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Sophie Washington #7
Sophie Washington: Secret Santa
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Christmas is three weeks away and a mysterious “Santa” has been mailing presents to sixth grader Sophie Washington in this adorable, illustrated chapter book for middle grade readers. There is no secret Santa gift exchange going on at her school, so she can’t imagine who it could be. Sophie’s best friends, Chloe, Valentina, and Mariama guess the gift giver is either Nathan Jones or Toby Johnson, two boys in Sophie’s class who have liked her in the past, but she’s not so sure.
Sophie uncovers clues to find her secret Santa and the final reveal is bigger than any package she’s opened on Christmas morning. It’s a holiday surprise she’ll never forget!
This is the seventh 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)
Kids Ages 7-12
Click above to get your copy today!
Christmas is three weeks away and a mysterious “Santa” has been mailing presents to sixth grader Sophie Washington in this adorable, illustrated chapter book for middle grade readers. There is no secret Santa gift exchange going on at her school, so she can’t imagine who it could be. Sophie’s best friends, Chloe, Valentina, and Mariama guess the gift giver is either Nathan Jones or Toby Johnson, two boys in Sophie’s class who have liked her in the past, but she’s not so sure.
Sophie uncovers clues to find her secret Santa and the final reveal is bigger than any package she’s opened on Christmas morning. It’s a holiday surprise she’ll never forget!
This is the seventh 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)
Kids Ages 7-12
Click above to get your copy today!
Paperback
Published October 1, 2022
72 people are currently reading
1469 people want to read
About the author
Tonya Duncan Ellis
21 books356 followersTonya 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
Instagram: @tonyaellisbooks
www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Instagram: @tonyaellisbooks
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
November 23, 2019
This was cute:)
*Read for free from Kindle*
*Read for free from Kindle*
December 3, 2018
The story revolves around sixth grader Sophie Washington, her family and friends, especially her little brother Cole with his corny jokes who was my favourite. It is almost time for Christmas break when Sophie begins to receive packages from her Secret Santa. In the boxes she finds her favourite candies, a gingerbread house, and jewelry. She racks her brain to figure out who could be sending things to her and how they know what her favourite things are.
Along with this vein of mystery, the book also has other important aspects like dealing with bullies, forgiveness, and the importance of friendship and which makes it a wholesome read. I was reminded of Enid Blyton books because of the very clear distinction between right and wrong, good family values, and kids who are still innocent and likable. I now desperately want to read all the books in the series for their feel good factor.
Along with this vein of mystery, the book also has other important aspects like dealing with bullies, forgiveness, and the importance of friendship and which makes it a wholesome read. I was reminded of Enid Blyton books because of the very clear distinction between right and wrong, good family values, and kids who are still innocent and likable. I now desperately want to read all the books in the series for their feel good factor.
December 13, 2019
I'm a little unclear on exactly who the audience was supposed to be on this one; the writing style seemed a bit simplistic for even the age of the main characters, but it's possible that it's aimed at younger children or reluctant readers, which would explain some things. Even then, the style was not really my favorite (personal preference), and there were some typos/errors that I have a harder time excusing in a children's book. And now that I've said that, on to the story itself...
I liked the focus on gift-giving, and on the thoughtfulness of the gifts more than just the monetary value. The mystery was also well done, and although I thought I knew the "culprit" in the beginning, I ended up having to revise my thinking by the end, so that was well done, especially for a kids' mystery. ;)
I was pleased at the beginning when Sophie talked about not having/wanting/needing a boyfriend at her age (totally agree!), but I felt like that point was rather negated by all the focus on who liked who and wanted to be with who, even if there were no outright boyfriends/girlfriends involved. I get it that the characters are at an age when noticing/crushes/etc. do happen, but I didn't think it needed to be brought up quite so much or have so much of an impact on the story. I was also not a huge fan of all the bickering between Sophie and her brother.
Aside from the mysterious gifts, one of the main focuses of the story was on bullying, both in callbacks to an earlier book in the series and in an incident going on with Sophie's little brother. And here's where I come to my two biggest issues with the story. One--Sophie had apparently experienced very harmful bullying and seen some pretty bad consequences, and yet she still covered for her brother's black eye with her parents? I would think that if she had learned her lesson, telling an adult should have been an option she considered immediately, not only after things continued to escalate. That whole aspect really bugged me. Two--the solution on of her friends came up with for dealing with the bully on their own really, really got under my skin. Are we really trying to teach kids that the way to deal with a bully is to find an embarrassing incident in his past and turn the bullying back on him? That seemed way out of line. I will be fair and say that Sophie eventually applied a better solution, but the related put-downs did not go away, and the whole scenario just left a very bad taste in my mouth.
If not for those two issues, I would rate this a little higher, but as it is, they concerned me enough that I can't. :S
Content--mentions of physical and verbal bullying, including injuries; mentions of crushes and people liking each other; hiding situations from parents; arguments and insults; a boy is teased and called insulting names for a pant-wetting incident
I liked the focus on gift-giving, and on the thoughtfulness of the gifts more than just the monetary value. The mystery was also well done, and although I thought I knew the "culprit" in the beginning, I ended up having to revise my thinking by the end, so that was well done, especially for a kids' mystery. ;)
I was pleased at the beginning when Sophie talked about not having/wanting/needing a boyfriend at her age (totally agree!), but I felt like that point was rather negated by all the focus on who liked who and wanted to be with who, even if there were no outright boyfriends/girlfriends involved. I get it that the characters are at an age when noticing/crushes/etc. do happen, but I didn't think it needed to be brought up quite so much or have so much of an impact on the story. I was also not a huge fan of all the bickering between Sophie and her brother.
Aside from the mysterious gifts, one of the main focuses of the story was on bullying, both in callbacks to an earlier book in the series and in an incident going on with Sophie's little brother. And here's where I come to my two biggest issues with the story. One--Sophie had apparently experienced very harmful bullying and seen some pretty bad consequences, and yet she still covered for her brother's black eye with her parents? I would think that if she had learned her lesson, telling an adult should have been an option she considered immediately, not only after things continued to escalate. That whole aspect really bugged me. Two--the solution on of her friends came up with for dealing with the bully on their own really, really got under my skin. Are we really trying to teach kids that the way to deal with a bully is to find an embarrassing incident in his past and turn the bullying back on him? That seemed way out of line. I will be fair and say that Sophie eventually applied a better solution, but the related put-downs did not go away, and the whole scenario just left a very bad taste in my mouth.
If not for those two issues, I would rate this a little higher, but as it is, they concerned me enough that I can't. :S
Content--mentions of physical and verbal bullying, including injuries; mentions of crushes and people liking each other; hiding situations from parents; arguments and insults; a boy is teased and called insulting names for a pant-wetting incident
November 20, 2018
I have seriously fallen in love with the Sophie Washington Book Series!
This is the fourth book I’ve read in The Sophie Washington Book Series, and this is the fifth book in the series that I’ve featured on my blog! I have truly enjoyed every single one of them! So yes, I was stoked to read and review this book – and it did not disappoint one bit!
This book follows Sophie, now in sixth grade, and her family and friends in the beautiful suburbs of Houston, Texas. This book takes place just three weeks away from Christmas, when Sophie begins receiving packages marked from her Secret Santa. Sophie isn’t part of any Secret Santa program and can’t imagine who could be sending her all these gifts. Sophie and her friends start going through the possible suspects and narrow the list down to two boys, Nathan and Toby. Now they are determined to follow the clues and find out who the real Secret Santa is! This Christmas is sure to be one huge holiday event that Sophie will be sure to never forget!
I love the characters!! Sophie, her little brother, Cole, her family, her friends, Chloe, Valentina, and Mariama – they were all enjoyable, genuine, realistic, and relatable.
I really like that this book takes real-life issues head on and allows the young reader to easily connect with the characters and the situations they get into at home and at school.
This book really delves into bullying, which is such a hot topic these days. I love that the author doesn’t shy away from the ugliness and instead brings light to these issues. Kids are young and don’t always realize the right or wrong way to tackle these situations. This is another reason I love this book series as the author lets the characters make mistakes and learn from them – just like real kids would do. This book lets the characters work through real-life problems and hopefully will inform, teach, and inspire the young readers when they face similar situations.
I loved the mystery aspect of this book. I enjoyed following the clues and trying to solve the mysterious Secret Santa puzzle alongside Sophie and her friends.
There are some exciting twists and turns and unexpected moments that will keep you guessing!
I really enjoyed reading this book with Christmas just around the corner as it definitely got me into the holiday spirit! However, this book could easily be enjoyed any time of the year!
This book also offers insight into Sophie’s friends and family’s traditions of Christmas. This was really exciting to see all the different cultures and customs being represented.
This book series is just filled with so many wonderful life lessons and morals and this particular book did not miss the mark!
I liked that this book touched on so many topics such as friendship, family, love, forgiveness, life lessons, second chances, growth, faith, hope, bullying, torment, support, determination, overcoming challenges, new beginnings, unity, integrity, respect, compassion, appreciation, dignity, honor, humor, recognition, and so much more.
Mrs. Tonya Duncan Ellis remains showcasing her beautiful Houston and Texas roots by throwing in many references throughout the book since the book does take place in the Houston Suburbs. I have been to Houston many times, and I have lived in several parts of Texas before. So, I really enjoy when I read a book from there that the real Texas is found in the pages – and it sure was!
Mrs. Tonya Duncan Ellis continues to shine with her impressive writing technique with each Sophie Washington book! This book has a great storyline that flows, fantastic writing style with detailed scenes, beautiful illustrated images, well-developed characters, important and educational life lessons, is steady paced, and keeps you completely entertained through the last page – regardless of your age!
I think the best part of this book being for middle graders, is that it’s a fun, cool, intriguing, suspenseful book for them! It’s not a dumbed down kid’s book and it’s not a book that a parent can be worried that their kid is reading. It’s a book that a kid will want to read, won’t be embarrassed to read in front of their friends or their parents. It’s the right kind of a book a kid should be reading and the right kind of book their parent will be glad they are reading!
This book is book seven of the Sophie Washington Book Series. Although I have read other books in this series, this book can absolutely be read on its own as a standalone without any fear of getting lost or confused. However, I am really enjoying this book series, and would totally recommend the whole series!!
This book is “G” rated as there is no swearing, no violence, no adult situations, and no sexual content.
I would absolutely recommend this book for middle graders as I think they would love this book and the Sophie Washington Book Series!
This book is marketed towards middle grades and I totally agree! However, I might even go as far as to suggest this book for readers in third grade to seventh grade as they too would also easily enjoy this book and book series as well!
**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest, and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations.**
This is the fourth book I’ve read in The Sophie Washington Book Series, and this is the fifth book in the series that I’ve featured on my blog! I have truly enjoyed every single one of them! So yes, I was stoked to read and review this book – and it did not disappoint one bit!
This book follows Sophie, now in sixth grade, and her family and friends in the beautiful suburbs of Houston, Texas. This book takes place just three weeks away from Christmas, when Sophie begins receiving packages marked from her Secret Santa. Sophie isn’t part of any Secret Santa program and can’t imagine who could be sending her all these gifts. Sophie and her friends start going through the possible suspects and narrow the list down to two boys, Nathan and Toby. Now they are determined to follow the clues and find out who the real Secret Santa is! This Christmas is sure to be one huge holiday event that Sophie will be sure to never forget!
I love the characters!! Sophie, her little brother, Cole, her family, her friends, Chloe, Valentina, and Mariama – they were all enjoyable, genuine, realistic, and relatable.
I really like that this book takes real-life issues head on and allows the young reader to easily connect with the characters and the situations they get into at home and at school.
This book really delves into bullying, which is such a hot topic these days. I love that the author doesn’t shy away from the ugliness and instead brings light to these issues. Kids are young and don’t always realize the right or wrong way to tackle these situations. This is another reason I love this book series as the author lets the characters make mistakes and learn from them – just like real kids would do. This book lets the characters work through real-life problems and hopefully will inform, teach, and inspire the young readers when they face similar situations.
I loved the mystery aspect of this book. I enjoyed following the clues and trying to solve the mysterious Secret Santa puzzle alongside Sophie and her friends.
There are some exciting twists and turns and unexpected moments that will keep you guessing!
I really enjoyed reading this book with Christmas just around the corner as it definitely got me into the holiday spirit! However, this book could easily be enjoyed any time of the year!
This book also offers insight into Sophie’s friends and family’s traditions of Christmas. This was really exciting to see all the different cultures and customs being represented.
This book series is just filled with so many wonderful life lessons and morals and this particular book did not miss the mark!
I liked that this book touched on so many topics such as friendship, family, love, forgiveness, life lessons, second chances, growth, faith, hope, bullying, torment, support, determination, overcoming challenges, new beginnings, unity, integrity, respect, compassion, appreciation, dignity, honor, humor, recognition, and so much more.
Mrs. Tonya Duncan Ellis remains showcasing her beautiful Houston and Texas roots by throwing in many references throughout the book since the book does take place in the Houston Suburbs. I have been to Houston many times, and I have lived in several parts of Texas before. So, I really enjoy when I read a book from there that the real Texas is found in the pages – and it sure was!
Mrs. Tonya Duncan Ellis continues to shine with her impressive writing technique with each Sophie Washington book! This book has a great storyline that flows, fantastic writing style with detailed scenes, beautiful illustrated images, well-developed characters, important and educational life lessons, is steady paced, and keeps you completely entertained through the last page – regardless of your age!
I think the best part of this book being for middle graders, is that it’s a fun, cool, intriguing, suspenseful book for them! It’s not a dumbed down kid’s book and it’s not a book that a parent can be worried that their kid is reading. It’s a book that a kid will want to read, won’t be embarrassed to read in front of their friends or their parents. It’s the right kind of a book a kid should be reading and the right kind of book their parent will be glad they are reading!
This book is book seven of the Sophie Washington Book Series. Although I have read other books in this series, this book can absolutely be read on its own as a standalone without any fear of getting lost or confused. However, I am really enjoying this book series, and would totally recommend the whole series!!
This book is “G” rated as there is no swearing, no violence, no adult situations, and no sexual content.
I would absolutely recommend this book for middle graders as I think they would love this book and the Sophie Washington Book Series!
This book is marketed towards middle grades and I totally agree! However, I might even go as far as to suggest this book for readers in third grade to seventh grade as they too would also easily enjoy this book and book series as well!
**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest, and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations.**
September 27, 2018
Sophie Washington: Secret Santa is my favorite Sophie book to date. If a reader has read the first book from the series, they will meet again characters that they have not seen since. I enjoyed the little twist and mystery involve in the story
I highly recommend Sophie Washington: Secret Santa. I am giving it five plus stars.
I received this book from the author, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
I highly recommend Sophie Washington: Secret Santa. I am giving it five plus stars.
I received this book from the author, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
November 22, 2019
Sweet
A very sweet children's book about being kind and I like the fact that it has lots of smaller stories in it.
A very sweet children's book about being kind and I like the fact that it has lots of smaller stories in it.
November 30, 2019
Cute little story of middle grade kids having cute crushes, being surprised by Secret Santa's during Christmas. Cosy friendships and family story. Will recommend whosoever wants to get in the Christmas mood!
November 29, 2019
Engrossing read, even for adults--and a story that will keep your attention and remind you of what really matters.
September 12, 2018
Sophie Washington starts receiving unexpected Secret Santa gifts right before the holidays and goes on an exciting search to discover the mystery sender but instead learns about true friendship, love and forgiveness. In a world full of too young romances and artificial loves, this story of Sophie, her friends and family and the love and support they all share for one another is exactly what kids and teens should be reading about today. There are so many lessons to be learned in Ellis' novel and her Sophie Washington series is well worth the read.
September 13, 2018
I read this with my 4th grade son. We both loved it. It's an easy read but challenging enough for kids to keep them engaged. The narration was spot on for a 6th grade kid and my son found it very relatable. It was sweet and poignant and I loved the focus on the lessons of forgiveness and support. We are excited to read more Sophie Washington books together.
November 10, 2019
I received this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Read an excerpt and follow the Goddess Fish book tour here.
This is my favorite Sophie Washington book yet. Our fearless sixth-grader is back for a tale of holiday fun. This time, she’s receiving holiday packages from an unnamed sender. Is it one of the boys at school? Or is something else up?
Sorry, I’m not telling. Guess it’s a secret…Santa.
Seriously, though, this book is adorable. I loved seeing Sophie and her family around the holidays. Similarly, watching Sophie gear up for winter break with her friends was so cute. This book offered a glimpse into different cultures’ Christmas traditions, which was neat, too.
Something that really stuck out for me with this book was seeing Sophie truly be a big sister to her brother. They still fought, as siblings will, but when her brother got into a rough spot, Sophie was there to help make things better. I felt like a proud parent watching her.
I promised I wouldn’t spoil the secret, but the resolution of this story just warmed my frozen little heart. I was surprised in the best way. This book gets to the heart of what the holidays are all about, and I recommend it whole-heartedly to anyone wanting a beautiful story this holiday season.
Read an excerpt and follow the Goddess Fish book tour here.
This is my favorite Sophie Washington book yet. Our fearless sixth-grader is back for a tale of holiday fun. This time, she’s receiving holiday packages from an unnamed sender. Is it one of the boys at school? Or is something else up?
Sorry, I’m not telling. Guess it’s a secret…Santa.
Seriously, though, this book is adorable. I loved seeing Sophie and her family around the holidays. Similarly, watching Sophie gear up for winter break with her friends was so cute. This book offered a glimpse into different cultures’ Christmas traditions, which was neat, too.
Something that really stuck out for me with this book was seeing Sophie truly be a big sister to her brother. They still fought, as siblings will, but when her brother got into a rough spot, Sophie was there to help make things better. I felt like a proud parent watching her.
I promised I wouldn’t spoil the secret, but the resolution of this story just warmed my frozen little heart. I was surprised in the best way. This book gets to the heart of what the holidays are all about, and I recommend it whole-heartedly to anyone wanting a beautiful story this holiday season.
September 26, 2018
This is the second Sophie Washington book that I’ve read and I really enjoyed it. It’s such a good children’s series and I love how the characters come from multicultural backgrounds. What’s really nice is that the books don’t have to be in order in order to understand the story featured in each book.
In this book Sophie tries to figure out who her mysterious Secret Santa is all while celebrating the holidays with family. The ending is surprising because of the Secret Santa reveal, but I liked the buildup to the ending of the book. I love how heartwarming feeling in this story and the themes of gratitude and family/friends. It teaches it audience to appreciate what they have and to not take things for granted. Plus it gave me that fuzzy holiday feeling with all the illustrations of gingerbread houses and snow fights.
Compared to the previous book that I read, it was nice to see character growth from the main cast. I felt that the character absorb all the lessons and obstacles grow into stronger individuals. I feel like this is a fun children’s series for kids from ages 7-12.
In this book Sophie tries to figure out who her mysterious Secret Santa is all while celebrating the holidays with family. The ending is surprising because of the Secret Santa reveal, but I liked the buildup to the ending of the book. I love how heartwarming feeling in this story and the themes of gratitude and family/friends. It teaches it audience to appreciate what they have and to not take things for granted. Plus it gave me that fuzzy holiday feeling with all the illustrations of gingerbread houses and snow fights.
Compared to the previous book that I read, it was nice to see character growth from the main cast. I felt that the character absorb all the lessons and obstacles grow into stronger individuals. I feel like this is a fun children’s series for kids from ages 7-12.
December 30, 2019
Cute story
I found this e-book for free through BookBub. It's the first Sophie Washington book our family has read together and we enjoyed it. I read it aloud to my two boys, ages 8-12 and they loved trying to guess along with Sophie as to who her Secret Santa might be. This was an easy and quick read and I'd recommend it.
I found this e-book for free through BookBub. It's the first Sophie Washington book our family has read together and we enjoyed it. I read it aloud to my two boys, ages 8-12 and they loved trying to guess along with Sophie as to who her Secret Santa might be. This was an easy and quick read and I'd recommend it.
December 19, 2020
This is the 7th Sophie Washington book, but it is the first one I've read (but won't be the last). Sophie, 11, is a middle school African American girl who lives in Houston, Texas with her parents and younger brother Cole, 8. Dad is a dentist, mom works as his office manager, and both kids attend a private school.
It's three weeks before Christmas and the kids are looking forward to Granny Washington's upcoming visit. But before that happens, a package filled with all of her favorites candies arrives for Sophie and is simply signed Your Secret Santa. But who could that be?
The next day at school, friends Mariama, Chloe, and Valentina think it must be from a boy at their school, but who? After school, another Secret Santa present arrives, this time it's a gingerbread house and Granny Washington arrives just in time to put it together.
Meantime, Cole, who loves to play basketball after school, comes in with a black eye. Two boys from down the street, Rhythm, 8 and his brother Blu, 7, Brown (yes, their dad is a jazz musician, but he's never around) have been picking on Cole and finally decked him. Sophie helps him cover his black and blue eye while promising to figure out what to do about the brothers and still trying to solve the Secret Santa mystery.
When Sophie discovers that Nathan, a school friend, has also been receiving Secret Santa gifts, she can at least rule him out of the suspects list. But when he mentions something he noticed in the last present he received, they wonder if that could be a lead to the real Secret Santa. Will they finally be able to solve the mystery?
Sophie Washington: Secret Santa is a great holiday chapter book for kids in the lower middle school grades. Sophie is a great role model, a girl who has a nice relationship with her brother, looking out for him and helping him when he needs it, but getting annoyed when his sweet tooth is aimed at her sweets. Sophie gets along with her parents and Granny Washington, but isn't spoiled. She also isn't perfect which makes her realistic.
As I said, Sophie Washington: Secret Santa is the seventh book in the Sophie Washington series and that I had not as yet read any others. So, you may be wondering, did it work as a stand alone story? Yes, it did, simply because anything you needed to know from prior stories was explained just enough to keep the reader from being confused and getting lost.
If kids enjoy this story, they might want to circle back to the beginning of the series and catch up on all of Sophie Washington's adventures, beginning with Sophie Washington: Queen of the Bee. I should mention that these chapter books would make a great stocking stuffer, along with the Sophie Washington Super Fun Activity Book, filled with crosswords, word searches, coloring pages, mazes, writing prompts and more.
This book is recommended for readers age 8+
This book was gratefully received from the author and Penny Sansevieri at Author Marketing Experts
It's three weeks before Christmas and the kids are looking forward to Granny Washington's upcoming visit. But before that happens, a package filled with all of her favorites candies arrives for Sophie and is simply signed Your Secret Santa. But who could that be?
The next day at school, friends Mariama, Chloe, and Valentina think it must be from a boy at their school, but who? After school, another Secret Santa present arrives, this time it's a gingerbread house and Granny Washington arrives just in time to put it together.
Meantime, Cole, who loves to play basketball after school, comes in with a black eye. Two boys from down the street, Rhythm, 8 and his brother Blu, 7, Brown (yes, their dad is a jazz musician, but he's never around) have been picking on Cole and finally decked him. Sophie helps him cover his black and blue eye while promising to figure out what to do about the brothers and still trying to solve the Secret Santa mystery.
When Sophie discovers that Nathan, a school friend, has also been receiving Secret Santa gifts, she can at least rule him out of the suspects list. But when he mentions something he noticed in the last present he received, they wonder if that could be a lead to the real Secret Santa. Will they finally be able to solve the mystery?
Sophie Washington: Secret Santa is a great holiday chapter book for kids in the lower middle school grades. Sophie is a great role model, a girl who has a nice relationship with her brother, looking out for him and helping him when he needs it, but getting annoyed when his sweet tooth is aimed at her sweets. Sophie gets along with her parents and Granny Washington, but isn't spoiled. She also isn't perfect which makes her realistic.
As I said, Sophie Washington: Secret Santa is the seventh book in the Sophie Washington series and that I had not as yet read any others. So, you may be wondering, did it work as a stand alone story? Yes, it did, simply because anything you needed to know from prior stories was explained just enough to keep the reader from being confused and getting lost.
If kids enjoy this story, they might want to circle back to the beginning of the series and catch up on all of Sophie Washington's adventures, beginning with Sophie Washington: Queen of the Bee. I should mention that these chapter books would make a great stocking stuffer, along with the Sophie Washington Super Fun Activity Book, filled with crosswords, word searches, coloring pages, mazes, writing prompts and more.
This book is recommended for readers age 8+
This book was gratefully received from the author and Penny Sansevieri at Author Marketing Experts
November 19, 2018
If your child enjoys books with strong female protagonists, a hint of mystery, and the joy of Christmas, then Sophie Washington: Secret Santa by Tonya Duncan Ellis will be a perfect gift.
It's a few weeks before Christmas and Sophie and her friends are busy as school is coming to a close before the break. When Sophie begins receiving presents from a secret Santa, she can only guess who it might be. Is it one of her friends or one of the boys she knows? The answer might surprise her.
Though this is the seventh book in the Sophie Washington series, it's the first one I've read. It's a quick, fun chapter book with cute illustrations. As the reader gets to know Sophie and her friends, they eagerly turn the pages to see if they can figure out who Sophie's secret Santa really is. Sophie is spunky and she has a love him/not so in love with him relationship with her younger brother. In addition to the mysterious Santa, the book also addresses the topic of bullying. I don't think we can have enough books that tackle this issue, and I like the author's handling of it within this story.
If you set a story at Christmas, you've already partially won my heart. Sophie Washington: Secret Santa also inspires me to check out the previous books in the series to follow more of Sophie's adventures.
It's a few weeks before Christmas and Sophie and her friends are busy as school is coming to a close before the break. When Sophie begins receiving presents from a secret Santa, she can only guess who it might be. Is it one of her friends or one of the boys she knows? The answer might surprise her.
Though this is the seventh book in the Sophie Washington series, it's the first one I've read. It's a quick, fun chapter book with cute illustrations. As the reader gets to know Sophie and her friends, they eagerly turn the pages to see if they can figure out who Sophie's secret Santa really is. Sophie is spunky and she has a love him/not so in love with him relationship with her younger brother. In addition to the mysterious Santa, the book also addresses the topic of bullying. I don't think we can have enough books that tackle this issue, and I like the author's handling of it within this story.
If you set a story at Christmas, you've already partially won my heart. Sophie Washington: Secret Santa also inspires me to check out the previous books in the series to follow more of Sophie's adventures.
November 10, 2018
This is the second Sophie Washington book I’ve reviewed, and I’ll say the same thing about this one…these flow so well they are a fun and easy read no matter what your age. They all touch on so many things that are happen to children, things they have always had to experience. Things kids need to know about and know how to handle. Another realistic thing about them is even though Sophie and her brother are fictional kids they don’t always handle things in the right way or the way they’ve been taught; just like real kids. This story works through those problems too.
Since I’ve already mentioned the kids in this series of stories, you can probably tell they have been well-defined for me. I don’t know how anyone could think anything else. It’s the story that makes them well-defined. The actions they take, the way they think and resolve problems makes them seem like everyday kids. I hate to use the word real again, so I’ll say actual. You can use any adjective you want. This is a well-written enjoyable children’s book. Also for children at heart like me:)
Tony Duncan Ellis has a whole series of Sophie Washington books. All have good reviews.
***This book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are definitely my own.
Since I’ve already mentioned the kids in this series of stories, you can probably tell they have been well-defined for me. I don’t know how anyone could think anything else. It’s the story that makes them well-defined. The actions they take, the way they think and resolve problems makes them seem like everyday kids. I hate to use the word real again, so I’ll say actual. You can use any adjective you want. This is a well-written enjoyable children’s book. Also for children at heart like me:)
Tony Duncan Ellis has a whole series of Sophie Washington books. All have good reviews.
***This book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are definitely my own.
November 20, 2018
"Sofie Washington - Secret Santa" is a fun, easy read with lots of cool, single line black and white illustrations which are great for coloring. And I, especially love that idea.
Throughout the book, author and artist, Tonya Duncan slips in amazing little insights about what goes on in the minds of young boys and girls. The story is so filled with the details of every day life that the reader feels just like they are right there with Sofie while she is building a gingerbread house with Grandma or learning to ice skate for the first time with her best friends.
In fact, there are so many holiday season activities in this book that you will wish you were part of the middle school crowd at Sofie's school, Xavier Academy.
I've got to tell you, I really thought I knew who the secret santa was as I delved into this book but boy was I surprised to learn who it turned out to be. It actually brought tears to my eyes.
This is a touching story with a focus on bullying and the importance of family and friends. It is a great read. I wish I had had a friend like Sofie when I was growing up.
Throughout the book, author and artist, Tonya Duncan slips in amazing little insights about what goes on in the minds of young boys and girls. The story is so filled with the details of every day life that the reader feels just like they are right there with Sofie while she is building a gingerbread house with Grandma or learning to ice skate for the first time with her best friends.
In fact, there are so many holiday season activities in this book that you will wish you were part of the middle school crowd at Sofie's school, Xavier Academy.
I've got to tell you, I really thought I knew who the secret santa was as I delved into this book but boy was I surprised to learn who it turned out to be. It actually brought tears to my eyes.
This is a touching story with a focus on bullying and the importance of family and friends. It is a great read. I wish I had had a friend like Sofie when I was growing up.
February 14, 2020
Sophie has received a large box if candy from an anonymous person aka Secret Santa. Who can it be? All her friends are trying to guess. Next day there is another one! Her friends are teasing her about being liked by Nathan and Tony. Is one of them Secret Santa? Turns out later that Nathan has been receiving gifts as well thinking they were coming from Sophie.
Set in Houston, Cole, Sophie's 8 year old brother, is getting bullied because they attend private school. Tony promises to put a stop to it. Why? How?
This is a modern story-line. Kids have cell phones and are living in a multi-cultural area. Yes, Sophie and Cole should have told their parents immediately about the bullying. I wasn't so impressed with the illustrations in this book. Whilst part of a series, this book does not need to be read in order. It has a super ending - very surprising. I purchased this book for my Kindle. I was not required to write a review but chose to do so. Thanks, Liz
Set in Houston, Cole, Sophie's 8 year old brother, is getting bullied because they attend private school. Tony promises to put a stop to it. Why? How?
This is a modern story-line. Kids have cell phones and are living in a multi-cultural area. Yes, Sophie and Cole should have told their parents immediately about the bullying. I wasn't so impressed with the illustrations in this book. Whilst part of a series, this book does not need to be read in order. It has a super ending - very surprising. I purchased this book for my Kindle. I was not required to write a review but chose to do so. Thanks, Liz
October 6, 2018
Stop bullying with kindness
Secret Santa is the first book I read in the Sophie Washington series. I liked it very much. It is well written, with a nice flowing story and well placed humorous tidbits. Kids will easily relate to the cute, likable characters. It is very nice how the writer introduces Sophie’s multicultural classmates to the reader and how they all have they own unique characteristics, just like in real life. In this book, I met Sophie and her family and learned about their family values all while she is searching for her mysterious Secret Santa. The book moves along well right through to a good unexpected ending. One of the most important takeaways from this book is how kids can handle bullying, and that through a little patience, understanding, and kindness they can solve many problems. This book is a great read for elementary school children.
Secret Santa is the first book I read in the Sophie Washington series. I liked it very much. It is well written, with a nice flowing story and well placed humorous tidbits. Kids will easily relate to the cute, likable characters. It is very nice how the writer introduces Sophie’s multicultural classmates to the reader and how they all have they own unique characteristics, just like in real life. In this book, I met Sophie and her family and learned about their family values all while she is searching for her mysterious Secret Santa. The book moves along well right through to a good unexpected ending. One of the most important takeaways from this book is how kids can handle bullying, and that through a little patience, understanding, and kindness they can solve many problems. This book is a great read for elementary school children.
October 10, 2018
Have you ever received a gift from someone and had no idea who sent it? Sophie Washington received a number of gifts and was puzzled as to who would mail her gifts just before Christmas. There was no name or return address on the packages, only a note inside signed with Secret Santa Claus. She had to sharpen her investigative skills to find out who Secret Santa was. Sophie Washington: Secret Santa Claus has many themes in which young readers can relate: friendship, bullying, family, mystery, forgiveness, and the need to belong, just to name a few. This is a delightful story with many acts of kindness.
October 17, 2019
Holiday Magic
Sophie Washington is receiving secret gifts at her home leading up to Christmas. She is trying to figure out who could be her secret Santa. When her mom sees a return address in one of the packages and her friend from school, Nathan also has the same address in his secret Santa present ,they lookup the the address which is a girls home not far from their school. Just a good wholesome story that is devoid of necessary lessons for youngsters with the exception of how to possibly deal with bullies. Although this one didn't contain the easily grasped lessons this series is known for, it's still a good read for the middle grade set.
Sophie Washington is receiving secret gifts at her home leading up to Christmas. She is trying to figure out who could be her secret Santa. When her mom sees a return address in one of the packages and her friend from school, Nathan also has the same address in his secret Santa present ,they lookup the the address which is a girls home not far from their school. Just a good wholesome story that is devoid of necessary lessons for youngsters with the exception of how to possibly deal with bullies. Although this one didn't contain the easily grasped lessons this series is known for, it's still a good read for the middle grade set.
December 19, 2019
With winter break just around the corner, Sophie was working hard to get her school assignments finished. Then a mysterious package arrives—a box filled with candy and signed “Secret Santa.” Who could this be from?
Throughout the story, she keeps getting gifts, which further compels her to seek out this Secret Santa. Sophie plays a little spy.
A fun, little read! I admired Sophie for sticking up for her little brother, especially when she gets back at them through wits and not fists.
Throughout the story, she keeps getting gifts, which further compels her to seek out this Secret Santa. Sophie plays a little spy.
A fun, little read! I admired Sophie for sticking up for her little brother, especially when she gets back at them through wits and not fists.
December 11, 2019
A good book for young readers
I enjoyed this book despite my being an older fellow. I enjoyed the positive outlook throughout. It was clear that the focus was on what a person could become and not where they were at the moment, especially for those struggling or those being troublesome on purpose.
A good story that will encourage you to do some good even if you are older.
I enjoyed this book despite my being an older fellow. I enjoyed the positive outlook throughout. It was clear that the focus was on what a person could become and not where they were at the moment, especially for those struggling or those being troublesome on purpose.
A good story that will encourage you to do some good even if you are older.
November 27, 2018
A cute story for the younger crowd. Thank you for the opportunity to receive the book free. I have already passed it on to one of my friends who has an age appropriate child and I know they will really enjoy the book.
June 2, 2021
Another Good Adventure
This book is about another adventure that’s Sophia takes. This one is at Christmas and her secret Santa. You’ll be surprised at the end when you find out who the secret Santa is.
This book is about another adventure that’s Sophia takes. This one is at Christmas and her secret Santa. You’ll be surprised at the end when you find out who the secret Santa is.
December 2, 2018
This was a book I won for my niece and she loves to read to me and it was enjoyable for me as it was her! Sweet story!
November 18, 2019
Who is it?
Sophia becomes a detective, searching for her Secret Santa. The gifts keep coming and the search goes on. Then a scrap of paper and ... it all changes
Sophia becomes a detective, searching for her Secret Santa. The gifts keep coming and the search goes on. Then a scrap of paper and ... it all changes
December 2, 2019
While Sophie tries to discover her Secret Santa both she and Cole deal with bullies before finding a satisfying ending.
December 14, 2019
Kind
A sweet story of youthful kindness with a lesson of how to be good to others an they will return your kindness.
A sweet story of youthful kindness with a lesson of how to be good to others an they will return your kindness.
December 31, 2019
This book is a decent little Christmas story. I would give this book 3.6 stars.
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