Tonya Duncan Ellis's Blog, page 17
April 16, 2018
Ten Tips To Get Your Kids Reading This Summer
Summer vacation is a few weeks away, and many students can’t wait to fling their backpacks in a corner until it’s time to go school shopping again. But kids who live by the old poem “no more pencils, no more books, no more teacher’s dirty looks,” when school’s out are at a disadvantage.
It takes teachers up to six weeks to reteach skills forgotten during the summer and some kids never catch back up, according to Scholastic. One in five kids ages 12-17 and one in five kids in low income brackets don’t read a single book in the summer. Reading just four to five books can keep your kids on track.
Here are ten ways to make it happen:
1. Check Out Library Contests – Most libraries run summer reading incentive programs that give cool prizes like book marks, trophies and even movie and sporting event tickets to young readers. Have your child sign up with a friend or sibling to give more inspiration.
2. Sign Up for a Bookstore Program – Barnes and Noble, Half Price Books, Books-A-Million and other bookstores offer free books and prizes to kids for reading specified number of books in the summer.
3. Binge Read a Series – Just like they binge watch shows on Netflix encourage kids to binge read their favorite book series during the summer. Give them a pass on doing a few chores or let them stay up later to read.
4. Start a Book Club – Get your child and a few close friends together to socialize and discuss books they are reading this summer. Serve fun snacks and prep discussion questions about the plot and favorite characters.
5. Read Together – Chose a book you and child can read together and discuss. This is a great way for you to rediscover books you loved as a child and share them or get a better glimpse into your child’s world by learning about their interests (Captain Underpants was an eye opener for me!)
6. Book and a Movie – Wonder, the Harry Potter series, Ready Player One and classics like Charlotte’s Web, A Wrinkle In Time, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and a host of other books have film adaptations that you can share with your child after they finish reading their books.
7. Try New Genres – Maybe your child doesn’t like longer chapter books and is interested in graphic novels, or wants to learn more about a famous person or sports figure they’d like to read about in a nonfiction book. You could also introduce your child to poetry, or have him read articles in your local newspaper.
8. Trade Screen Time for Reading – If your child is a big time gamer or loves connecting on social media you might have luck bartering extra screen time for hours spent reading a book they select.
9. Encourage Reading During Commutes – Road trips or commute time around your city can be great times to get your child excited about reading, as long as looking down at the book doesn’t make them car sick.
10. Read About Vacation Spots –If your family is traveling away from home on vacation encourage your kids to read fiction books set in the area you will be visiting or nonfiction books that tell the local history.
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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April 12, 2018
Reviews of Sophie Washington Book Series
Sophie Washington: Hurricane
“An uplifting disaster story that touches on kids’ real concerns.” – Kirkus Reviews
“The story is very exciting, and will keep the reader captivated. The book accurately describes the fear of going through a hurricane. I was hooked by the first page and I never wanted to put the book down.” -Readers’ Favorite
Sophie Washington: The Gamer
“A satisfying read, full of real-life lessons and good-hearted characters.” – Kirkus Reviews
Sophie Washington: Things You Didn’t Know About Sophie
“It is an enjoyable read and what makes it an interesting read are the subtle messages about friendships and the importance of being truthful.” – Readers’ Favorite
“I found it reminded me a bit of the Junie B. Jones books with how they both managed to truly capture the personality of a child in their main characters.” -Readers’ Favorite
Sophie Washington: The Snitch
“Ellis’s plot is convincing and fun to read, especially the ongoing antics between Sophie and her little brother, Cole. This is a series worth watching.” – Readers’ Favorite
Sophie Washington: Queen of the Bee
“Sophie Washington: Queen of the Bee is a grand look at the preteen years, and Sophie Washington is a marvelous main character. This book is most highly recommended.” – Readers’ Favorite
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).
Like Us on Facebook: @Tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @TonyaDEllis
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April 6, 2018
Video Killed the Toys R Us Store
It was a sad day when Toys R Us announced it was going out of business a few weeks ago, and when I drove by my neighborhood toy store and saw the huge sign the news hit home. There will be no more “Toys R Us kids.” A beacon of my childhood is becoming a memory of the “good old days.” People blame the closing on Amazon and the rise of online shopping. I blame it on electronics. Kids don’t play with toys as much as they used to. All my kids want are video games or gadgets, and I see the same trend with their friends. Gifts of board games, remote control cars and science kits sit unused while the Xbox and PlayStation stay lit up from dawn ’til dusk unless we order them to hit the off switch. Go in any restaurant and you’ll see a baby or toddler entranced by a Peppa Pig or Sesame Street YouTube video on the iPad, or tweens and teens sharing on Snapchat, while their parents scroll through phones. Where are the blocks, Barbies and board books? On the Island of Misfit Toys? A good friend went to use up some old Toys R Us gift cards while they are still valid and could find NOTHING in the 35,000 square foot building full of toys that her elementary and middle school kids would want. “Guess I’ll just grab some soccer balls or sports equipment,” she said. Tragic. I had the same experience looking for Christmas gifts for my 12 year old this year. He struggled to find options when we took video games off the table. I guess times change and just like I wasn’t playing with hobby horses or whatever my mom was into at my age when I was a kid, each generation will have it’s own “It” thing to do. Still, it makes me sad.
Tonya Duncan Ellis is the author of the 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).
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @TonyaDEllis
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March 29, 2018
Excerpt: Sophie Washington: Hurricane
Chapter 1
Lightning
Kablam!
“Ahhhhhowwwww!!!” my little brother Cole’s screams combine with our dog Bertram’s howls, as a blinding light flashes near the backyard. The hair on my arms stands on end. We zoom to the kitchen race car fast.
“Mooom!” I call.
Thunder booms. I cover my ears to stop the ringing. My mother, wild-eyed, joins us.
“It’s lightning!” she cries, pulling Cole and me in for a group hug; Bertram shivers in the middle.
Outside, rain pounds down in sheets. The power cuts off.
“Great,” says mom, as she stumbles through the blackness to the pantry to find candles and a lighter.
For about three minutes, we huddle together quietly in the dimly lit room.
“What do we do now?” Cole breaks the silence.
He edges way too close to me, and I have the urge to shove him off like I usually do, but I feel sorry for my little brother because if I’m scared, I’m sure he’s terrified.
Poot!
“Ewwwww! You are so nasty, Cole!” Now I do push my little brother back. Leave it to him break wind at a time like this.
“Excuse me,” he says.
My mother starts giggling.
“I can’t believe you’re laughing, Mom!” Pinching my nose, at the sulfurous odor I stamp my feet.
The lights flick back on, and I squinch. Bertram barks and wags his tail happily.
I exhale, then sharply breathe back in a few seconds later, when we hear a clatter coming from the garage.
“Wait here, kids,” our mother cautiously moves toward the door that leads outside.
“Be careful,” I warn.
A minute later, she comes back, and my father follows. He’s wearing green scrubs from his dental office, so he must have had to fill cavities today. As usual, he looks calm even though the rest of us are freaking out.
“Daddy!” Cole and I cry, nearly knocking him down with our hugs.
The thunder was so loud we didn’t hear the garage door open.
“Did you see this?” he asks holding up a burnt plastic square that looks like a lunchbox someone set on fire.
“Lightning must have struck our back fence, and the volts burned up the electrical sockets to the sprinkler system,” Dad explains. “This box was blown across the wall clear to the other side of the garage when I came in.”
“Thank goodness it didn’t start a house fire!” Mom responds.
She starts moving around the kitchen to finish dinner, as things get back to normal, and I sit down to catch my breath. I see Cole sneaking his handheld video game out to play his favorite Video Rangers game. The rain has slowed down to a drizzle. I absently stroke Bertram’s black, curly fur and look out the window at water gushing from our sprinkler system.
I’ve always felt it was like the Animal Planet channel here in our home near Houston, Texas. We’ve had huge buzzards on our roof, wild pigs in our front yard, and last year, we actually saw an eight-foot-long alligator in our subdivision when we were riding our bikes. Those things were crazy, but lately, it seems as if the natural world it taking over even more. My friend Mariama and her family had to ride down their neighborhood in a kayak last year when rain water flooded their house, and Dad’s dental office filled with almost two feet of water too.
Lately, we’ve had Noah’s ark-like rain storms, and according to the weather reports, it’s going to get worse.
“Turn on the news and see what they are saying,” says Dad.
“A Category 2 hurricane is headed toward Corpus, Christi, TX,” says the newscaster. “We are watching the storm closely and will keep you updated on all developments.”
“What’s a hurricane?” asks Cole. “Isn’t Corpus Crispi where Granny Washington lives?”
“It’s Corpus Christi, Silly” I say smacking his head.
“A hurricane is a huge storm that has heavy rain and lots of wind,” explains mom. “Remember when we had Hurricane Ike a few years ago and all those trees in our front yard fell down?”
“He was only two then, and he’s still a baby now,” I laugh.
“At age 11, it’s not like you’re a senior citizen,” mom replies.
“I’d better call your grandma to see what her plans are,” Dad pulls out his cell phone.
He waits a few seconds with the phone to his ear, then starts dialing again. “That’s funny,” he frowns. “The phone keeps dropping my calls. Your grandma keeps her phone charged at all times, so I wonder if the reception there is just bad because of the storm.”
Ten minutes later, Dad still hasn’t reached our grandma, and we all start to worry.
“I hope the storm doesn’t wash Granny Washington away,” Cole exclaims. “Where is she?”
Want More?
Click Here To Buy Sophie Washington: Hurricane!
Tonya Duncan Ellis is the author of the 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).
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March 26, 2018
I Met Chelsea Clinton!
I was thrilled to get a signed copy of the new Chelsea Clinton book She Persisted Around the World at Blue Willow Bookshop and gift her with Sophie Washington: Hurricane and a copy of the article we’re both featured in. Hope her visit to H-Town was a good one!
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February 20, 2018
Upcoming Events
Word just in – Sophie Washington books will be featured as an exhibit at the San Antonio Book Festival on April 7! I’m so excited!! Over 20,000 visitors attend this event and it will be a great place to share my books.
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February 6, 2018
My Memories With Maya Angelou
Post from The Avid Reader Blog:
(This is my response about my meeting with acclaimed author Maya Angelou from a question posed on my Sophie Washington: The Snitch blog feature in the Avid Reader blog. Some have had trouble accessing it from the blog link so I’m reposting it here. Enjoy! 
January 31, 2018
World Read Aloud Day
Tomorrow is World Read Aloud Day! A few days ago someone asked me what my favorite books to read to my children are. Now that they are teens and preteens, I don’t read to them every night like I used to, but we had quite a few favorites that I want to share:
Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown – I read this book so many times when my children were in preschool and early elementary that I could recite it by heart. It’s so soothing and sweet, like poetry. Despite all the parodies, everyone loves this book. The Big Red Barn by this author is a great one too.
Peek-A-Who by Nina Laden – Babies love playing the peek-a-boo game, and this cute and colorful book that has a mirror in the back so the child can see themselves is a great way to keep the fun going.
Love You Forever by Robert Munsch – Shows the changing relationship between a mother and son as he grows and she ages. This tearjerker beautifully illustrates the circle of life and the deep love of a mother and child.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff – This circular story that starts and ends with a mouse getting a cookie and a glass of milk is good for plenty of giggles and cuddles.
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison – I’ve been going on and on about this book lately. It combines lovely illustrations of famous female black achievers throughout history, drawn as their childlike selves. I’ll be reading this to the kids I teach in Sunday school throughout Black History Month and for years to come. Here’s hoping she writes a history book that includes boys as well!
January 28, 2018
Radio Visit Wrap-Up
I had an awesome time making an appearance on the Joyful Life With Joy Sewing and Todd Ramos radio show this past Saturday! It was great to share the spotlight with New York Times Best Seller Vashti Harrison who called in from Brooklyn to talk about the process she used to illustrate and write her beautiful Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History book. I have a copy that I keep on the coffee table in my living room and can’t wait to share it with my Sunday school students during Black History Month and read myself throughout the year!
I hope the two callers who won copies of my Sophie Washington four-book packs and coloring books enjoy their wins. It was a morning to remember!
@joysewing @vashtiharrison #authortonyaduncanellis
January 25, 2018
Sophie Washington Radio Feature
I’m going to be on the radio! Tune into The Joyful Life With Joy Sewing & Ray Stamos on Amazing 102.5 FM from 12-1 p.m. this coming Saturday, Jan. 27 to hear about my author journey. Fabulous author and illustrator Vashti Harrison will also be featured. There will be a chance to win free Sophie Washington books! If you’re not in Houston you can download the free 102.5 app to listen, or connect on your computer at www.amazing102fm.com.
