New Releases by Claudia Mills

Exploring the ethical questions posed by, in, and about children''s literature, this collection examines the way texts intended for children raise questions of value, depict the moral development of their characters, and call into attention shared moral presuppositions. The essays in Part I look at various past attempts at conveying moral messages to children and interrogate their underlying assumptions. What visions of childhood were conveyed by explicit attempts to cultivate specific virtues in children? What unstated cultural assumptions were expressed by growing resistance to didacticism? How should we prepare children to respond to racism in their books and in their society? Part II takes up the ethical orientations of various classic and contemporary texts, including ''prosaic ethics'' in the Hundred Acre Wood, moral discernment in Narnia, ethical recognition in the distant worlds traversed by L''Engle, and virtuous transgression in recent Anglo-American children''s literature and in the emerging children''s literature of 1960s Taiwan. Part III''s essays engage in ethical criticism of arguably problematic messages about our relationship to nonhuman animals, about war, and about prejudice. The final section considers how we respond to children''s literature with ethically focused essays exploring a range of ways in which child readers and adult authorities react to children''s literature. Even as children''s literature has evolved in opposition to its origins in didactic Sunday school tracts and moralizing fables, authors, parents, librarians, and scholars remain sensitive to the values conveyed to children through the texts they choose to share with them.

When feuding neighbors Sonnet and Zeke are paired up for a class project, they unearth a secret that could uproot Sonnet’s family—or allow it to finally heal and grow. Twelve-year-old Sonnet’s family has just moved across the country to live with her grandfather after her nana dies. Gramps’s once-impressive apple orchard has been razed for a housing development, with only one heirloom tree left. Sonnet doesn’t want to think about how Gramps and his tree are both growing old—she just wants everything to be okay. Sonnet is not okay with her neighbor, Zeke, a boy her age who gets on her bad side and stays there when he tries to choose her grandpa to interview for an oral history assignment. Zeke irks Sonnet with his prying questions, bringing out the sad side of Gramps she’d rather not see. Meanwhile, Sonnet joins the Green Club at school and without talking to Zeke about it, she asks his activist father to speak at the Arbor Day assembly—a collision of worlds that Zeke wanted more than anything to avoid. But when the interviews uncover a buried tragedy that concerns Sonnet''s mother, and an emergency forces Sonnet and Zeke to cooperate again, Sonnet learns not just to accept Zeke as he is, but also that sometimes forgetting isn''t the solution—even when remembering seems harder. Award-winning author Claudia Mills brings enormous compassion and depth to this novel of unlikely friendship and generational memory. A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

The quest to save the words of a dying language - and to find the words to save what may be a dying friendship - lies at the heart of this exquisite verse novel. Sixth grader Betsy is the one who informs her best friend, Lizard, that thousands of the world''s languages are currently threatened by extinction; Betsy''s mother is a linguistics professor working frantically to study dying languages before they are lost forever. But it is Lizard who, gripped by the magnitude of this loss, challenges Betsy, "What if, instead of WRITING about dying languages, like your mom, you and I SAVED one instead?" As the girls embark on their quest to learn as much as possible of the near-extinct language of Guernésiais (spoken on the Isle of Guernsey, off the coast of France), their friendship faces unexpected strains. With Lizard increasingly obsessed with the language project, Betsy begins to seek greater independence from her controlling and charismatic friend, as well as from her controlling and charismatic mother. Then tragedy threatens Betsy''s life beyond what any words can express, and Lizard does something unthinkable. Maybe lost friendships, like lost languages, can never be completely saved. An NCTE Notable Verse Novel A Charlotte Huck Recommended Book A Mighty Girl Best Book of the Year A Bulletin of the Center for Children''s Books Blue Ribbon Book! A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Boogie Bass feels like he can''t do anything right, but when he joins an after-school American Sign Language club, he turns out to be a natural! The After-School Superstars--Nixie Ness, Vera Vance, Nolan Nada, and Boogie Bass--are back in a new after-school adventure starring Boogie. He is clumsy and goofy, but now that he is at the American Sign Language camp at his school, he finds his hidden talent. He may not believe in himself, but the rest of his class does, especially when they visit a school for the Deaf and Boogie leads the way with his exuberant personality helping students to learn about each other and make new friends. Vetted by an expert from Gallaudet University and complete with additional material full of facts about American Sign Language, Boogie Bass is an excellent addition to The After-School Superstars series. Each book features recurring characters and highlights one activity they do at their after-school program, along with illustrations in black and white. The series is perfect for fans of Judy Moody, Ivy and Bean, and Clementine. Praise for Nixie Ness: Cooking Star: A Junior Library Guild Selection "Young readers will easily relate to this wholesome look at early friendships and conflicts." -School Library Journal "Likeable Nixie creates a terrific recipe for winning back old friends and making lots of new ones." -Kirkus Reviews Praise for Vera Vance: Comics Star: A Junior Library Guild Selection "Vera''s shyness will be appreciated and understood by many readers . . . and the lovely wrap-up shows how every personality type and situation can find a way to use their strengths to reach their goals."--Kirkus Reviews "Budding artists will appreciate the respect for and information about the comics process and relate to Vera''s joy at immersing herself in her beloved pastime." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children''s Books

Talented Lucy Lopez finds her passion when she joins an after-school coding camp, but can her older sister come to terms with their shared hobby? Third-grader Lucy Lopez and her older sister Elena created the Let''s Have Fun Club, where they designed their own badges to put in a handbook and make up lists of things they have to do to earn each one. But now Elena is spending most of her time coding on the computer and Lucy feels left out. She decides to join the after-school coding camp in the hopes that Elena will want to add it to their Let''s Have Fun Club activities and it can be something they can do together. But when Lucy proves to be a natural, Elena is none too happy--why does Lucy have to do everything she does? Parents and kids on the hunt for a fun and informative book about coding need look no further. The series includes Lucy Lopez: Coding Star, Nixie Ness: Cooking Star, and Vera Vance: Comic Book Star in the After-School Superstars series. Perfect for fans of Judy Moody, Ivy and Bean, and Clementine, this new chapter book series features recurring characters, and each book highlights one activity they do at their after-school program. The books are illustrated in black and white and include a bonus activity that corresponds to the book''s plot. Lucy Lopez is being simultaneously released in Hardcover.

Third grader Vera Vance has signed up for the comics camp after-school program, but her mother would much rather she focus on academics, athletics, music. . . anything but comics! Vera loves all things comic books, so she can''t wait for the comics after-school class to start--even though her mother wonders whether it''s educational enough. But Vera is determined to participate, and starts developing her own comic about Big Spoon and Little Spoon with the encouragement of her enthusiastic friend Nixie and instruction from teachers who are accomplished cartoonists themselves. As the weeks go by, the after-school teachers announce that for the final class, students will go on a field trip to a local comic-con--and they can even enter a page from their comics in a contest that will be judged there! Vera isn''t surprised when her mother says she can''t go. But maybe Big Spoon and Little Spoon can convince her mother to accept her passion. Vera Vance: Comics Star follows Nixie Ness: Cooking Star in the After-School Superstars chapter book series. Perfect for fans of Judy Moody, Ivy and Bean, and Clementine, the series is illustrated in black and white and each book includes a bonus activity that corresponds to the book''s plot. A Junior Library Guild Selection!

Best friends Nixie and Grace spend every afternoon together . . . until Nixie''s mom gets a new job and Nixie must attend the after-school program, without Grace. Third graders Nixie Ness and Grace Kenny have been best friends since they were two-years-old. They have always spent every afternoon after school at Nixie''s house until Nixie''s mom announces that she has a job, which means she won''t be there to watch the girls after school, which means Nixie will have to go to the after-school program and Grace will be spending her afternoons at their classmate, Elyse''s, house. Nixie begrudgingly starts the after-school program, joining the cooking camp. And it turns out that the other children at cooking camp are nice, and the recipes they make are delicious. But Nixie can''t really enjoy being an after-school superstar until she finds a way to overcome her jealousy about Grace and Elyse''s budding friendship. Perfect for fans of Judy Moody, Ivy and Bean, and Clementine, this new chapter book series features recurring characters, and each book will highlight one activity they do at their after-school program. The books are illustrated in black and white and include a bonus activity that corresponds to the book''s plot. Nixie Ness: Cooking Star features a recipe for morning glory muffins. The next book in the After-School Superstars series, Vera Vance: Comics Star, is scheduled for release in Spring 2020.

Twelve-year-old Autumn loves to write, and she can''t wait to grow up and be a published author. She finds inspiration all around her, but especially in Cameron, the dreamy boy in her journalism class who she has a major crush on. When her older brother Hunter makes fun of one of her most personal poems—about Cameron—Autumn decides to prove that she is talented enough to become a published author. But when her essay about Hunter wins a contest, and her dream of being published is finally within reach, Autumn has to decide whether being a real writer is worth the cost of sharing her family''s secrets and hurting people she loves. This touching story is sure to resonate with readers, and prove that the heart is mightier than the pen. A Margaret Ferguson Book

"The thought-provoking reflections on personality and growth add insight and discussability."--The Bulletin of the Center for Children''s Books Fourth grade scientists are not meant to be babysitters. The second book in the Nora Notebooks finds Nora Alpers in unfamiliar territory. Nora Alpers has just become a ten-year-old aunt. To prepare for the new arrival, Nora has been writing down baby-related facts in her special notebook, just like she does with her favorite subject: ants. She likes the idea that someone who studies the A-N-T is also an A-U-N-T, even though she doesn’t know anything about taking care of babies. A new family member isn’t the only thing stressing Nora out. At school, Nora has to write journals in the voice of a pioneer on the Oregon Trail and prepare for the annual science fair. Science is normally Nora’s best subject—until Nora ends up being paired with science-hating, cat-obsessed Emma! How will Nora ever learn to be a good aunt if she’s trying to survive the Oregon Trail and arguing against Emma’s unscientific science-fair ideas? Readers will welcome the return of Nora who Publishers Weekly called “delightful[ly] enterprising” in a starred review.

The students in Miss Molina's third grade class are abuzz with excitement about the upcoming spelling bee, where they will be competing against the two other classes in third grade. Simon Ellis, who just happens to be good at a lot of other things, i

"Ten-year-old scientist Nora Alpers struggles with becoming an aunt and competing in her school science fair."--

Science-obsessed fourth grader Nora has ants all figured out—now she just has to try to understand her fellow humans! The trouble with ants is . . . . . . people think they’re boring. . . . they are not cuddly. . . . who would ever want them for a pet? Nora Alpers is using her new notebook to record the behavior of ants. Why? Because they are fascinating! Unfortunately, no one agrees with her. Her mom is not happy about them being in the house, and when Nora brings her ant farm to school for show and tell, her classmates are not very impressed. They are more interested in cat videos, basketball practice, or trying to set a Guinness World Record (although Nora wouldn’t mind that). Mostly they are distracted by the assignment their teacher Coach Joe has given them—to write a persuasive speech and change people’s minds about something. Will Nora convince her friends that ants are as interesting as she thinks they are? Or will everyone still think of ants as nothing but trouble? With real science facts, a classroom backdrop, an emphasis on friendship, and appealing black-and-white interior illustrations from artist Katie Kath, The Nora Notebooks is perfect for newly independent readers—especially budding scientists like Nora!—and adults who want to encourage awareness of STEM subjects in young readers.

Izzy Barr is the star athlete of the third grade: she hits homeruns on her softball team and is one of the fastest runners in her class. But at home, her half-brother, Dustin, seems to be her father''s favorite athlete—why else would her dad go to all of his games and miss so many of hers? Izzy pretends that she doesn''t care, but as she, her friends Annika Riz and Kelsey Green, and the rest of their class are gearing up for class field day, she can''t help but hope her dad will be there to cheer her on in the big race against her rival, Skipper Tipton. Dad doesn''t make it to field day, but when he realizes how important it is to Izzy, he and all of her friends and family are there to watch her participate in the citywide 10K run.

Seventh-grader Sierra Shepard has always been the perfect student, so when she sees that she has brought her mother's lunch to school, including a paring knife, she immediately turns in the knife at the school office. Much to her surprise, she's give

Annika Riz loves math more than anything, so when she hears about a sudoku contest at the local public library, she is determined to win it—maybe then her friends Kelsey Green and Izzy Barr will see that math is just as cool as reading and running. When the school carnival, the biggest fundraiser of the year, comes around, Annika realizes her class booth is losing money by selling their lemonade too cheaply. Annika embraces her math skills, saves the day, and shows her friends that math can be useful and even a bit of fun, too, in Claudia Mills''s Annika Riz, Math Whiz.

Ethan Winfield has never been an academic or athletic star like his older brother, Peter. But does that make him a failure? Of course not. Still, Ethan and his best friend, Julius Zimmerman, decide that they qualify to found an exclusive club: Losers, Inc. No sooner have they done this, however, than both boys fall in love with the new student teacher. Ethan knows right away that to impress Ms. Gunderson he has to excel. Instead of reading the shortest book for his report, he has to read the longest. Instead of working with Julius on the worst project for the science fair, he has to make the best one--alone. Unfortunately, it isn''t Ms. Gunderson who falls for Ethan, but Lizzie Archer, class nerd. The teasing is unbearable! So without regard for Lizzie''s feelings--and over Julius''s objections--Ethan helps hatch a plot to prove that he''s not Lizzie''s boyfriend. The result is that even as he reports on a book that''s longer than any Peter read in the sixth grade, and prepares a potentially winning science project, Ethan feels that he doesn''t deserve anyone''s love--not Ms. Gunderson''s, not Lizzie''s, not Julius''s, not his own. Claudia Mills, creator of Dinah Seabrooke (Dynamite Dinah, Dinah for President, Dinah in Love, Dinah Forever) and other overachievers, portrays a boy who needs a reason to strive, finds one, then realizes that success isn''t enough. Smart, funny, and down to earth, this hero engages and entertains as he struggles mightily to grow up.

Dinah Seabrooke is in seventh grade and distraught at learning that the sun will vaporize the earth in about 5 billion years. Nothing matters anymore-not class elections, the school play, even her relationship with Nick. Then Dinah suffers her first loss and discovers the reasons to live fully even though nothing lasts forever. "Sensitively told and a pleasure to read."-Kirkus Reviews

Maggie McIntosh is crazy about her biology teacher and loves to impress him with her academic excellence. But when the dreaded day of the first class dissection arrives, Maggie has to disappoint Mr. O. There''s no way she can cut up a worm. Maggie''s best friend, Alycia, understands. Alycia is squeamish, too, and shares Maggie''s moral outrage. However, she''s willing to keep quiet and let her lab partner do the dirty work. Maggies'' own lab partner, Matt, completely disagrees. Then, after Maggie walks out on the dissection, he seems to respect her. And classmate Jake, who follows Maggie out the door, appears positively smitten. As she struggles to clarify her position about dissections, Maggie discovers that people and relationships are not always what they seem, and just as there are no perfect fathers (hers left years before), there are no perfect father figures - or even friends.

The sequel to Losers, Inc. Twelve-year-old Julius Zimmerman is the former vice president of the defunct organization Losers, Inc. Ethan Winfield, the former president, no longer feels like a loser. But Julius still does, maybe because his mother thinks of him that way. To "improve" him, Mrs. Zimmerman signs Julius up for a summer course in intensive French and for a part-time job baby-sitting three-year-old Edison Blue. She also sets a summer reading goal for him. Julius doesn''t ace the French class and doesn''t do the required reading, but he does turn out to have a winning way with kids -- and adults -- and in the end proves to his mother that her criteria for success aren''t the only ones.

Kelsey Green is the best reader in the third grade--well, maybe tied for best with know-it-all Simon Ellis. When the principal Mr. Boone announces a school-wide reading contest, complete with a pizza party for the winning class and a special certificate for the top readers in each grade, she knows she''s just the person to lead Mrs. Molina''s third graders to victory. But how can they win when her classmate Cody Harmon doesn''t want to read anything, and even Kelsey''s best friends Annika and Izzy don''t live up to her expectations? And could Simon possibly be reading all of those books that he claims he is, or is he lying to steal Kelsey''s rightful spot at the top? Kelsey Green, Reading Queen is the first book in Claudia Mills''s Franklin School Friends series.

While trying to decide on a science fair project, third-grader Wilson struggles with with fractions and, much to his embarrassment, his parents sign him up to work with a math tutor.

Here''s the second entry in veteran author Claudia Mills'' charming middle-grade series, which finds the lovably sardonic title character starting the fourth grade, which he''s dreading: everyone in fourth grade is expected to join the school choir. And sing. In front of everyone. Mason can''t think of many things he enjoys less than singing. But performing in front of other people might come close; Mason devises a foolproof plan that will keep him out of the spotlight on concert night. Of course, in the world of Mason Dixon, there is no such thing as a foolproof plan. There is only disaster.

How Oliver Olson Changed the World is an irresistible chapter book from Claudia Mills, featuring lively illustrations by Heather Maione. Oliver Olson learns that before you can change the world, sometimes you need to change yourself. Oliver Olson''s teacher is always saying that one person with a big idea can change the world. But how is Oliver supposed to change the world when his parents won''t let him do anything on his own—not his class projects or even attending activities such as the space sleepover at school. Afraid he will become an outsider like ex-planet Pluto, Oliver decides to take control of his corner of the universe!

If Wilson Williams thought multiplication was difficult, he is finding fractions impossible. And when his parents hire a math tutor for him, he is sure he''s the only kid in the history of Hill Elementary to have one. Wilson is determined to make sure that no one finds out, not even his best friend, Josh. At least his pet hamster, Pip, is sympathetic. Pip is going to be part of Wilson''s science fair project, because any project with hamsters in it is bound to be wonderful. But Josh has the coolest project of all: at what temperature does a pickle explode? Unfortunately, it looks as if Wilson''s secret may end up exploding their friendship. Claudia Mills'' Fractions = Trouble is a fun and thoroughly relatable story that Kirkus Reviews calls an "excellent selection for early chapter-book readers."

Cooper''s grandfather gives him and his little sister, Carly, deeds to square inches of land in the Yukon. Carly uses them to invent her own imaginary kingdom of Inchland—far away from the silence of their home, where their single mother stays in bed all day. When their mom comes out of her season of sadness bursting with sometimes frightening energy, Carly retreats into Inchland, while sixth-grader Cooper tries to control the chaos. But can Cooper really keep Carly—and himself—safe? In One Square Inch, Claudia Mills weaves a story that is "Believable and deeply moving" (Publishers Weekly).

Amanda MacLeish might be the only student in Mr. Abrams''s fifth-grade class who doesn''t mind doing her homework. Now that her father has left home and moved into a motel, the only thing that brings Amanda any joy is writing her fictional diary entries about a young girl named Polly who lives amid the chaos of the Civil War. Polly would understand Amanda. With one brother fighting for the North and one fighting for the South, Polly knows just how it feels to have a family split in half. But if the North and the South could find a way to reunite despite their differences, can''t Amanda''s family do the same? In this touching novel by Claudia Mills, the heroine learns that enduring a split doesn''t have to mean losing a family. The Totally Made-up Civil War Diary of Amanda MacLeish is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children''s Book of the Year.

Riley O''Rourke is writing his report on President Teddy Roosevelt in preparation for the fourth-grade biography tea, but he has a far more important goal: to get a saxophone so he can take instrumental music. His mother can''t afford to rent him a sax, and he''s sure he''ll never save up enough money to buy one. But as Riley learns more about Roosevelt''s "bully" spirit, he realizes that there just might be a way to solve his problem after all. Claudia Mills'' sparkling story about the influence of important historical figures is enhanced by tender, insightful illustrations. Being Teddy Roosevelt is a 2008 Bank Street—Best Children''s Book of the Year.

Pretty is as pretty does Pretty, popular Marcia Faitak is not her usual self. Over the summer she gained five pounds, and when school begins, Marcia, desperate for an invitation from Alex Ryan to the October dance, goes on a diet. In art class, she''s supposed to bring a red apple to life on paper, but all she wants to do is eat it. Mr. Morrison doesn''t like her work anyway: disdainfully, he calls her drawing of a beautiful girl "Barbie." Worse than art is social studies. This is the year that kids have to choose their community service project. When Ms. Williams signs up Marcia to work at the local nursing home, she''s aghast. What can she possibly do for a bunch of old people in wheelchairs? Since experimenting with makeup is Marcia''s favorite activity, her half sister suggests "Makeovers by Marcia." In the fifth and final story in Claudia Mills''s funny, philosophical series about the West Creek Middle School kids, Marcia discovers the nature of true beauty - and even learns to draw it.

After Gus, who would rather play outside than practice music, does not do too well at his piano recital, his grandfather shows him how music can be fun.

Wilson Williams worries about passing his times-table tests Wilson has a hard time with math, especially with Mrs. Porter''s timed multiplication tests. If only he were as quick as Laura Vicks, the smartest kid in third grade, or as quick as his brother, Kipper -- a kindergartner. Wilson''s mother and father try to help, but Wilson doesn''t appreciate having to do practice tests on a play date. Fortunately, his friend Josh Hernandez is a comfort, as is Squiggles, the class hamster. Wilson is sure that with his own little animal squeaking and cuddling beside him, he could learn anything. But his mom doesn''t like pets. So Wilson bravely struggles on, hoping that one day in the not-too-distant future he''ll pass all his times-table tests. Then, surprisingly, Kipper comes to the rescue. With sensitivity and gentle humor, Claudia Mills examines a common childhood fear and a common family experience. G. Brian Karas provides tender, funny pictures. 7 x 9 = Trouble! is a 2003 Bank Street - Best Children''s Book of the Year.