Game…Set…Match!Sophie Washington is trying out for the tennis team, and she’s excited to get a chance to play with her good friends Chloe and Mariama. That is until wacky Coach Quackenbush matches her with school misfit, Mackenzie “Big Mac” Clark, and things quickly go downhill. Sophie has nothing in common with her partner, who does odd things like run off the court in the middle of … off the court in the middle of practice, and she’s disappointed when Mackenzie shows no interest in the secret handshake she made up. After getting called out by the coach, being hit on the head with a tennis ball, and jokingly called the “most valuable player,” by mean older girls on the team, when she’s clearly not, Sophie’s ready to throw in the towel.
- 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)
- Sophie Washington: Code One (Book 8)
- Sophie Washington: Mismatch (Book 9)
more
“Sophie Washington: Mismatch” by Tonya Duncan Ellis follows the young heroine as she joins the tennis team and learns how to partner with a girl who is not part of her immediate circle. Not only does Sophie have to learn the rules of a new-to-her sport, but she also has to learn to be a good team player.
This story is another fun addition to the collection of tales in the ‘Sophie Washington’ series. I love the way the stories are entertaining and keep the reader’s attention but also teach multiple lessons. This particular tale showcases ways that bullying can take place, touches on the challenges of having two working parents in the household, and explores team sports and some of the elements of good sportsmanship that need to be learned while also learning the rules of the game itself.
One of the reasons I enjoy this series so much is that there are many teachable moments in each book, and the overall theme of “be kind to each other” is deftly portrayed in an engaging manner. The diversity of Sophie and her group of friends provide additional depth as other cultures are briefly touched upon and it is also terrific to see the way Sophie’s parents are involved with and invested in their children’s lives. I look forward to reading about more of Sophie’s adventures.
A copy of this title was provided for review
This book is such an enjoyable, entertaining, charming, and adorable read!!!
It was great catching back up with Sophie and her friends for another exciting adventure!!!
This book was a fun, quick, easy read that I was unable to put down! The pages just flew right by and before I knew it, I was already on the last page!
This is the sixth book I’ve read and reviewed in The Sophie Washington Book Series, and this is the seventh book in the series that I’ve featured on my blog! I have absolutely enjoyed every one of them! So, I was thrilled to read and review Tonya’s latest book in this series, “Mismatch.”
Tonya’s impressive writing skills only continue to improve, grow, and expand with each book!
I totally love the characters!! Sophie, her friends: Chloe, Mariama, Valentia, Rani, Toby, Nathan; her new tennis partner, Mackenzie; her tennis coach, Coach Quackenbush; mean girls: Kennedy, Lindsey, and Jacqueline; her mom and dad, her little brother, Cole, and their adorable family dog Bertram. They were all enjoyable, genuine, realistic, and relatable.
I was so happy to see so many returning characters!! I tend to get invested in my characters – especially in a book series, so I was glad to see everyone come back and pick right up where we left off from the last book.
I always tend to bond more with Sophie and this book was no different. However, I also felt a bit of a connection with Sophie’s new friend and tennis partner, Mackenzie. Mackenzie is keeping a big secret about her health from everyone at school and on the tennis team. When I was in seventh grade I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and was constantly in pain. But at only eleven years old it’s hard to explain that feeling and what I’m going through to fellow classmates. They don’t understand. Especially when your illness is internal, as is Mackenzie’s too, if people – even more so at a kid’s age don’t see bruises or broken bones or some injury that requires a Band-Aid, they don’t get how you can be experiencing pain inside. So, I totally get why Mackenzie wanted to keep her illness private, but it certainly led to some confusion, misunderstandings, and misjudgments.
Health issues when you’re a kid can be really embarrassing so I also get why Mackenzie wanted to keep it secret. Besides the Fibromyalgia I also had severe Asthma which made it difficult to participate in P.E. and exercise. When I was in school twice a year in gym class they would weigh and measure us, and the gym teacher would yell out our stats to his assistant to write down and the entire class could hear the results – it was humiliating!!! Now a days, kids are still measured in gym class, but their results of their weight, height, BMI, etc., are printed on their report cards!!! How horrifying??!! If I wasn’t in good shape, I certainly wouldn’t want to keep that report card no matter if those stats were next to all A+’s!!! Why would I want that reminder or want anyone to accidentally see that?? Yes, there is a huge problem today with kids and obesity but embarrassing them into losing weight is not the right answer!!!
I really liked the scene of the assembly presentation and when the nutritionist taught the kids smart, healthy, easy to make, delicious after-school snacks. That was a fun and creative way to integrate smart and healthy food choices that can help lead to future better eating habits!!! That is a great way to help fight childhood obesity!!! A big part of the problem is lack of education and understanding of how calories work and knowing about alternatives – besides just beets, kale, and broccoli – which no kid truly wants to eat lol.
I also have to mention how captivated I was by Valentina in this book! Even though she had been recently injured and on the sidelines for most of the book, she was still her loud, entertaining self! You can’t take the cheer out of the cheerleader lol as she rooted on Sophie and Mackenzie from the bleachers regardless that tennis matches usually prefer the audience hold their applause so the players can concentrate lol.
I love that this book takes real-life issues head on and allows the reader to easily connect with the characters and the situations they get into at home, at school, and on the court.
This book really focused on mean girls, bullying, not judging someone before you have all the facts, peer pressure, sibling rivalry, working family households, keeping secrets, miscommunications, misunderstandings, and health and wellness.
This book is full of valuable lessons that readers of ALL ages can enjoy, appreciate, and learn from!
I also love the family scenes with Sophie, her younger brother, Cole, and their parents. It’s refreshing, uplifting, and inspiring! Whether they’re going on bike rides, attending church, or just gathering around the table for dinner – it’s quality family time that every family should strive to have some form of – regardless how small or big one’s family is.
I liked that this book touched on so many topics such as friendship, family, love, forgiveness, bullying, torment, health and wellness, sibling rivalry, misjudgments, misconceptions, false impressions, sportsmanship, peer pressure, support, overcoming challenges, perceptions, self-esteem, respect, compassion, appreciation, acceptance, recognition, and so much more.
This book has a creative story line, structured outline, evenly paced plot points, detailed scenes, relatable characters, important and useful life lessons, instilled valuable morals, and keeps you engaged through the last page – regardless of your age!
I really enjoyed reading this book and wish these books were around when I was a kid. I look forward to being able to share this book series with my kids that I hope to have one day in the future!!
I think the best part of this book being for middle graders, is that it’s a fun, cool, intriguing 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 nine of the Sophie Washington Book Series. Although I have read many of the 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 totally LOVE this book series, and would definitely recommend the whole series!!!
This book is “G” rated as there is no swearing, no violence, no adult situations, and no sexual content.
All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book and would absolutely recommend it! I think all children’s middle grade readers and in all honesty readers of all ages will like this book too – and this book series! So, add it to your TBR List and get to reading – you won’t be disappointed!
**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest, and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations.**
I am a fan of every one of Tonya Duncan Ellis’ books I have read and reviewed. I also have to tell you that regardless of age, this is a series (Sophie Washington) that everyone should read at least one of. Buy one, check it out in your library, whatever. It is always a good story. It always makes you feel good and it always teaches a value or maybe just a good reminder, even for those of us a little older than the Children’s Middle Grade genre.
This has to be one of the best ways to tell a story and get a point across to any kid. It’s fun to read. It’s very realistic. It’s about things we may have all thought of at one time or another. Her characters make it so easy to talk about the same things to kids but even more than that…it leaves many things open to discussion or should I say leads to many other aspects of discussion. Ones we need to have so much in today’s world. And yet, it’s fun.
I suppose the above gives you the idea that I like this series. I really do. I think you will too.