Sonja Thomas

Sonja Thomas writes for kids of all ages. Her debut middle grade novel, Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence, is an Oregon and Washington State Book Award finalist, an Oregon Spirit Book Award Honor recipient, and a Bank Street Best Children’s Book selection. She’s a contributing author for Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Real-Life Tales of Black Girl Magic. Her latest book Olive Blackwood Takes Action! received “Two thumbs up for this necessary novel about anxiety and self-advocacy” from Kirkus Reviews.

​A transplant from the east coast, she’s now “keeping it weird” in the Pacific Northwest.

Olive Blackwood Takes Action!

An anxious aspiring filmmaker bands together with an unlikely friend group to protect their beloved state animal in this “stirring” (Booklist) contemporary middle grade novel perfect for fans of Jamie Sumner and Erin Entrada Kelly.

Twelve-year-old Olive Blackwood’s dream is to direct blockbuster fantasy movies, just like her dad wanted to before he died. She decides to apply to the highly competitive Rose City Summer Film Camp with the help of her best friend, Kayla. But Olive isn’t sure how she can cast the movie when the mere thought of talking to a stranger makes her nervous.

Then a surprise project in Olive’s film class presents her best chance at going to Rose City: the group who makes the best documentary trailer will receive a recommendation to the elite program! But Olive’s hopes are quickly dashed when she’s paired with the two worst students in class: loud Jo Willems has a flashy style of dressing just as intimidating as their outspoken opinions and David Moore is even quieter than Olive, fading into the background. It seems impossible for the three of them to find enough common ground to produce something noteworthy.

When Olive stumbles across an old lady chasing a beaver with a frying pan, she’s disturbed to discover it’s legal to kill beavers in Oregon—which has the animal on the state flag! Olive posts the video she took of the incident, and it goes viral. She wants to raise more awareness, and if she uses her documentary to do it, she could even get the coveted Rose City recommendation at the same time.

With the help of unexpected friendship, counseling, and a little everyday magic, can Olive make her voice be heard?​
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Publisher: Aladdin/S&S
ISBN: 9781665939331 (hardcover); 9781665939348 (paperback)
Publication Date: May 14, 2024​​

Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence

From the Desk of Zoe Washington meets Ways to Make Sunshine in this “noteworthy” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) middle grade novel about a determined young girl who must rely on her ingenuity and scientific know-how to save her beloved cat.

Twelve-year-old Mira’s summer is looking pretty bleak. Her best friend Thomas just moved a billion and one miles away from Florida to Washington, DC. Her dad is job searching and he’s been super down lately. Her phone screen cracked after a home science experiment gone wrong. And of all people who could have moved into Thomas’s old house down the street, Mira gets stuck with Tamika Smith, her know-it-all nemesis who’s kept Mira in second place at the school science fair four years running.

Mira’s beloved cat, Sir Fig Newton, has been the most stable thing in her life lately, but now he seems off, too. With her phone gone and no internet over the weekend at her strict Gran’s house, Mira must research Fig’s symptoms the old-fashioned way: at the library. She determines that he has “the silent cat killer” diabetes. A visit to the vet confirms her diagnosis, but that one appointment stretched family funds to the limit—they’ll never be able to afford cat insulin shots.

When Mira’s parents tell her they may have to give Fig up to people who can afford his treatment, Mira insists she can earn the $2,000 needed within a month. Armed with ingenuity, determination, and one surprising ally, can Mira save her best (four-legged) friend before it’s too late?
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Publisher: Aladdin/S&S
ISBN: 9781534484924 (hardcover); 9781534484931 (paperback)
Publication Date: March 22, 2022​​

Good Night Stories For Rebel Girls: 100 Real-Life Tales of Black Girl Magic

A PARENTS' FAVORITE PRODUCTS TILLYWIG AWARD WINNER 2022

The fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls series, featuring 100 barrier-breaking Black women and girls who showcase the spirit of Black Girl Magic.

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Real-Life Tales of Black Girl Magic, edited by award-winning journalist Lilly Workneh with a foreword by #BlackGirlMagic originator CaShawn Thompson, is dedicated to amplifying and celebrating the stories of Black women and girls from around the world; features the work of over 60 Black female and non-binary authors, illustrators, and editors; is designed to acknowledge, applaud, and amplify the incredible stories of Black women and girls from the past and present; and celebrates Black Girl Magic around the world.

Amongst the women featured from over 30 countries are tennis player Naomi Osaka, astronaut Jeanette Epps, author Toni Morrison, filmmaker Ava DuVernay; aviator Bessie Coleman, Empress Taytu Betul, journalist Ida B. Wells, and many other inspiring leaders, champions, innovators, and creators.

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Real-Life Tales of Black Girl Magic is published by Rebel Girls, a global, multi-platform empowerment brand dedicated to helping raise the most inspired and confident global generation of girls through content, experiences, products, and community.

Publisher: Rebel Girls​
ISBN: 9781953424044 (hardcover)
Publication Date: September 28, 2021​​

Resources

Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence Discussion Guide
Sir Fig Newton Social Emotional Learning Worksheet
Sir Fig Newton Word Search
Olive Blackwood Takes Action! Discussion and Activities Guide
Inspiring Students to Seek out New Reading Experiences to Build Empathy (workshop handout)

Contact Sonja

Website: bysonjathomas.com
Instagram: instagram.com/bysonjathomas/
Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/bysonjathomas.bsky.social