Sophie Washington: Class Retreat is a social issues/adventure novel for children, grades 4-6, written by Tonya Duncan Ellis. Class Retreat is about to begin, and Sophie and her friends are beside themselves with excitement. As they wait for the buses to load and carry them to Camp Glowing Spring, they discuss the activities they’ll be taking part in. Cole, Sophie’s eight-year-old brother, is still obsessing over Big Foot, which he’s been teasing Sophie about since the Washington family watched a show about the legendary creature. Sophie’s been having nightmares about Big Foot. Would there be a Big Foot in the woods surrounding the camp? She was determined not to go anywhere near those woods by herself. But there were so many things going on at Camp Glowing Spring, starting with a swim in the lake and later on a campfire where s’mores and a spooky story about the Ghost of Camp Glowing Spring were the featured attractions. This was the sixth-graders’ first trip on their own, without parents or pesky little brothers, and Sophie and her friends were determined to enjoy every moment of it.

Tonya Duncan Ellis’ Sophie Washington: Class Retreat is a marvelous coming of age story. Sophie and most of her friends have been relatively sheltered as students at Xavier Academy since they started school. The retreat is a grand adventure for Sophie and her friends. Anyone who’s ever been to camp will find themselves reliving the experience, and those who haven’t yet will be hoping for their own chance at a retreat or summer camp in the near future. Ellis’ characters have come to feel like old friends as I’ve followed their adventures in the Sophie Washington series. That said, each of the books can be read and enjoyed as a standalone novel, including this one. I loved seeing Sophie and her classmates in this setting and particularly enjoyed how the mystery of Big Foot becomes very much a part of their camping experience. Ellis’ plot is well-constructed and imaginative, and her story reads like the grand adventure it is. Sophie Washington: Class Retreat is most highly recommended.

“Go camping," they said. “It’ll be fun,” they said. Sophie Washington: Class Retreat by Tonya Duncan Ellis is for children in grades 4 to 6. Sophie is excited about going camping with her classmates. They’ll have so much fun swimming, playing games, and eating s’mores by the campfire. What she hopes doesn’t happen is encountering Big Foot. Her annoying brother Cole constantly talks about him. When they arrive at Camp Glowing Springs, students from another school bully Sophie and her friends and put peanut butter in their shoes. Timid Sophie refuses to join her friends when they retaliate, but when she sees a huge shadow in the woods, she knows she must do something or her friends will be in trouble.

I’m sure you will remember the good times and pranks that occurred while camping. New campers will learn a few pranks from reading Class Retreat from the wonderful Sophie Washington series. It’s a great story with realistic characters with very healthy appetites, and these kids love to eat! It also included bullying and being tactful when speaking. Tonya Duncan Ellis's approach to solving these social issues was great. Sophie and her friends were really offended by the bullies, but they did not cower. There are several morals in the story that will teach children it’s all right to be different, to look different, and that words can offend, even if it was not intentional. I like the cover illustration of the campfire scene. Class Retreat from the Sophie Washington series is highly recommended.