Sophie Washington: Treasure Beach by Tonya Duncan Ellis (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

Sophie Washington: Treasure Beach

by 

Tonya Duncan Ellis

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE: Children's Middle Grade

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

A message in a bottle leads Sophie Washington and friends on a seaside treasure hunt in this exciting, illustrated chapter book adventure. It's summertime, and Sophie, her best friend, Chloe, and her younger brother, Cole are spending two fun-filled weeks in Corpus Christi, Texas with her young-at-heart grandmother. A surprise discovery on a day out at the beach takes them on a quest for riches. During their search, the kids snorkel, encounter endangered sea turtles, visit a World War II warship, and learn that honesty and true friendship are worth more than gold.

 

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EXCERPT

 

Spooked, I backtrack on the slippery sand like I’m dancing the moonwalk.

 

Eek!

 

I almost step on a fish skeleton that includes a full set of teeth. Whatever ate the fish cleaned its bones. Creepy.

 

“Why’re you jumping around like that, Sophie?” asks Cole. “I thought you said we should be careful, so we don’t accidentally step on any baby turtles?”

 

 “Look!” I gesture toward the cove, and Granny, Cole, and Chloe gather around.

 

What I thought was a rock wiggles again. It seems too heavy to be a piece of paper. Is it an old trash bag? A dead animal?

 

“Is that rock shaking?” Chloe leans in.

 

“I think so,” I answer.

 

This is weird. I’d have goosebumps if the sun wasn’t burning my arms. I rub my forehead with the back of my hand to stop sweat from dripping into my eyes.

 

 Peering closer, I recognize what I see. “It’s a sea turtle!” I exclaim.

 

At first, the reptile’s head was inside its shell, so we didn’t recognize it. It’s nearly the size of a dinner plate. Somehow, Cole’s baseball cap is attached to one of its back flippers.

 

“Check that thing out!” His eyes widen.

 

This is my first time seeing a grown sea turtle up close.

 

“Good morning, Mr. Turtle!” I sing-song.

 

Its shell is dark, grayish-green, and its body is white. The reptile’s nose reminds me of a beak.

 

Spotting us, the turtle shuffles its legs to flee, but its shell sticks like glue to the rocks underneath.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Tonya Duncan Ellis is author of the award winning, bestselling, Sophie Washington children's book series, geared toward readers ages 8 to 12, and is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Her independently published books have been featured in the Houston Chronicle and the Baltimore Sun and have seen over 70,000 downloads and sales in the United States, India, Canada, and Great Britain. She has worked as a journalist and a freelance magazine writer, and is a graduate of Centre College of Kentucky and holds an M.B.A. degree from Washington University in St. Louis.

 

The twelve book Sophie Washington series stars a sweet and sassy African American preteen from Houston, TX and her diverse group of friends. Each funny and heartwarming story teaches lessons about friendship, responsibility, truthfulness, and perseverance.

 

Tonya loves to travel and has visited 49 American states, 20 countries, and three continents, but some of her best journeys have been between the pages of a novel. As a girl she could always be found with a book in her hand, and reading is still one of her favorite hobbies. When she's not reading or writing, the author likes to ride her bike, swim, and spend time with her husband and three children. She lives in Missouri City.

 

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Amazon author page

 

****************

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The tour dates can be found here

****************

My review:

4.25 stars

 

Sophie Washington: Treasure Beach by Tonya Duncan Ellis is part of the 'Sophie Washington' series that centers around a young girl’s adventures in life. Sophie, her best friend Chloe, and little brother Cole are visiting Corpus Christi and Granny Washington. Between adventures at the beach, learning about sea creatures, and a treasure hunt, the fun almost never ends, until a wrong choice threatens to destroy a valued relationship.

 

This fun children’s series features the everyday adventures of a personable young girl and her younger brother as they navigate through life. I adore these stories because the characters are realistic and vivid, and their experiences provide life lessons without being preachy. The interactions between Sophie and Cole seem so normal, with typical sibling squabbles but also heartwarming love, and I love their zest for life and enthusiasm. This story has great info about the hazards facing the animals who live in the sea, touches on jealousy and the importance of being able to understand another person’s perspective, and allows one to see how the differently abled can adapt their world to keep from being excluded from things they love. Another great addition to the series, and as usual, each story can be read as a stand-alone tale, although once you read one, you’ll want to read all of the others.

 

A copy was provided for review

Sophie Washington: Class Retreat by Tonya Duncan Ellis (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT (?12/10/2020)

 

 

Sophie Washington: Class Retreat

by 

Tonya Duncan Ellis

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE: Children's Middle Grade

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

There is no such thing as Big Foot! Or is there…

 

Sophie Washington and her classmates are on their way to Camp Glowing Spring for a class retreat. It’ll be two full days of swimming, eating s’mores around a campfire, tug-of-war, archery, and more! Sophie’s been looking forward to the trip all school year and can’t wait to spend extra time with her friends. It will also be great to get away from her bratty younger brother, Cole, and his constant stories about Big Foot. If Cole warns her about what to do if she sees the hairy ape man on the retreat one more time, she’ll put in ear plugs. Everybody knows Big Foot is a hoax! 

 

Once the kids arrive at the retreat site things are as exciting as Sophie imagined. She has fun exploring nature with her besties, Chloe, Valentina, Toby, Nathan, and Mariama, and meeting new friends too. Then the kids see a giant footprint during a nature hike in the woods and the adventure really begins!

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

EXCERPT

“Wake up, Sophie!” Chloe rubs my shoulder. “We’re here.”

 

I twist my stiff neck until it cracks and rub the sleepy stuff from around my eyes.  I must’ve napped for over an hour. My jeans feel drier, thank goodness. I won’t have to change my clothes.

 

The bus tires crunch over gravel as we drive past a white and green billboard that reads “Camp Glowing Spring: Established 1965.” The only drawing on the big sign, besides the green letters, is a pine tree with a swirly line around it, which seems like the perfect symbol for this place. 

 

It reminds me of a Grimm’s Fairy Tale forest, beautiful, but spooky. Giant evergreens surround a long, one-story building, with a lake behind it. The bright sky stretches overhead like a canopy bed. Spanish moss drips from some tree branches like frizzy, gray hair. As we pass a foot trail that winds into the greenery, I shiver, remembering Cole’s warnings about Big Foot.

 

Camp Glowing Spring looks exactly like the woods from my nightmare. What if Big Foot comes to our cabin to get us at night?  I blink and shake my head to snap back into reality. Big Foot is a hoax. I need to enjoy being away from my little brother’s tall tales for the next two days.

 

As the bus drives deeper into the campground, the hum of excited kids gets louder.

 

“Check that out!” Toby bounces on his seat and stares at a water park on the lake. There’s a wooden pier in the center and an inflatable blue and yellow water slide. A giant-sized, red, yellow, and blue plastic pillow floats beside it.

 

“That lake is probably 100 feet deep!” Nathan leans over Toby’s shoulder.

 

I wonder what lurks underneath the greenish blue waters. Does Big Foot swim?

 

“That’s the Blob!” Chloe points at the huge, plastic pillow. “Some eighth graders told me how much fun it is. I can’t wait to jump out there. If a bigger person flops on after you, your body flies high in the air before you hit the water.”

 

“Cool!” Nathan’s eyeballs widen behind his glasses.

 

I bite my thumbnail.

 

I’m scared of heights, and the idea of bouncing over a huge lake doesn’t exactly float my boat. I better make sure that I’m the last one on the Blob if I do try it.

Amazon link

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

 

Tonya Duncan Ellis was born and raised in Louisville, KY. She loves reading so much that as a child she took books with her everywhere. She knew she wanted to become a writer after an article she wrote was published in her hometown newspaper when she was a teen. 

Since then, Tonya has worked as a journalist and freelance magazine writer. A graduate of Centre College of Kentucky and Washington University in St. Louis, she’s an Amazon bestselling and award-winning author of the Sophie Washington children's book series, geared towards readers ages 8 to 12. 

The books recount adventures of Houston, TX preteen Sophie Washington and her diverse group of friends. Each funny and heartwarming story teaches lessons about friendship, responsibility, truthfulness and perseverance. 

 Books in the series include Queen of the Bee, The Snitch, Things You Didn't Know About Sophie, The Gamer, Hurricane, Mission: Costa Rica, Secret Santa, and Code One. When she's not writing, Tonya enjoys reading, biking, swimming, travel, and spending time with her husband and three children. She lives in Missouri City, TX.

 

Website

Instagram: @tonyaellisbooks

Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks

Twitter: @TonyaDEllis

Amazon author page

 

 

 

********************

GIVEAWAY

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

********************

 

My review:

 

3.75 out of 5 stars

 

Sophie Washington: Class Retreat by Tonya Duncan Ellis chronicles Sophie and her classmates as they visit a camp and face both real and imagined challenges. Getting up close and personal with nature, possibly dispelling a hoax, and dealing with the horrible rivals from St. Regis will make this an unforgettable trip…in more ways than one.

 

 

I love that current events are woven into these middle grade stories, and although I wish there was a better solution to the hurtful attitudes of the other kids, I am glad light is being shone on how both deliberate and careless words can cause pain. One of the best things about the books in this delightful series is the celebration of diversity among Sophie and her friends, and I like that they rallied around each other, but I wish they had gotten the adults more involved. I like that Sophie showed strength of character, but I’m a little puzzled about the presence of both schools at the retreat and the lack of adequate supervision. I have never been to camp, so I was astounded at the late nights being kept, let alone the hijinks being planned. There were some elements that didn’t seem to be quite as smooth as usual, but this is still a fun story, especially with the prospect of Bigfoot making an appearance. I can’t wait to find out what new adventures Sophie and her friends get involved with.

 

 

 

A copy of this title was provided for review

 

 

Sophie Washington: My BFF by Tonya Duncan Ellis (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

Sophie Washington: My BFF

by 

Tonya Duncan Ellis

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GENRE: Middle Grade

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BLURB:

Sophie and Chloe have been best friends since they met in kindergarten. They get along like chips and salsa and do everything together from playing tennis to cheering on the school cheer squad. Lately, Chloe’s been leaving Sophie out, and she doesn’t know why. Sophie does everything she can to make her best friend happy, but it’s not working. Then Chloe asks Sophie to fib to a teacher to help her out and she learns the true meaning of friendship.

This is the tenth book in the Readers' Favorite five star rated Sophie Washington book series that includes:

Sophie Washington:Queen of the Bee (Book 1)

Sophie Washington: The Snitch (Book 2)

Sophie Washington:Things You Didn't Know About Sophie (Book 3)

Sophie Washington: The Gamer (Book 4)

Sophie Washington:Hurricane (Book 5)

Sophie Washington:Mission Costa Rica (Book 6)

Sophie Washington:Secret Santa (Book 7)

Sophie Washington: Code One (Book 8)

Sophie Washington:Mismatch (Book 9)

Sophie Washington: My BFF (Book 10)

Kids Ages 8-12

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

The only reason I’m not at the carnival games is because I want to spend time with my BFF, Chloe. We’ve been friends since we shared a swing in kindergarten, and we do everything together, like cheer for our school and play on the tennis team. She’s taller and noisier than I am, but somehow, we belong together, like chips and salsa.

Chloe isn’t in any of my classes this year. During free periods she gets special tutoring for her dyslexia. Don’t ask me what dyslexia means exactly, but she’s not so great at spelling and takes twice as long as the rest of us to do her school work.

Chloe’s been talking about riding the Killer Whale since we were too short to be allowed on roller coasters. I’d do anything for my best friend, and I didn’t want to look like a chicken, so I faced my fear.

Looking back, I still can’t believe I got in line when Chloe begged. The Killer Whale is a perfect name for that ride. Carts race up and down the grayish blue rails like they’re on a speed track, and then drop down huge hills.

“That’s what I’m talking about!” Toby, the cutest boy in the sixth grade, stood in front of us in line with his mouth open. “Forget about the baby rides; I want to ride this one the whole time we’re here.”

“This is so cool!” Nathan, Toby’s buddy for the field trip, gave him a high five. “and since there are two tracks, we shouldn’t have to wait long to get on.”

The crowded line came to a standstill and we continued to talk.

“Hey, Sophie, did you start that poetry assignment for English class?” Toby edged around Chloe. “Can you help me with it at school tomorrow? I need to get an A or B to raise my grade.”

“You read the poem yet?” said Nathan, pausing the video game he was playing on his phone and also looking my way. “I can’t figure it out.” 

“Why didn’t you ask me what I think about the poem?” asked Chloe with a frown.

“Well, ah, I didn’t think you were doing the same work,” said Toby.

Her lips curled, and I braced myself.

Chloe is super sweet most of the time, but act like she’s not as smart as someone else, and she changes from cuddly kitten to ferocious tiger.

“As a matter of fact, I am doing the same work,” she said, wrapping her arms around her chest. “Just because I go to a tutor sometimes doesn’t mean I don’t know what’s going on. I still have the same English assignments as you guys.”

“I don’t think he meant that, Chloe,” I said.

“Yeah, yeah, everybody knows you’re the spelling champion, while I’m the sixth-grade dummy,” said Chloe.

“Now wait a minute…” I said.

Ahhhhh!

Amazon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Tonya Duncan Ellis is the author of the Amazon bestselling, Readers' Favorite "Five Star" rated, Sophie Washington children's books series, geared toward readers ages 8 to 12, and is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). She has received awards for literary excellence, worked as a journalist and freelance magazine writer, and is a graduate of Centre College of Kentucky and Washington University in St. Louis.

The Sophie Washington book series recounts the adventures of a precocious African American preteen from Houston, TX and her diverse group of friends. Each funny and heartwarming story teaches lessons about friendship, responsibility, truthfulness and perseverance. Books in the series include Queen of the Bee, The Snitch, Things You Didn't Know About Sophie, The Gamer, Hurricane, Mission: Costa Rica,

Secret Santa, Code One and Mismatch.

Tonya loves to travel and has visited 49 American states and three continents, but some of her best journeys have been between the pages of a novel. As a girl she could always be found with a book in her hand, and reading is still one of her favorite hobbies. When she's not reading or writing, the author likes to ride her bike, swim, and spend time with her husband and three children. She lives in Missouri City, TX.

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Website

***********************


GIVEAWAY


a Rafflecopter giveaway


The tour dates can be found here




***********************


My review:

4.25 stars

Sophie Washington: My BFF by Tonya Duncan Ellis continues the saga of young Sophie as she deals with peer pressure and expectations of adults. When her best friend Chloe starts acting like she doesn’t value their friendship any longer, Sophie must decide what she is willing to sacrifice to keep her friend in her her life.

The stories in this children’s series are always a wonderful combination of entertainment and education. I enjoy accompanying Sophie through her adventures that touch on very realistic challenges while telling a fun story. Although dyslexia is an element of the tale, angst, jealousy, and peer pressure are also significant aspects as Sophie determines what she is willing to do to fit in. I love that these characters make mistakes but learn from them and continue to grow, and I’m delighted by the way Sophie’s parents approach their children’s problems.

I think this is a great book for stimulating a discussion about such things as dyslexia, plagiarism, peer pressure, and consequences for one’s actions. I always look forward to reading about Sophie’s adventures, and this story was a great addition to a lovely series.

A copy was provided for review

Sophie Washington: Mismatch by Tonya Duncan Ellis (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

Sophie Washington: Mismatch

by 
Tonya Duncan Ellis

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GENRE: Children's Middle Grade

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BLURB:

Game. Set. Match.

Sophie Washington is trying out for the tennis team, and she’s excited to get a chance to play with her good friends Chloe and Mariama. That is until wacky Coach Quackenbush matches her with school misfit, Mackenzie “Big Mac” Clark, and things quickly go downhill. Sophie has nothing in common with her partner, who does odd things like run off the court in the middle of practice, and she’s disappointed when Mackenzie shows no interest in the secret handshake she made up. After getting called out by the coach, being hit on the head with a tennis ball, and jokingly called the “most valuable player,” by mean older girls on the team, when she’s clearly not, Sophie’s ready to throw in the towel. Trying to fit in with the mean girls by making fun of Mackenzie behind her back makes things worse. Mackenzie starts skipping practice, and then gets sick at school, and Sophie realizes that there’s more to her doubles partner than meets the eye. What started out as a total mismatch could be the best partnership of all.

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EXCERPT

To get us ready for our upcoming match against our rival school, St. Regis, Coach Quackenbush has us play practice matches. Valentina’s grandma has to work late and is picking her up at four-thirty this afternoon, and Toby and Nathan’s track practice was cancelled because their coach is out of town, so they come to watch us.

“Do good for me guys!” says Valentina from the nearby mini bleachers. “Let’s go! Vamanos!”

 “All right, we’ve gone over the rules of tennis earlier today, so you know how to keep score,” says Coach Quackenbush. He’s wearing a whistle around his neck and carries his usual clipboard. “I want you to play each other, and the team that wins two out of three games will be declared the winner. Since we only have three singles players, I’ll work with Kennedy while Lindsey and Jackie go against each other. All right. Let’s see how we do, team!”

“All right!” we all parrot.

“Good luck in your matches, guys,” Chloe says to the eighth-grade girls.

“We don’t need luck unlike you little sixth graders,” says Kennedy. “We have talent.”

She and the older girls flounce off to their courts.

“Whatever,” says Chloe with a roll of her eyes.

“They think they are ‘all that’ just because they were on the team last year,” says Mariama. “I’d love to beat them in a game.”

“Forget them,” I say and pick up a can of new tennis balls Coach Quackenbush left on the court for us. “Come on, let’s get going.”

 “Okay, let’s get started,” says Chloe. Her frilly red tennis skirt swings around her hips as she smacks the ball to us for the first serve. It bounces high in the air toward me.

“I got it!” I race forward.

“Mine!” Mackenzie comes over to my side of the court from the other direction. Surprised at her quick movement, I stumble.

Wham!

We run into each other. The ball bounces off my head, and I stagger to keep from falling.

Amazon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Tonya Duncan Ellis is the author of the Amazon bestselling, Readers' Favorite "Five Star" rated, Sophie Washington children's books series, geared toward readers ages 8 to 12, and is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). She has received awards for literary excellence, worked as a journalist and freelance magazine writer, and is a graduate of Centre College of Kentucky and Washington University in St. Louis.

The Sophie Washington book series recounts the adventures of a precocious African American preteen from Houston, TX and her diverse group of friends. Each funny and heartwarming story teaches lessons about friendship, responsibility, truthfulness and perseverance. Books in the series include Queen of the Bee, The Snitch, Things You Didn't Know About Sophie, The Gamer, Hurricane, Mission: Costa Rica,

Secret Santa, Code One and Mismatch.

Tonya loves to travel and has visited 49 American states and three continents, but some of her best journeys have been between the pages of a novel. As a girl she could always be found with a book in her hand, and reading is still one of her favorite hobbies. When she's not reading or writing, the author likes to ride her bike, swim, and spend time with her husband and three children. She lives in Missouri City, TX.

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Website

****************************


GIVEAWAY


a Rafflecopter giveaway


The tour dates can be found here




****************************


My review:





4 out of 5 stars



Sophie Washington: Mismatch by Tonya Duncan Ellis follows the young heroine as she joins the tennis team and learns how to partner with a girl who is not part of her immediate circle. Not only does Sophie have to learn the rules of a new-to-her sport, but she also has to learn to be a good team player.


This story is another fun addition to the collection of tales in the ‘Sophie Washington’ series. I love the way the stories are entertaining and keep the reader’s attention but also teach multiple lessons. This particular tale showcases ways that bullying can take place, touches on the challenges of having two working parents in the household, and explores team sports and some of the elements of good sportsmanship that need to be learned while also learning the rules of the game itself.

One of the reasons I enjoy this series so much is that there are many teachable moments in each book, and the overall theme of “be kind to each other” is deftly portrayed in an engaging manner. The diversity of Sophie and her group of friends provide additional depth as other cultures are briefly touched upon and it is also terrific to see the way Sophie’s parents are involved with and invested in their children’s lives. I look forward to reading about more of Sophie’s adventures.





A copy of this title was provided for review 

Sophie Washington: Code One by Tonya Duncan Ellis (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

Sophie Washington: Code One


by 

Tonya Duncan Ellis

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: middle grade


~~~~~~~~~~~~~


BLURB:


Anything boys can do girls can do better

Xavier Academy is having a computer coding competition with a huge cash prize! Sixth grader Sophie Washington and her friend Chloe can’t wait to enter with their other classmates, Nathan and Toby. The only problem is that the boys don’t think the girls are smart enough for their team and have already asked two other kids to work with them. Determined to prove the boys wrong, Sophie and Chloe join forces with classmates Mariama, Valentina, and “brainiac,” Rani Patel, to form their own all-girl team called “Code One.” Computer coding isn’t easy, and the ladies get more than they bargain for when hilarious mishaps stand in their way. It’s girls versus boys in the computer coding competition as Sophie and her friends work day and night to prove that anything boys can do girls can do better!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

“Hey, ladies,” Toby grins back and shows his dimple. I remember when his smile made my day go from gray to rainbow bright. I had a major crush on Toby when he came to Xavier and went through all kinds of changes to get his attention. I’m embarrassed thinking about how I acted like I love basketball, which I can’t stand, because he is a star player on our school’s team, and how I even swiped a cell phone from one of my little brother’s friends so I could call Toby. I found out he didn’t really care about any of that stuff and liked me for myself. We aren’t a couple or anything, but I’m glad we’re friends.

“Whatcha reading?” I point at pieces of paper on the table that the boys are staring at like they’re Willy Wonka’s golden tickets.  

 “An invitation for teams to sign up for the new computer coding club,” answers Nathan, pushing his dark-rimmed glasses up on his nose. “Xavier is having a coding competition to see who can make the best computer app.”

“What’s coding?” I ask.

“A special language that computer programmers use to tell the computer what to do,” Nathan explains. “like show a video, or start a game.”

“We’re thinking about making an app that’s similar to the video game, Fortify,” says Toby. “The grand prize is two hundred dollars, and it’s split between all the team members. I want some new basketball shoes, and my dad says I have to come up with half the money myself, so this will be a quick way to get it.”

“Count us in!” enthuses Chloe. “We could always use some extra cash for trips to the mall.”

“Yeah, that sounds like fun,” I add.

“Wait a minute, ladies,” says Nathan. “Coding isn’t as easy as turning a cartwheel. We really want to win.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asks Chloe, putting her hands on her hips. “You don’t think you could win with us on the team?”

“I-I didn’t say that,” he stammers. “It’s just with your…umm…disability and all…and all the time you have to practice for cheerleading, I wonder if you could really help us.”

Now he’s done it. I can almost see the steam coming out of Chloe’s curls. My best friend has dyslexia, a condition that makes her see numbers and letters differently. Because of it, she takes longer to read and do math than other kids and is in some special classes. She gets very angry when people make fun of her about it, or act like she’s not smart.

“If you’re so worried about us being in cheer why would you pick Toby for the team?” Chloe counters. “He practices his basketball just as much as we practice for cheerleading, and we’re all at the same games.”

“Toby is a level one Fortify player,” Nathan says. “He knows everything about the game, so he can help us write a plan for how the app should work.”

“Oooo, I guess we should bow down to the expert,” says Chloe.

“My eight-year-old brother Cole plays Fortify,” I pipe in. “I’m sure it’s not too hard to figure out.”

“Yeah, you guys just don’t want us,” Chloe frowns.

“Nobody’s trying to keep you girls from being on the team.” Carlton holds his palms up to keep the peace. “It’s just that we’ve asked a couple other guys to be on our team already, so we don’t have room for anyone else.”    

 “Exactly. We’d love to have the extra ‘brain power,’ but our group is full,” Nathan agrees. “In fact, I wish I could make an app to clone myself. Then I’d have another person to do my school assignments while I’m working on this.”

“Why’d we want to have two of you?” says Chloe. “There are enough jerks running around this school. Come on, Sophie! Since their group is so ‘crowded,’ let’s find a table where there is enough space for us.”

She turns on her heels and moves toward another table, and I follow.

“Chloe, hold up! Don’t be like that!” Toby calls. She doesn’t look back. 

“Let her go, man,” says Nathan, “It’s not worth it.” They turn back to the flyers.   

“The nerve of those boys!” Chloe huffs as we sit down at a table in a corner of the room. “I can’t believe they think we’re not smart enough to help them win the competition.”

I shake my head and smooth my uniform skirt. I am especially surprised at Nathan, since I beat him in both the school and regional spelling bees last year. “They think we’re dumb just because we are cheerleaders and because we’re girls.”

“Well, we’ll show them!” Chloe yanks a coding club flyer off the cafeteria wall. “Let’s sign up for the competition and beat the pants off them!”

“Yeah, they’ll wish that they begged us to be on their team!” I agree.

We high five, and then start reviewing the contest rules as we eat our sandwiches. The coding club meeting is tomorrow afternoon in the school computer lab. I can’t wait to see Nathan’s and Toby’s faces when we show up with our own winning team.  

It’s game on!

Buy links:


Amazon

Barnes and Noble

The book is on sale for a limited time for only $0.99.

(please check price before purchasing)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Tonya Duncan Ellis is the author of the Amazon bestselling, Readers' Favorite "Five Star" rated, Sophie Washington children's books series, geared toward readers ages 8 to 12, and is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). She has received awards for literary excellence, worked as a journalist and freelance magazine writer, and is a graduate of Centre College of Kentucky and Washington University in St. Louis.


The Sophie Washington book series recounts the adventures of a precocious African American preteen from Houston, TX and her diverse group of friends. Each funny and heartwarming story teaches lessons about friendship, responsibility, truthfulness and perseverance. Books in the series include Queen of the Bee, The Snitch, Things You Didn't Know About Sophie, The Gamer, Hurricane, Mission: Costa Rica, and 
Secret Santa.

Tonya loves to travel and has visited 49 American states and three continents, but some of her best journeys have been between the pages of a novel. As a girl she could always be found with a book in her hand, and reading is still one of her favorite hobbies. When she's not reading or writing, the author likes to ride her bike, swim, and spend time with her husband and three children. She lives in Missouri City, TX.

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Website




***************************


GIVEAWAY



a Rafflecopter giveaway


The tour dates can be found here



***************************

My review:

4 out of 5 stars

Sophie Washington: Code One by Tonya Duncan Ellis continues to follow young Sophie’s adventures. This time, she and her girlfriends want to win the school computer coding contest, not only for the prize money, but to show the boys that girls can code just as well as they can.

This story is part of the delightful ‘Sophie Washington’ series and is another inspirational and entertaining tale. I love that these stories not only highlight the value of diversity and the enrichment potential of learning about other cultures, but also touch upon realistic tragedies like natural disasters that destroy homes and force relocation.

This particular book touches briefly on challenges such as dyslexia, overbooking of extracurricular activities, and how a different environment can change a child’s capabilities and instill confidence. The gender divide that permeates such things as science is touched upon as Sophie and her friends decide to show that they can not only multi-task but can learn how to utilize coding and make it relevant to their interests. Sibling rivalry is also still very much present but so is the very real affection between Sophie and her brother, and who wouldn’t want parents like theirs? I think this is another great addition to the series and I am delighted to have books like these to inspire children and teach them how to compete and cooperate without being too heavy-handed.

A copy of this title was provided for review