Sophie's Misfortunes

My edition of this rather delightful book is dated 1892 and was once owned by an Aileen Frank at Miss Burke's School. Given to me by a friend back in 1971 or 1972, and carried from house to house until its more-than-a-century-old binding is in tatters, I finally got around to reading Les Malheurs de Sophie.

Les Malheurs de Sophie is a 19th century French children's book, not a novel but rather a series of episodes intended to instruct. These are moral lessons, though much more amusing and less didactically dull than most. Sophie is a privileged girl and oh so naughty. She repeatedly disobeys her mother Mme de Rean. (As Sophie says, "It's so boring to obey!") After each of her many mishaps, she is contrite and promises to never again show more cause an accident or unfortunate event by indulging in one of "her ideas." Paul is Sophie's cousin, best friend, and often reluctant collaborator. He is as obedient and "good" as Sophie is disobedient and "bad." He often tries to save her from her own folly and, thus, spare her the scolding and punishment that is certain to be her due. Many of Sophie's misdeeds involve unwitting cruelty to animals, particularly a pet turtle and a much-prized donkey. It is easy to lose sight of the fact that Sophie is only 4 years old and Paul 6 since they enjoy a freedom of movement and range of activity(even though closely minded by maids and mothers)that would be foreign to most contemporary American four-year-olds. show less

Content Notice: Contains multiple animal death scenes.
While I occasionally enjoy a book about a child who is mischievous, they ONLY sometimes are naughty, NOT every page. However, it's a short book that occasionally can create a chuckle, the main character is Sophie, Sophie is a naughty girl living in 19th century France. Sophie at 4 years old already is quite a mischief-maker, the book contains many of the antics of this young girl.
Multiple animal deaths were written in this less than 300-page novel which is startling, to say the least, there were multiple, however, I can get that this was common in the era this was written (the 1800s)
However, Sophie's mother needs to teach her how to care for an animal, not keep replacing them.
It's a show more little old fashioned but that doesn't ruin the book. show less

mon livre d'enfance un grand classique que j'adore

Petites histoires morales avec de l'humour

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