Tonya Duncan Ellis's Blog, page 14
July 24, 2019
Come Party With Me!
Join me and my friend, children’s author Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail, for a FREE end of summer celebration from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on August 10 at Sweets in the Sky bakery in Missouri City, TX. Buzz Lightyear and Woody from Toy Story will be on hand for selfies, and there will be door prizes, sweet treats, and newly released books! It’s going to be a lot of fun, and I hope you can join us.
We may pop in on Facebook Live for our out of town friends, so stay tuned for more information about that.
Hope your summer is going well, and I’d love to meet you in person at my FREE Summer Soiree event!
Tonya Duncan Ellis is author of the Amazon Best Selling, Readers’ Favorite “Five Star” rated Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).
www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @TonyaDEllis
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July 21, 2019
Upcoming Events: Tonya Duncan Ellis Books
July 27 – Aldine ISD Back to School Family Engagement Expo – Presenter (Raising Readers for Academic Success) 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., M.O. Campbell Education Center, Aldine Bender,
August 10 – Summer Soiree – Sweets in the Sky Bakery, FREE Community event. Sophie Washington: Mismatch Book Launch celebration with Amazon best selling author Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail (Alis the Aviator) Buzz Lightyear, Woody, door prizes, face painting and more! 12 p.m. -2 p.m., 4747 Highway 6, Missouri City, Texas
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July 17, 2019
Win a FREE Sophie Washington: Mismatch ebook!
Advanced reviews have started coming in for Sophie Washington: Mismatch, and readers are loving it!
“I love that people that aren’t always represented in literature are depicted in this book. The plot is entertaining and brought to life with great characters and realistic scenes. The occasional pictures are well drawn and cute. I would most definitely recommend this book.” – Readers’ Favorite
Sophie Washington: Mismatch will officially be released in all formats (paperback, hardback and ebook) on August 1, but I’m giving away 100 FREE ebook copies to lucky winners through Goodreads. The contest officially starts July 18 and you can enter through July 30.
To sign up in my Goodreads giveaway for a chance to win your own ebook copy of Sophie Washington: Mismatch, click here:
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Goodreads Book Giveaway
Sophie Washingtonby Tonya Duncan EllisGiveaway ends July 30, 2019.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Best wishes!
Tonya Duncan Ellis is author of the Amazon Best Selling, Readers’ Favorite “Five Star” rated Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).
www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Follow us on Instagram: @tonyaellisbooks
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @TonyaDEllis
The post Win a FREE Sophie Washington: Mismatch ebook! appeared first on Tonya Duncan Ellis.
July 15, 2019
Sophie Washington: Mismatch
Game…Set…Match!The 9th Sophie Washington book, Sophie Washington: Mismatch, will be on sale in just a few weeks, and I’m excited to share the new book cover with you!
Early reviewers of the book love it! And I hope you will too. I’ll be sending order information as soon as the book is available and will also be offering Sophie’s Club exclusive giveaways and promotions.
Here’s a summary of the story:
Sophie tries out for the school tennis team, and everything’s great, until the coach matches her with oddball, Mackenzie Clark, as a doubles partner. The girls have nothing in common, and to fit in with mean older girls on the team, Sophie talks about her partner behind her back. Mackenzie finds out and starts skipping practice. Then Sophie discovers a secret Mackenzie’s hiding that explains her strange behavior. Can she make things right with her partner in time for their first game, or was the pairing just a mismatch?
Come Party With Me!
Houston-area Sophie’s Club members are invited to a FREE Summer Soiree that I’m hosting at Sweets in the Sky bakery in Sugar Land, TX from 12-2 p.m. Aug. 10. It’s a celebration of my new book and the end of the summer vacation season! We’ll have Woody and Buzz Lightyear characters available for selfies, and there will also be sweet treats and other giveaways. Amazon bestselling picture book author Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail will also be on hand with copies of her new book, Alis the Aviator. I’d love to see you there!
Until then, enjoy the rest of the summer!
Tonya Duncan Ellis is author of the Amazon Best Selling, Readers’ Favorite “Five Star” rated Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).
www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @TonyaDEllis
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March 27, 2019
5 Reasons You Should Read Aloud to Your Children
From the time I brought my first baby home from the hospital, I read to her. All-time favorites were Goodnight Moon, Love You Forever and Green Eggs and Ham. Bedtime stories were part of the routine for all my children until late elementary school, and I still like discussing books they are reading on their own with them now that they are teens.
Parents should read aloud regularly to young children, according to experts. Here are five reasons why:
Reading With Kids Increases Their Vocabulary – Children who are read to have a richer vocabulary. According to a paper from the University of California Berkeley, reading books exposes kids to 50 percent more words than watching television. Kids learn to speak when we talk to them. Words in books are more diverse than the vocabulary we normally use when we talk to kids, so children who are read aloud to regularly learn and use more words in their conversation.
Kids Who Are Read To Read Earlier and Better – If you want your kids to read well, read to them. Twenty six percent of three-to-five-year-olds who are read to three or four times a week recognize their letters and numbers, according to the National Education Association, versus only 14 percent of kids whose parents don’t read aloud to them. Kids, who are read to at home do better in school, have higher math scores, and are more likely to graduate high school.
Reading With Kids Teaches Concepts–Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See? by Eric Carle, The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, and a host of other classic and modern day picture books teach children valuable concepts like their colors, shapes and numbers, and life lessons, like never giving up, sharing, and even the meaning of true love. Nightly reading of books with loved ones reinforces the learnings in a fun way.
Reading With Kids Helps Parents Bond With Their Children – Cuddling up with your little ones with their favorite books is the perfect time to unwind after a busy day. Reading aloud allows for those quiet moments, where cell phones, television, and other distractions are put aside, and parents and children can focus on each other. This is often the time when kids share their deepest dreams, fears, problems and other issues with parents, and is a time to cherish.
Tonya Duncan Ellis is author of the Readers’ Favorite “Five Star” rated Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).
www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @TonyaDEllis
The post 5 Reasons You Should Read Aloud to Your Children appeared first on Tonya Duncan Ellis.
March 9, 2019
A New Sophie Washington Book!
Sophie Washington: Code One
Code One, the eighth book in the Sophie Washington series is available now, and is already ranking #1 on Amazon! Keep your kids reading during spring break, download your copy HERE today!
About the Book
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 beat the boys, 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 young 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!
Tonya Duncan Ellis is author of the Readers’ Favorite “Five Star” rated Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).
www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @TonyaDEllis
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February 14, 2019
I Love My Sophie Washington Fans!
Sophie Washington books are all about positivity, family, and friendship, and what better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than to share the love from my fans! I’m always thrilled to get photos and letters from readers and I am so excited to see them spending their free time with books! Hope you enjoyed a wonderful Valentine’s Day, and thank you for supporting the Sophie Washington series!
Tonya Duncan Ellis is author of the Amazon bestselling, Readers’ Favorite “Five Star” rated Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @TonyaDEllis
The post I Love My Sophie Washington Fans! appeared first on Tonya Duncan Ellis.
January 27, 2019
Upcoming Events: Tonya Duncan Ellis Books
February 2019
February 7 – Author Visit, The Quail Valley Quails, Missouri City, TX
February 9 – Jack and Jill Heritage Day, Spring, TX
February 17 – Author Expo and Book Fair, The Church Without Walls, Queenston Campus, Houston, TX
February 23 – Author Visit, The Honor Roll School, Sugar Land, TX
February 24 – Author Expo and Book Fair, The Church Without Walls, Eldridge Campus, Houston, TX
Tonya Duncan Ellis is author of the Readers’ Favorite “Five Star” rated Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).
www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @TonyaDEllis
The post Upcoming Events: Tonya Duncan Ellis Books appeared first on Tonya Duncan Ellis.
January 11, 2019
Reading Resolution/FREE Book!
Have a 2019 reading resolution? I’m giving away three FREE books to help you meet it! Enter the giveaway by liking my Facebook page and sharing this post on Facebook for a chance to win one of three FREE copies of Amazon bestseller Sophie Washington: Mission: Costa Rica, plus a drawstring bag! The contest runs from now to Jan. 25, 2019. Happy Reading and Good Luck! *This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by Facebook and is limited to contestants in the United States. No bot accounts.
Tonya Duncan Ellis is author of the Amazon bestselling, Readers’ Favorite “Five Star” rated Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @TonyaDEllis
The post Reading Resolution/FREE Book! appeared first on Tonya Duncan Ellis.
December 27, 2018
Thanks for a Great Year!
I blinked and 2018 was over! It was an extremely busy and fun-filled year for the Sophie Washington series. Highlights were my visits to the San Antonio and Texas Book festivals, a writing contest win for Sophie Washington: The Snitch, a Kirkus recommendation for Sophie Washington: Hurricane, and best selling rankings on Amazon for the entire series. THANKS so much for your support of my books! I appreciate all the emails and posts from fans, and am thrilled to see kids excited about reading. Look for new book releases, Sophie swag and fan giveaways in the coming months. Wishing you a happy and blessed 2019!
Tonya Duncan Ellis is author of the Amazon bestselling, Readers’ Favorite “Five Star” rated Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @TonyaDEllis
The post Thanks for a Great Year! appeared first on Tonya Duncan Ellis.
