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Sophie Washington #12
Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day
When Life Gives You Lemons…Make Lemonade
Sixth-grader Sophie Washington and friends learn lessons about entrepreneurship, team work, 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?
Sixth-grader Sophie Washington and friends learn lessons about entrepreneurship, team work, 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?
- GenresChildrens
Paperback
First published July 19, 2021
33 people are currently reading
1910 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 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 1, 2021
Kudos, Congratulations, Shouts, and gratefulness to Tonya Duncan Ellis for creating the character of Sophie Washington. If you have children in the middle grade range and they don’t have at least one Sophie Washington book, well you may be parenting poorly.
In this latest, Sophie and crew are destined to learn a little bit about entrepreneurship by getting involved in their local lemonade day. Of course little Ms. Sophie leads the way and pulls together a team of friends and enlists her mom as mentor as the team of budding entrepreneurs not only make and sell lemonade but have to complete a business plan with marketing and revenue projections. 😲
Yes, all that in a middle grade book. You can just imagine that business talk would be a difficult subject because you need to keep young readers thoroughly engaged to insure book completion. Well Tonya Duncan Ellis manages to pull this off with aplomb, easily making this a five star read. Sophie makes it effortless for the author to do because she is such a well drawn character. Polite, well behaved, good to her friends, helpful to her parents and loving to her baby brother.
She is the type of child you would want your own children to befriend! And the best way to do that? Buy this book and introduce your child to Sophie Washington. I’m not a betting man, but I guarantee that if your child reads one Sophie Washington book, they will ask for another! And there are twelve of them, so get busy, be a good parent!
In this latest, Sophie and crew are destined to learn a little bit about entrepreneurship by getting involved in their local lemonade day. Of course little Ms. Sophie leads the way and pulls together a team of friends and enlists her mom as mentor as the team of budding entrepreneurs not only make and sell lemonade but have to complete a business plan with marketing and revenue projections. 😲
Yes, all that in a middle grade book. You can just imagine that business talk would be a difficult subject because you need to keep young readers thoroughly engaged to insure book completion. Well Tonya Duncan Ellis manages to pull this off with aplomb, easily making this a five star read. Sophie makes it effortless for the author to do because she is such a well drawn character. Polite, well behaved, good to her friends, helpful to her parents and loving to her baby brother.
She is the type of child you would want your own children to befriend! And the best way to do that? Buy this book and introduce your child to Sophie Washington. I’m not a betting man, but I guarantee that if your child reads one Sophie Washington book, they will ask for another! And there are twelve of them, so get busy, be a good parent!
September 1, 2021
This lady writes phenomenal children’s books. They are as diverse as can be, but they are also “normal” or maybe I should say, they cover many situations every kid and many parents live through. Their school is a school where kids have all kinds of friends as well as a few with the prejudices we all live with today. Ellis doesn’t skirt around any of these points. She also doesn’t hesitate to address the everyday problems our kids have...siblings arguing, someone cheating at school, bullying, friends snubbing friends. I can’t name them all here. Each one is a good story, a good lesson and yet fun to read. None of these stories ever leave the reader with a hurtful feeling. It just leaves us (no matter the age) feeling better.
In this book about Lemonade Day, we find Sophie and her friends getting a little older. They all have the same woes of a kid, they all have the same joys of a kid. But somehow, I can feel the author beginning to grow and mature her characters a little. Somehow Sophie and all of her diverse wonderful friends could teach a lot of things kids must handle even as they begin to grow up. Tonya Duncan Ellis could easily approach the YA and Teen genre with her stories. She sure has helped Sophie and her friends and any other kid who has read her books. She’s made this old adult smile a lot too:)
In this book about Lemonade Day, we find Sophie and her friends getting a little older. They all have the same woes of a kid, they all have the same joys of a kid. But somehow, I can feel the author beginning to grow and mature her characters a little. Somehow Sophie and all of her diverse wonderful friends could teach a lot of things kids must handle even as they begin to grow up. Tonya Duncan Ellis could easily approach the YA and Teen genre with her stories. She sure has helped Sophie and her friends and any other kid who has read her books. She’s made this old adult smile a lot too:)
September 15, 2021
Tonya Duncan Ellis knocks it out of the park once again with Lemonade Day. You become immersed in the world of Sophie Washington and her friends as their latest adventure is learning how to become young entrepreneurs with a lemonade stand. It's quite different than when I was a kid! This group has to come up with a business plan, get a sponsor and a mentor, and donate part of their earnings to a charity. It's incredible the amount of work they have to put into it and they learn a lot. Kids reading this will also learn a lot about working hard and working together to achieve their goal. They may also feel encouraged to try to do something like volunteering with shelter animals!
As always, there are also lessons on friendship and how to navigate some sticky situations both with peers and with families. There's even a moment between Sophie and her mother having a brief, but real conversation that parents could learn from.
It's no secret that this is one of my favorite middle grade series to read and I often recommend it. This installment is no different and I continue to look forward to what's to come with Sophie and her friends.
As always, there are also lessons on friendship and how to navigate some sticky situations both with peers and with families. There's even a moment between Sophie and her mother having a brief, but real conversation that parents could learn from.
It's no secret that this is one of my favorite middle grade series to read and I often recommend it. This installment is no different and I continue to look forward to what's to come with Sophie and her friends.
December 1, 2021
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thank you!
Sophie and her friends decide to earn money for things they want by starting a lemonade stand and joining their school’s Lemonade Day, learning about teamwork, tolerance and entrepreneurship. Well done.
Sophie and her friends decide to earn money for things they want by starting a lemonade stand and joining their school’s Lemonade Day, learning about teamwork, tolerance and entrepreneurship. Well done.
September 8, 2021
4.5 stars
“Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day” by Tonya Duncan Ellis is part of the ‘Sophie Washington’ series that details the adventures of a young preteen in Texas. This book follows Sophie as she learns about teamwork, accountability, and hard work while she and her friends become junior business owners and participate in a citywide “Lemonade Day” event, with assistance from friends and family.
One of the reasons I enjoy this author so much is the way lessons about life are presented in such a relatable fashion in these middle-grade adventures. There is no problem understanding the sibling rivalry, or jealousy of a friend who seems to have more (beauty, friends, allure, material items, etc.), or even how a thoughtless statement can have a hurtful impact when none was intended.
I love the way I can identify with the emotions that Sophie experiences (even though childhood was a LONG time ago, lol) and the way she works her way through challenges until something positive results from them. This story does a great job of exploring the idea of entrepreneurship, teamwork, planning, and charitable giving. I love the diversity and variety of talents these kids embody, and the reminder not to discount anyone just because you can’t immediately tell what they can contribute. I love this series, and this is my favorite story yet!
A copy of this title was provided for review
“Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day” by Tonya Duncan Ellis is part of the ‘Sophie Washington’ series that details the adventures of a young preteen in Texas. This book follows Sophie as she learns about teamwork, accountability, and hard work while she and her friends become junior business owners and participate in a citywide “Lemonade Day” event, with assistance from friends and family.
One of the reasons I enjoy this author so much is the way lessons about life are presented in such a relatable fashion in these middle-grade adventures. There is no problem understanding the sibling rivalry, or jealousy of a friend who seems to have more (beauty, friends, allure, material items, etc.), or even how a thoughtless statement can have a hurtful impact when none was intended.
I love the way I can identify with the emotions that Sophie experiences (even though childhood was a LONG time ago, lol) and the way she works her way through challenges until something positive results from them. This story does a great job of exploring the idea of entrepreneurship, teamwork, planning, and charitable giving. I love the diversity and variety of talents these kids embody, and the reminder not to discount anyone just because you can’t immediately tell what they can contribute. I love this series, and this is my favorite story yet!
A copy of this title was provided for review
September 22, 2021
Sophie Washington and her friends are back for a sweet, fun story that is sure to inspire kids to follow their dreams.
Short of cash to buy a special present for her mother's birthday, Sophie is encouraged to take part in Lemonade Day, where young entrepreneurs learn how to start and operate businesses. With help from her friends and her annoying little brother, Sophie charges forward, only to have an accident destroy their supplies. With some creativity, they hope to get their plan back on track, earn the money they need, and support the local animal shelter.
Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day by Tonya Duncan Ellis is the second book in the Sophie Washington series that I've read. Sophie is smart and spunky, so readers will be drawn to her right away. I love how the author has created a diverse cast of characters to make the story relatable to everyone. Just like in Secret Santa, Sophie is faced with obstacles that challenge her. Though she gets frustrated, like any entrepreneur, she doesn't give up.
If you enjoy books with strong protagonists, the Sophie Washington series is one you should pick up.
Short of cash to buy a special present for her mother's birthday, Sophie is encouraged to take part in Lemonade Day, where young entrepreneurs learn how to start and operate businesses. With help from her friends and her annoying little brother, Sophie charges forward, only to have an accident destroy their supplies. With some creativity, they hope to get their plan back on track, earn the money they need, and support the local animal shelter.
Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day by Tonya Duncan Ellis is the second book in the Sophie Washington series that I've read. Sophie is smart and spunky, so readers will be drawn to her right away. I love how the author has created a diverse cast of characters to make the story relatable to everyone. Just like in Secret Santa, Sophie is faced with obstacles that challenge her. Though she gets frustrated, like any entrepreneur, she doesn't give up.
If you enjoy books with strong protagonists, the Sophie Washington series is one you should pick up.
April 10, 2023
Lemonade Day is a quick read (good for 4th-5th grades) with some great life lessons. Sophie hears about Lemonade Day through school and forms a team right before the deadline. Her mom is Sophie's mentor, and her dad helps her build the lemonade stand, but the kids do most of the work and planning. Sophie's parents encourage her to let her younger brother, Cole, be on the team—something she is against initially until she observes how her brother's artistic skills will help.
One of the story's strengths was the team's group dynamics. There were some jealousies, quite realistic when children work together on a project. Some kids inevitably work harder than others and go through some ups and downs with hurt feelings.
Tonya Duncan Ellis's book has many great life lessons in this story, including teamwork, problem-solving, resiliency, and dealing with individual personalities while focusing on others' strengths. The characters were realistically portrayed. This is the second Ellis book I've read, and I preferred this one over Queen of the Bee.
One of the story's strengths was the team's group dynamics. There were some jealousies, quite realistic when children work together on a project. Some kids inevitably work harder than others and go through some ups and downs with hurt feelings.
Tonya Duncan Ellis's book has many great life lessons in this story, including teamwork, problem-solving, resiliency, and dealing with individual personalities while focusing on others' strengths. The characters were realistically portrayed. This is the second Ellis book I've read, and I preferred this one over Queen of the Bee.
July 19, 2022
Another fun book in the Sophie Washington middle-grade chapter book series.
In this one, sixth-grader, Sophie Washington, decides to sign up for her school's Lemonade Day Challenge Event. Ten teams will compete.
Readers cannot help laughing and empathizing with Sophie. She manages to get in trouble for messing up her mother's files, failing to supervise her younger brother, and getting mixed up with the family dog, Bertram, and his mischief.
Sophie learns about scheduling, organizing a team, coping with supplies, and facing unforeseen delays. She manages to solve problems with her spirit of determination and perseverance. Readers learn lessons about teamwork, respect, and working with family members.
Readers might be inspired to become young entrepreneurs and learn a few life lessons along the way. Highly recommended for eight to twelve-years olds and adults who love to reminisce about their tween years.
In this one, sixth-grader, Sophie Washington, decides to sign up for her school's Lemonade Day Challenge Event. Ten teams will compete.
Readers cannot help laughing and empathizing with Sophie. She manages to get in trouble for messing up her mother's files, failing to supervise her younger brother, and getting mixed up with the family dog, Bertram, and his mischief.
Sophie learns about scheduling, organizing a team, coping with supplies, and facing unforeseen delays. She manages to solve problems with her spirit of determination and perseverance. Readers learn lessons about teamwork, respect, and working with family members.
Readers might be inspired to become young entrepreneurs and learn a few life lessons along the way. Highly recommended for eight to twelve-years olds and adults who love to reminisce about their tween years.
September 20, 2021
What a wonderful new addition to the Sophie Washington series. It’s great fun revisiting the characters from previous books and getting to see them in new adventures. This book featured lessons on learning to get along with each other as well as learning about working together for charity and to earn money for themselves. This reader was also very interested in learning about Lemonade Day – I had not heard of it before and love the idea!
The book is written in such a way that kids of all ages would enjoy it. The characters come alive and there is enough action and tension from problems that occur to keep everyone’s interest! It also shows kids how important it is to be careful about what you say and how to choose friends wisely.
Thanks for another great episode, Ms. Ellis!
The book is written in such a way that kids of all ages would enjoy it. The characters come alive and there is enough action and tension from problems that occur to keep everyone’s interest! It also shows kids how important it is to be careful about what you say and how to choose friends wisely.
Thanks for another great episode, Ms. Ellis!
August 29, 2021
Sophie needs money, so what should she do? Open a lemonade stand!
In this story, we follow Sophie and her friends and as they work together to save money and start their own business.
Quick and easy with some nice illustrations. There were some lagging areas, but, overall, a pretty good summer read.
In this story, we follow Sophie and her friends and as they work together to save money and start their own business.
Quick and easy with some nice illustrations. There were some lagging areas, but, overall, a pretty good summer read.
July 28, 2021
Great lesson for kids on running their own business.
Lemonade Day was a great book. The adventure of Sophie and her friends running their own lemonade stand was funny to read and it taught kids what it really takes to run a business at the same time. Good story!
Lemonade Day was a great book. The adventure of Sophie and her friends running their own lemonade stand was funny to read and it taught kids what it really takes to run a business at the same time. Good story!
September 28, 2021
I received this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
I think I say this every time, but this was another great installment in this series. It’s why I keep reviewing them—because they have so much heart and so many lessons. This book did a lot with business, inspiring kids (and, heck, adults) to follow their dreams and put themselves out there.
It was really nice to see Sophie working with her little brother in this one. They’ve had a rocky relationship through the series, as siblings do, but they really came together here. Lots of friend tension and family tension kept things interesting, and there were lots of cute puppies. One was small with puffy ears and named Lady. Do I detect a Disney reference?
So, yeah, read this. And if you haven’t, read the rest of the series. Buy them for your kids, niblings (that’s the gender-neutral term for niece/nephew, case you were wondering), grandkids, friends’ kids, kids in line behind you at the bookstore—you get the idea. It’s good stuff.
I think I say this every time, but this was another great installment in this series. It’s why I keep reviewing them—because they have so much heart and so many lessons. This book did a lot with business, inspiring kids (and, heck, adults) to follow their dreams and put themselves out there.
It was really nice to see Sophie working with her little brother in this one. They’ve had a rocky relationship through the series, as siblings do, but they really came together here. Lots of friend tension and family tension kept things interesting, and there were lots of cute puppies. One was small with puffy ears and named Lady. Do I detect a Disney reference?
So, yeah, read this. And if you haven’t, read the rest of the series. Buy them for your kids, niblings (that’s the gender-neutral term for niece/nephew, case you were wondering), grandkids, friends’ kids, kids in line behind you at the bookstore—you get the idea. It’s good stuff.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews