SOPHIE'S LUCKY

Sophie (Sophie in the Saddle, 1994, etc.) is back again, in what is to be the last in the series. Knowing of Sophie's love of animals and determination to be a farmer, fans of these early chapter books will be delighted to learn that she really does get a farm. After a visit to Sophie's great-great-aunt Al in Scotland (where Sophie rides the pony Lucky), the family gets the sad news that Aunt Al has died, leaving them her home and money; the farm will come to Sophie when she turns 18. This time out, Sophie's malapropisms and other aspects of the book are handled in a way that feels a little less amusing and a little more condescending than in earlier titles. Those unfamiliar with the previous titles will have trouble discerning Sophie's age; not until fairly late in the book do readers learn that she is now eight. In spite of these quibbles, this is enjoyable reading; Sophie is well on her way to living happily ever after. (Fiction. 5-9)