SOPHIE WASHINGTON: MY BFF by Tonya Duncan Ellis

SOPHIE WASHINGTON: MY BFF
by Tonya Duncan Ellis

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)

EXCERPT
My mom says a good way to finish something I hate doing, like eating Brussels sprouts, is to get on with it, and count backward from ten until I’m done. I tried it last week after she made me apologize for calling my brother Nugget Head. It was a teensy bit easier.

But what’s happening right now is so terrible that I silently count down all the way from one hundred, and squeeze my eyes shut.

“Ninety-nine, ninety-eight, ninety-seven, ninety-six…”

“Isn’t this great, Sophie?!” Chloe interrupts my thoughts and grabs my hand as the attendant snaps us in our seats. “It’s so pretty up here. Look down!”

I peek open one eye and spy huge waves splashing under us as our cart creaks up the track. Brightly colored umbrellas dot the sand below like Skittles, and I suck in the warm sea breeze to calm myself. I can’t believe I let my best friend convince me to get on the Killer Whale, the biggest roller coaster at Pleasure Pier.

Our science class is on a day trip to Galveston Bay, about an hour from Houston, where we live. We spent the morning looking at turtles, shells, and crabs on the beach. Our visit to the amusement park is an extra “treat.”

“This is going to be epic!” shouts Chloe, as we inch higher up the hill. She raises both arms in the air. I grip the handle on the roller coaster seat so tightly my knuckles are sore. Sea gulls fly above us through cottony clouds, without a care in the world. If only I could be so calm. I’m wet-your-pants scared right now.

“Have the Time of Your Life,” says a sign outside the entrance, with palm trees on either side. Yeah, right.

~Follow the rest of the tour

REVIEW
I feel like I start a lot of my reviews for this series by saying Ellis has done it again, but…Ellis has done it again. I enjoyed this from start to finish. I appreciate how Sophie’s challenges seem to get more difficult as she gets older. This is a great series for kids to grow up with.

The friendship struggle felt so real. I felt so bad for Sophie but knew (hoped?) everything would work out in the end. I can still vividly remember when my best friend in preschool stopped talking to me because I didn’t share my Power Rangers stickers with her. (Spoiler alert: she got over it a few years later, and we’re still friends today).

I also appreciated Ellis covering plagiarism and making it understandable for younger readers. As a writer, editor, and promoter, I know the hard work that goes into a book (or any written work), and plagiarism is never okay. Teach ‘em early.

All in all, I adored this, and I’m eagerly awaiting future installments in Sophie’s life.

ABOUT TONYA

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.

Find her online:

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GIVEAWAY

Tonya Duncan Ellis will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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