Item: Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day
Rating: 4.5
Author: Gina

Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day by Tonya Duncan Ellis | Middle-Grade Book Review – Excerpt – $25 Giveaway

A book blog tour from Goddess Fish Promotions.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Marianne & Judy at Goddess Fish for providing me the information for this tour.

What's in this post!

Book Details

Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day by Tonya Duncan Ellis
Series: Sophie Washington
Published by Page Turner Publishing on July 15, 2021
Genres: Animals, Educational, Fiction, Middle-Grade
Format: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 158

When Life Gives You Lemons…Make Lemonade

Sixth-grader Sophie Washington and friends learn lessons about entrepreneurship, teamwork, and friendship when they sign up for a city-wide, Lemonade Day event.

Sophie wants to buy her mother something special for her birthday, but she’s short on cash. Her bestie, Chloe, comes up with the perfect solution. Build their own lemonade stand to raise money at Lemonade Day. The girls add friends Carly and Nathan, and Sophie’s little brother, Cole, to their team, and decide to donate some of their earnings to a local animal shelter to help save stray animals.

Things are going great until the family dog destroys their supplies. They get worse when Sophie tries to impress another boy in their class and upsets Nathan. Can they save their business in time for the event?

Source: Amazon Purchase, Goddess Fish Promotions, Received from the author or publisher for review.

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Purchase Links for Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day

Amazon Amazon UK Bookshop/IndieBound

The Book Depository Waterstones

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Excerpt from Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day

Forty minutes later, Mom calls us back in. A caramel scented candle has our kitchen smelling like a bakery, and she’s smiling. I guess the rest of the meeting went well.

“Here’s a snack, girls.” She sets a plate of cookies on the table. “I’m sure you’re hungry after all that running and jumping.”

“I’m really excited about all your suggestions.” Mrs. Gentry walks in from the restroom. “The marketing ideas are fabulous. I’m glad you’re setting things up so I can sell my candles on the Internet. I’d been happy getting a booth at the Farmer’s Market every Saturday, but I know I need to grow. I can’t wait to see the business plan you put together. Thanks for taking time with me.”

She turns to Alexis. “Did you have a good time with Sophie and Chloe? I hope she wasn’t too much trouble.”

“None at all, Mrs. Gentry,” answers Chloe. “It was fun.”

“Yeah, we got to play lots of games we liked in kindergarten, without feeling babyish.” I nod.

“I love Sophie’s puppy!” says Alexis. “Can we get one, Mom?”

“Taking care of dogs can be expensive. We’ll have to see how my business does,” says Mrs. Gentry with a chuckle.

She grabs Alexis’ hand and moves toward the front door. “Let’s meet again next week. You can definitely sign me on as your first customer.”

“Oh, and here’s a little something for you and Chloe for helping me out.” She hands us both five dollars.

“Thank you, Mrs. Gentry!” We say at the same time.

“It’s so cool that your mom’s helping Mrs. Gentry sell her candles,” says Chloe a few minutes later in the den. She scrolls through her phone, and I half-watch a cartoon on the flat screen over the fireplace.

All the papers are picked up, and the room’s back the way it usually looks, with bright, comfy throw blankets on the soft, leather couch, and the colorful, wool rug brightening the tile floor.

Over in the kitchen, Mom’s on a call with Dad, telling him the good news about her first customer.

“We should start a business,” says Chloe. “It’d be cool to make our own money. I want to get some new leggings at the mall, but Mom says they cost too much. If we had our own business, I could save up and buy them myself.”

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My thoughts on Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day

This is my first time reading a Sophie Washington story. I loved this delightful middle-grade book. It teaches so many valuable lessons.

Earning your own spending money
Getting along with family, especially siblings
Responsibilities and chores
Supporting charities
Owning up to mistakes
Making restitution
Teamwork
Feeling down-hearted
Helping others in need
Female entrepreneurs

While touching on all these important values, Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day also tells an endearing tale that adults as well as, middle-grade readers will enjoy.

I can’t wait to read more books in this series.

I received a copy of the book for the tour. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

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About Tonya Duncan Ellis

Tonya Duncan Ellis is author of the Amazon bestselling, Readers' Favorite "Five Star" rated, 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), the Authors Guild, and the Brown Bookshelf's Highlights Foundation-sponsored, Amplify Black Stories storyteller cohort. In 2021, she won the Austin SCBWI Cynthia Leitich Smith Writing Mentor Award. She has worked as a journalist and a freelance magazine writer, and is a graduate of Centre College of Kentucky and Washington University in St. Louis.

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 Houston, TX.

The 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.

Over 70,000 children have enjoyed the adventures of Sophie and her friends. We hope you join them!

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