Actually, it reads like an easy to read Ayn Rand story. Unfortunately, the over-strong ideals detract from what would otherwise be fantastic storytelling.

It is designated as middle grade, yet reads more as political satire intended for a less educated adult audience. The story reads like a cross between a chapter book and with charming illustrations punctuating each chapter, the graphic novels that fascinates Leo so much. Their relationship unfolds against the backdrop of the drama of typical American small town politics. Leo learns that she and her mother are in the country illegally and her father is being held as a political prisoner or is possibly dead. She is very smart, hard-working, and has very definite opinions. He meets Sophie, a self-assured young girl who has emigrated from Syria. Leo is a budding artist who, like any 13 year old boy is just beginning to learn who he is becoming. Sophie is a story about two 13-year-old kids living in a small town. Should she go along with Ingrid’s schemes, or should she stand up for what she believes in? The decision will have a major impact on Sophie, her mother, and Leo himself! When Ingrid Sanders, a local politician who knows about Sophie’s secret, begins using the girl for her own ends, Sophie is faced with an enormously difficult decision. But can one thirteen-year-old girl really keep her family safe? She and Leo start a business together to raise money so Sophie can hire an immigration lawyer. Sophie learned the American ideals of independence and perseverance from her wise grandfather, and she is determined to find a way for her family to stay legally. She and her mother are illegal immigrants from Syria. Sophie possesses a sense of pride and determination that can take her far in life, but the actions of a conniving adult may ruin everything. Now, as Leo grows closer to Sophie, he begins to appreciate this aspect of his friend’s personality. When Leo first approached her, she was so focused on the book in front of her that she didn’t even notice him. Leo remembers the first time he met Sophie.

Sophie by Tal Tsfany