Böcker av Claudia Mills

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!

Cody Harmon doesn't love reading, math, spelling, or really any of the subjects that Miss Molina teaches in her third-grade class. But he lives on a farm and he loves animals-he even has nine pets-so when the school holds a pet-show fund-raiser, it should be his time to shine. There's a ten-dollar entrance fee per pet, though, and Cody can't pay it for all nine pets. He'd love to take his pig, but what about the others? In the end, Cody figures out a way to lend out his pets so that every person in the class (and every pet) gets to participate in the show.Claudia Mills delivers yet another winning story in the delightful Franklin School Friends chapter book series for younger readers with Cody Harmon, King of Pets.Praise for The Franklin School Friends series:"This bighearted series has something for everyone." -Kirkus Reviews"Sure to be enjoyed by fans of Clementine, Ivy and Bean, and Judy Moody." -School Library Journal "Mills delivers with a felicitous blend of breezy accessibility and perceptive understanding." -The Bulletin

Seventh-grader Sierra Shepard has always been the perfect student, so when she sees that she accidentally brought her mother's lunch bag to school, including a paring knife, she immediately turns in the knife at the school office. Much to her surprise, her beloved principal places her in in-school suspension and sets a hearing for her expulsion, citing the school's ironclad no-weapons policy. While there, Sierra spends time with Luke, a boy who's known as a troublemaker, and discovers that he's not the person she assumed he would be-and that the lines between good and bad aren't as clear as she once thought.

Here''s the third entry in Claudia Mills''s charming middle-grade series. Mason Dixon survived the school choir. He survived adopting his now-beloved dog named, uh, Dog. But now he faces his biggest challenge yet: joining the local basketball team. Not by choice, of course. Not only do his parents encourage it, but his dad even volunteers to be his coach. Now, with his best pal Brody and a team of misfits even worse at basketball than him (if that''s possible), Mason must try to rally to beat his arch-rival, the school bully Dunk. Just another day-in-the-life of a disaster-prone fourth grader.

Here''s the second entry in Claudia Mills''s charming middle-grade series, that finds the lovably sardonic title character starting the fourth grade, which he''s dreading because 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.

Soon-to-be fourth-grader Mason Dixon does not want a pet, but his parents think it will be good for him. Goldfish dies soon after his arrival (from overfeeding). Mason is relieved. Hamster escapes. Mason is relieved. Cat has to go back because best friend Brody is too allergic to ever be at their house while Cat is there. Mason is relieved. But when Dog comes, it takes a little dose of jealousy for Mason to realize he does want a pet, all of his very own. Claudia Mills introduces a new, hilarious character in Mason, and each of the three books about him will feature both boys as they cope with a new experience; pitch-perfect for 8- to 10- year-old newly independent readers, the books will maintain a consistent page count and feature black-and-while art throughout.

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! Perfect for fans of Judy Moody, Ivy and Bean, and Clementine, the After-School Superstars series of chapter books features recurring characters, and each book highlights one activity they do at their after-school program. With large black-and-white illustrations, each book includes a bonus activity related to that book's plot. Don't miss the other titles, including Nixie Ness: Cooking Star and Vera Vance: Comic Book Star. Lucy Lopez is being simultaneously released in hardcover and paperback.A Junior Library Guild Selection!

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.

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.

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.