George Orwell, or Eric Blair, came from a prosperous family and a rich background but preferred to see the world and make his own way of life. He worked in a restaurant in Paris and was a tramp in London, before settling down in Britain to write. He said himself that `Animal Farm' was the only novel that he "really sweated over." It does have many of the characteristics of a bedtime story but there are several substantial reasons why I definitely would not read it to a little brother or sister to help them sleep.

The book begins with the once prosperous farmer Mr Jones coming home late from the pub one night and forgetting to feed the animals or milk the cows. That night a meeting is held in the barn where Old Major lives and the old boar telling the assembled animals of a dream...