Tysoe author's book about a boy and his Massey Ferguson tractor to be a hit with little farmers

When volunteer reader Beki Benjamin went to select a book to read to one of the children at Tysoe CofE Primary, she struggled to find a suitable farming book – so decided to write one of her own.

The Adventures of Mo at Butterbee Farm (Dad’s Sandwich) is the first in a series of three books for little budding farmers.

Mo’s first adventure, Dad’s Sandwich, starts with a very special birthday present of a Massey Ferguson pedal tractor which he calls Mitsy. However, he soon realises that it isn’t as easy to ride, as he first thought.

Beki, who is also deputy editor of of the Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer Magazine, has dedicated the book to the little boy who inspired her to write it.

She said: “I have to read and write about tractors and combine harvesters as part of my job and I felt I was confident enough to write about a boy and his tractor.

“We went on holiday in Salcombe, in Devon, for a week and I had written it by the end of the week. The words just came out.”

The book is also educational as there is a section at the back that explains that without farmers, there would be no sandwich. The book was originally intended for six to 10-year-olds but has become a hit for younger readers too.

It has been illustrated by Tysoe’s Josh Welsby.

The book is available to order from ACP Publishers Ltd on 01926 691212 or at the craft and gift market in Banbury Town Hall on October 27, between 10am and 4pm. It is also available on Amazon.

A donation will be made to The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution from a proportion of sales of the book.

And anyone who buys a copy of the book before November 6 will be entered into a prize draw with the winner receiving a Massey Ferguson 7726 pedal tractor.

Beki said: “Massey Ferguson were pleased I chose their tractor to write about, so they donated the pedal tractor to give away.”