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Tonya’s Year In Books

Tonya’s 2025 Year in Books

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Tonya Duncan Ellis

Goodreads Author

Born

in Louisville, The United States

Website

http://www.tonyaduncanellis.com

Twitter

TonyaDEllis

Genre

Children's

Member Since

November 2016

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Tonya Duncan Ellis is author of THEY BUILT ME FOR FREEDOM (HarperCollins, Balzer + Bray, 2024) and the SOPHIE WASHINGTON children’s chapter series. She 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. Tonya has spoken and taught at writing conferences at the Highlights Foundation and for SCBWI in New York City and for SCBWI Houston and Austin, TX chapters. A former journalist and freelance magazine writer, she lives in Houston, Texas.

www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
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Tonya Duncan Ellis’s books

Average rating: 4.41 · 2,417 ratings · 493 reviews · 21 distinct works • Similar authors

	Sophie Washington: Queen of the Bee 4.36 avg rating — 1,006 ratings — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	They Built Me for Freedom: The Story of Juneteenth and Houston's Emancipation Park – An SCBWI Award Honor Picture Book about Black American History for Children (Ages 4-8) by Tonya Duncan Ellis (Goodreads Author), Jenin Mohammed (Illustrator) 4.51 avg rating — 211 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sophie Washington: The Snitch 4.39 avg rating — 173 ratings — 9 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sophie Washington: My BFF 4.57 avg rating — 143 ratings — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sophie Washington: Things You Didn't Know About Sophie 4.13 avg rating — 135 ratings — published 2013 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sophie Washington: Secret Santa 4.29 avg rating — 113 ratings — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sophie Washington: Code One 4.57 avg rating — 93 ratings — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sophie Washington: Mismatch 4.63 avg rating — 86 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sophie Washington: Mission: Costa Rica 4.52 avg rating — 87 ratings — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sophie Washington: Class Retreat 4.28 avg rating — 83 ratings — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Tonya Duncan Ellis's Blog

Benefits of a Writing Retreat

I’ve attended a few writing retreats over the years. I return from every one refreshed, affirmed, and energized to continue in my creative practice. During writing retreats, I network with peers and almost always progress more on projects than I thought possible.

There’s something about spending a few days in a tranquil setting, where I’m well-fed, understood as an artist, and encouraged that make

Series by Tonya Duncan Ellis

Sophie Washington (14 books)
by

Tonya Duncan Ellis (Goodreads Author)

4.40 avg rating — 2,199 ratings

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Tonya Ellis has read Boom Town by Nic Stone (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 27, 2025 03:33PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Boom Town by Nic Stone. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Boom Town by Nic Stone <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Tonya Ellis has read A Study in Secrets (Last Chance Academy #1) by Debbi Michiko Florence (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 21, 2025 08:41PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Study in Secrets by Debbi Michiko Florence. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Study in Secrets by Debbi Michiko Florence <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Tonya Ellis has read Not In The Christmas Plan by Etta Easton (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 21, 2025 08:46AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Not In The Christmas Plan by Etta Easton. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Not In The Christmas Plan by Etta Easton <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Tonya Ellis has read The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 16, 2025 07:46PM · like
Tonya Ellis has read The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand (Goodreads Author) Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee in Readers' Favorite Fiction	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 13, 2025 11:38PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Tonya Ellis has read Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 05, 2025 03:35PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Tonya Ellis has read The Gingerbread Bakery (Dream Harbor, #5) by Laurie Gilmore (Goodreads Author) Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee in Readers' Favorite Romance	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 26, 2025 07:24AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Gingerbread Bakery by Laurie Gilmore. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Gingerbread Bakery by Laurie Gilmore <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Tonya Ellis voted for Good Dirt as Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction in the Final Round of the 2025 Goodreads Choice Awards. Cast Your Vote
Nov 25, 2025 01:39PM · like
Tonya Ellis has read No Purchase Necessary by Maria Marianayagam (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 20, 2025 07:23PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of No Purchase Necessary by Maria Marianayagam. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — No Purchase Necessary by Maria Marianayagam <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Tonya Ellis has read Spilling the Tea by Brenda Jackson (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 16, 2025 04:36PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Spilling the Tea by Brenda Jackson. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Spilling the Tea by Brenda Jackson <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Quotes by Tonya Duncan Ellis (?)

“get good grades”
― Tonya Duncan Ellis, Sophie Washington: Queen of the Bee

2 likes

“That’s easy for her to say. She’s old, so nobody cares about how she looks.”
― Tonya Duncan Ellis, Sophie Washington: The Snitch

1 likes

“Moooom! I was here first, and now she wants to change the channel,” he whines.”
― Tonya Duncan Ellis, Sophie Washington: Queen of the Bee

1 likes

See all Tonya Duncan Ellis's quotes »

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Making Connections: 5079. - SOPHIE WASHINGTON: QUEEN OF THE BEE by Tonya Duncan Ellis	3	7	Dec 31, 2017 06:42AM
Making Connections: 5081. - SOPHIE WASHINGTON: THE GAMER by Tonya Duncan Ellis	3	6	Dec 31, 2017 06:43AM
Making Connections: 5078. - SOPHIE WASHINGTON: THE SNITCH by Tonya Duncan Ellis	11	18	Jan 20, 2018 07:24PM
Making Connections: 5080. - SOPHIE WASHINGTON: THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT SOPHIE by Tonya Duncan Ellis	6	11	Jan 28, 2018 01:11PM
Genre Specific Re...: Children's Review Group 6 (closed)	60	48	Jun 19, 2018 08:51AM
Genre Specific Re...: Children's Books Review Group 11/2018 (Closed)	128	48	Jan 20, 2019 02:33AM
Making Connections: 5520. Sophie Washington: Mismatch by Tonya Duncan Ellis	1	10	Jul 23, 2019 07:11PM
Making Connections: 6530. Sophie Washington: Treasure Beach by Tonya Duncan Ellis	3	37	Jan 18, 2023 07:13PM
Genre Specific Re...: Children's Book Review Group 7 (reviewing)	76	68	Jun 14, 2023 05:03AM
Cozy Mysteries : * When You’re Not Reading a Cozy	1921	1149	51 minutes ago