Most Popular Books by Claudia Mills

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

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, in this long-anticipated sequel to "7 x 9 = Trouble." Illustrations.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

Seventh-grade honor student Sierra Shepard faces expulsion after accidentally bringing a paring knife to school, violating the school''s zero-tolerance policy.

Seventh-grader Alex Ryan enjoys attracting attention, though he never seems to impress his father, but when his antics cause problems with his would-be girlfriend on a school outing, he has second thoughts about his actions.

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).

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.

Chelsea learns she is perfectly human If Chelsea Garing likes anything better than school, it''s church, especially when she gets the chance to shine. Unfortunately, Chelsea can''t perform perfectly every time. One day, when she''s serving as acolyte, her candlelighter unexpectedly goes out. Another day, when she''s acting a role from the Good Samaritan story in Sunday school, annoying Danny Repetti plows into her. Why her friend Naomi Goldberg doesn''t find Danny unbearable is beyond Chelsea. During fourth-grade gym, Danny makes a remark about Hanukkah that Chelsea is sure has offended Naomi -- yet it hasn''t! A much more serious matter perplexes Chelsea: how can God let people die? Chelsea Garing may not always be at her best for God or man, but she learns to accept everyone''s shortcomings -- including her own -- in this thoughtful, funny portrait of a child who loves her life at church. Warm, lively drawings by Jacqueline Rogers complement the story.

Todd and Amy Davidson may be twins, but they''re complete opposites – Todd is organized and is the family "engineer," while Amy is outgoing and has been dubbed the "poet." So it would seem that for a fifth-grade economics project, Todd would come up with a master invention, and Amy would have a blast with her best friends as partners. To their surprise, Todd can''t think of a single idea, and Amy gets stuck working with the class crybaby. Then Todd begins writing poetry . . . But this is nothing compared to the switch their parents have made. Their father has been unemployed for months and their mother has started to work at a crafts store. Now there''s never enough food in the house, everybody is always on edge, and when Amy''s friends come over after school, they find Mr. Davidson, uncombed and unshaven, in his ratty old bathrobe. Will life ever return to normal? With chapters that alternate between Todd''s and Amy''s points of view, this novel is a realistic and sometimes funny portrayal of a family adapting to changing roles. Trading Places is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children''s Book of the Year.

Ethan Winfield may not be a star student or athlete like his brother, but he''s determined to make his mark when he falls for the new student teacher. Ethan Winfield has never been an academic or athletic standout like his older brother, Peter. But that doesn''t make him a failure. Ethan and his best friend, Julius Zimmerman, even decide to found an exclusive club: Losers, Inc. Everything changes when both boys fall for the new student teacher, Ms. Gunderson. Ethan realizes that to impress her, he needs to excel. He tackles the longest book for his report and aims to make the best science fair project—alone. But it''s not Ms. Gunderson who falls for Ethan; it''s Lizzie Archer, class nerd. Embarrassed by the teasing, Ethan hatches a hurtful plot to prove she''s not his girlfriend. Even as he strives to succeed in school, Ethan feels undeserving of anyone''s love—not Ms. Gunderson''s, Lizzie''s, Julius''s, or his own. In Losers, Inc., Claudia Mills, creator of overachiever Dinah Seabrooke, portrays a boy seeking a reason to thrive, only to learn that success alone isn''t enough. This smart, funny, down-to-earth story follows a relatable hero as he struggles to grow up.

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

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

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.

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.

"The third book in the Franklin School Friends series is a fast and funny story about sports, friendship, and sibling rivalries."--

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.