Claudia Mills

"Twelve-year-old Autumn wants more than anything to be a real author, but when she wins a contest by writing something too personal about her brother, she has to decide if her dreams are more important than their relationship"--

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...

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...

Third-grader Wilson struggles with his times-tables in order to beat the class deadline.

Writing down her experiences of being a reluctant fourth-grade aunt to her older sibling's newborn, Nora is challenged to write journals in the style of an Oregon Trail pioneer for the science fair while partnering with a science-hating classmate.

Gus waves at the train near his grandfather's house, sets up a toy train, and eventually gets to ride on the train with his grandfather.

Gus enjoys basketball practice, but the noise and pace of real games bother him, until his grandpa gives him some good advice.

Having baked six dozen Christmas cookies for themselves and been given many more by the neighbors, Gus and Grandpa find a rewarding solution to disposing of their extra holiday treats.

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.

"Science-obsessed fourth grader Nora wants to be like her scientist family and publish a professional research paper on her favorite subject: her ant farm!"--