80s or early 90s (Princess Diana is mentioned and… well, alive) but there’s also minimal technology and Sophie’s school performs a nativity play. That is, to be fair, at least thirty years ago if not more. It’s just a much gentler setting in most ways.

Also I love Sophie. She’s just quietly stubborn and kind of hilarious at times. I liked how her parents didn’t cave to her every demand, but they do have their soft moments and care about what she wants. It’s a very balanced parenting style, which MG like this doesn’t always strike. I’d gladly put Sophie next to Ramona and Julie B. Jones on my “classic MG” list, especially for any kid who’s a big animal lover. Would recommend, would read more of these, and I am keeping this one.
Profile Image for Leah.
27 reviews
September 25, 2025
This book opens with a story exactly like our own: a found black kitten and given the name Tom — only to find out that “he” is a “she.” What a fun connecting point!

The book is absolutely charming, with funny Sophie who is up to all kinds of antics as she aims to be a “lady farmer” when she grows up and mispronounces all kinds of words in the meantime. Like many good books about children, it reminds me of how wonderful the child mind is. This was our first Sophie book, but it won’t be our last!
Profile Image for Sudaporn Obom.
121 reviews
May 27, 2025
This Sophie book remains just as funny and heart-warming as the previous ones, filled with delightful moments that made me laugh and enjoy every page. This time, Sophie experiences more surprises and interacts with even more animals than before—each encounter guiding her further along the path to becoming a proper lady farmer.
Profile Image for Sharon.
659 reviews
May 15, 2017
Aging a contemporary story to make something "old" seem older through a spirited Sophie, her love for animals, and some agricultural adventures -- all across the pond.
334 reviews37 followers
May 8, 2019
I definitely like Phyllis Reynold Naylor better (or maybe this book is intended for younger reader? I don't know)
650 reviews
August 11, 2021
Again, feels a little dated in places but overall a nice book.
1 review1 follower
April 14, 2025
I read the Sophie books as a child and I adored them, there's a great comfort in coming back to them as an adult.
Profile Image for Cheryl.
13k reviews484 followers
April 18, 2019
I can't say that I like the Sophie books as much as I wish I did. She just spends so much time scowling, and she seems so spoiled, that even though she's a hard worker with real integrity I just can't feel engaged with her adventures. Still, I do highly recommend them to fans of Ramona, Clementine, and Babe the Gallant Pig.
Profile Image for Katy Kelly.
2,572 reviews105 followers
June 26, 2016
We've read several King-Smith books now, since my son started school last September. He's loved them all, and I did wonder how he would take a female protagonist. But I needn't have been concerned - he enjoyed reading about a girl at the exact same age as himself, coming up to six.

My son was quite fascinated with all her pets, her twin brothers, the sports day and nativity play at school, her desperate wish for a dog. He could relate, I thought.

Sophie comes across well, an articulate (with lots of cute errors) girl who wants to be a "Lady Farmer", collects pets (looks after them very well though, a great example), and who takes her ambitions seriously. Her little escapades in school also caught my listener's attention and we read a chapter or two each night, finishing in just over a week.

Easy to read aloud for an adult, with just enough illustrations to bring out the main plot points for a listener. And a lovely ending that had my son asking for more books in the series.

For listeners ages 4/5 to 8.
Profile Image for booklady.
2,740 reviews182 followers
June 3, 2008
We were lucky enough to run across a used copy of this at Auntie's our favorite bookstore in Spokane, WA when my daughters were five and six. So they were able to grow up with the animal-loving Sophie. As they shunned dolls and adored animals of all sorts, Sophie was an easy heroine. The Sophie books quickly went from read-to's to favorite readers.
Profile Image for Ho Ming Yung.
25 reviews3 followers
January 7, 2015
This book is the third book of the Sophie series. It is about when Sophie grows older and older and becomes more mature. I especially liked the part when it was her birthday and her friends celebrate with her. My favourite character was Sophie because she was very happy and very brave in this book. I recommend this book to children 8+
Profile Image for Cassandra.
1,079 reviews55 followers
September 20, 2024
"no, no, Duncan, the baby will be represented by a doll. I couldn't have a live baby on the stage."
"You wouldn't have time," said Sophie.
"It takes nine months, like a cow," said Andrew.

Possibly these last two remarks had something to do with the fact that, when the leading parts in the play were allotted, Sophie and Andrew were passed over.
Profile Image for Mushyegg.
1 review1 follower
October 13, 2009
Sophie is a very good series of books for girls around 7 to 8, I REALLY ENJOYED reading this TEEHEE HO HO HO HAAAAA HO
Profile Image for Rea.
726 reviews42 followers
Read
March 2, 2016
This book was gifted to me around the time that I turned six myself. It came with an audio version that I listened to over and over in the evenings.
Profile Image for Sue.
220 reviews3 followers
June 11, 2013
Very cute little story with lots of animals... right up my sons alley. We really enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Sarah.
425 reviews4 followers
July 3, 2013
Surprisingly undated, this appeals to animal living little girls in particular. The audio books read by the inestimable Bernard Cribbins are a good choice too.
745 reviews1 follower
June 3, 2015
Sophie is one of my favourite Dick King-Smith characters. Sophie's Snail is the first in the series.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews

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