Welcome to another stop on the tour for one of my current favorite middle grade series! The latest Sophie Washington book is My BFF, and it's one that I think kids of all ages are going to relate to. Read more of my thoughts after an excerpt and then be sure to grab your own copy. Leave comments and questions for the author as you follow the tour. And of course, there's a great giveaway!
Please note that affiliate links are present throughout the post. Should you make a purchase through one, I may earn a few pennies at no additional cost to you.
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)
Read an 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.
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**My thoughts**
I so adore the Sophie Washington series. This one is also a fantastic installment in the series and is one that I am sure just about every kid can relate to. I've always said that Sophie reminds me of myself at her age. And when it starts out with her being almost forced onto a roller coaster when they scare her, I totally felt her pain.
But that's just the beginning. Sophie is having problems with her best friend, Chloe. Clearly, Chloe is very jealous of Sophie because Chloe struggles in areas where Sophie excels. And her jealousy causes a major rift between the two girls. Sophie even gets tricked into doing something that she knows is completely wrong, because she wants to continue her friendship.
Peer pressure to do something that you know is wrong is so tricky to navigate in these middle grade years. Friendships are confusing. And just like in this book, social media can cause even more problems. Yet again, Sophie has to learn some hard lessons about life and friendship. I love how her parents openly talk about it with her and are firm in following through in their consequences. And I think this would be a great launching point for discussions with kids around the same age about how to navigate jealousy and peer pressure among their closest friends. Start with something smaller like what happens in this story to help prevent bigger problems in the future.
As always, I cannot wait for the next one!
Thank you to the author and Goddess Fish for providing me with a requested review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Click on a title to read my review!
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.
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Tonya Duncan Ellis will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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Thanks for your wonderful, detailed review Andi! I so appreciate your support of my work.
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your book with us. I always look forward to finding out about another great read.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate you stopping by my tour James!
DeleteThanks for the review. My daughter likes this series.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy she has started reading my series Kim! Thanks so much for your support and best wishes in the giveaway!
DeleteThis looks like a great series that my children would enjoy.
ReplyDeleteThanks for checking out my review tour Deanne!
DeleteWould you ever like to see your book turned into a book or tv show?
ReplyDeleteThat would be a dream come true Bernie! Oh course!!
DeleteWho are some of your favorite authors still currently writing?
ReplyDeleteGreat cover!
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds great!
ReplyDeleteHow did the story change from your first draft to your final draft?
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fun read!
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