By: Tiffany Blanchard
Format: Available in Paperback, ePub, and MOBI
Genre: Contemporary, Humor
Sophie Murphy Does Not Exist
An important life is measured by one thing: Netopedia.
When Sophie Murphy discovers that her father’s life wasn’t remarkable enough to warrant a listing, she makes a decision.
Her life would be remarkable.
But if you’re not an Olympian, a singer, or a football star, becoming important is hard. It’s even more difficult when you also have to heal your family and remind the world of your amazing Netopedia-less father. But a quest for fame may lead to another discovery: being admired by millions isn’t as precious as being loved by one.
Meet Tiffany Blanchard, the debut author of Sophie Murphy Does Not Exist.
Kirsten Bethers –
Excellent book! Perfect, timely message that is desperately needed in the lives of tweens and young teens today. This book made me laugh, and I fell in love with the characters. The take away message of the book is exactly what we all need to learn and remember – that real relationships with those close to us are what bring fulfillment and happiness. I recommend this book to ALL ages.
Marci Whitehurst –
This book explored a difficult situation with humor and heart. Sophie Murphy will make you laugh and maybe cry. You will cheer for her and relish the ending. A wonderful book!
Diane Garratt –
Delightful! Sophie hits the nail right on the head at the end of Chapter 2, but she doesn’t know it because she’s looking at what makes a person important from the view of “celebrity,” until she at last comes to see the truth of a person’s worth from an entirely new perspective.
Vonna Carter –
With all the social media pressure on young people these days, SOPHIE MURPHY DOES NOT EXIST is a timely dose of acceptance and family love. T. Blanchard’s middle grade voice is spot on, handling grief and humor with equal skill.
hadley.leslie –
I LOVE SOPHIE MURPHY. I had to read and re-read this book several times. Sophie is delightful. I love her sense of humor and sarcasm. The author has a wonderful way of making you laugh and cry, feel embarrassed and sympathetic. I would love to hang out with Sophie. Like other remarks the message is most timely and important for every tween and teenager to read and understand the damage media can cause. Sophie shows us many dimensions of the trappings of life and she comes out on the high road. Sophie needs a sequel. We need more from this wonderful author. Good job Tiffany.
Betty Vanderwielen –
The normal middle school anxiety about who is important and why is compounded for Sophie Murphy whose father has recently died of cancer. His career as a dentist is not noteworthy enough to earn him a listing in Netopia. Sophie is a delightful character and her attempts at becoming “important” are hilarious. At the same time, her eventual understanding of her father’s real importance leads her through her grief and to the understanding of what she really needs to do to become a significant person to others.
dasanders.is –
A gem of a book with lots of heart and humor!
The Murphy family is muddling through grief after losing Sophie’s dad to cancer. Sophie is grieving hard while trying to navigate middle school. She’s also trying to figure what makes a person’s life important. Sophie’s dad was very important to her, but Netopedia says he was not important enough to list.
Is a person’s value measured by whether or not they have an internet listing? The power and influence of today’s social media on children and teens is unsettling. I’m pleased that Sophie Murphy Does Not Exist addresses the need to examine what is really important.
Sophie’s attempts to gain fame end with humorous fails. Still, she keeps moving forward through failure and embarrassment trying to discover who she is and what’s important in life. When Sophie’s beloved GC, who’s been taking care of everyone, suddenly has a health crisis that Sophie realizes it’s love and kindness that matter most in life—not fame.
I really like the family relationships in this story. Even though they can be stressed and strained by grief and problems, family love can pull people back together. Sophie is believable and relatable. You see her strength despite setbacks and her courage to face her fears.