Claudia Mills Books in Order

Where to Start with Claudia Mills

Claudia Mills has written nearly 60 books for children, ranging from gentle early readers to thought-provoking middle-grade novels. If you are new to her work, your best starting point depends on the reader's age and reading level:

• For early readers (ages 5-8): Start with the Gus and Grandpa series. These short, warm books are perfect for kids transitioning to chapter books and can be read in any order.
• For early chapter book readers (ages 6-9): Start with the After-School Superstars series, beginning with Nixie Ness: Cooking Star. This series is modern, highly relatable, and focuses on various school clubs.
• For young middle-grade readers (ages 7-10): The Franklin School Friends series is the gold standard of Mills's work. Start with Kelsey Green, Reading Queen. It perfectly showcases the author's ability to blend everyday school life with gentle ethical dilemmas.
• For older middle-grade readers (ages 8-12): Start with the West Creek Middle School series, beginning with Losers, Inc., or dive into her acclaimed standalone novel Zero Tolerance.

Franklin School Friends Series

This is arguably Mills's most popular contemporary series. Set at Franklin School, each book is written from the perspective of a different student in Mrs. Jackson's class, highlighting their unique talents, struggles, and friendships. While the stories overlap chronologically and characters appear in each other's books, they are best read in order of publication to follow the class's progression through the school year.

1. Kelsey Green, Reading Queen (2013) – Kelsey is determined to read the most books in the school reading contest.
2. Annika Riz, Math Whiz (2013) – Annika loves math but struggles when her passion doesn't align with her friends' interests.
3. Izzy Barr, Running Star (2014) – Izzy is a talented athlete who wants to shine on the track, even as she deals with family changes.
4. Simon Ellis, Spelling Bee Champ (2014) – Simon faces the pressure of competition and the challenge of balancing personal ambition with friendship.
5. Cody Harmon, King of Pets (2015) – Cody cares for his farm animals and tries to save the school pet show.

West Creek Middle School Series

For slightly older readers, this five-book series explores the social dynamics, insecurities, and growing pains of middle schoolers. The books are closely linked and follow a tight-knit circle of friends, meaning they should definitely be read in publication order for the best experience.

1. Losers, Inc. (1997) – Introduces Ethan and Julius, two boys who feel like they are permanently stuck in the shadow of their successful peers.
2. You're a Brave Man, Julius Zimmerman (1999) – Focuses on Julius as he faces summer school, babysitting duties, and his mother's high expectations.
3. Lizzie at Last (2000) – Follows Lizzie as she tries to shed her "nerdy" image to fit in at middle school.
4. Alex Ryan, Stop That! (2003) – Centers on the class clown, Alex, as he navigates a school trip and his feelings for Lizzie.
5. Makeovers by Marcia (2005) – Focuses on Marcia's obsession with outer beauty and what she learns about inner worth.

After-School Superstars

Designed for young chapter book readers, this series highlights the fun, challenges, and skills learned in extracurricular programs. Each book stands alone well, but publication order offers the smootest introduction to the cast of characters.

1. Nixie Ness: Cooking Star (2019) – Nixie deals with her best friend going to a different after-school camp while she joins a cooking class.
2. Vera Vance: Comics Star (2020) – Vera expresses her quiet creativity through writing and drawing her own comic strips.
3. Lucy Lopez: Coding Star (2020) – Lucy discovers the creative possibilities of computer programming.
4. Boogie Bass: Sign Language Star (2021) – Boogie finds his voice and a new way to communicate through sign language.

The Nora Notebooks

This delightful trilogy follows Nora Albritton, a young girl who loves science, particularly ants, and keeps detailed logs of her observations. It is best read in order to watch Nora's relationships with her family, classmates, and newborn sibling grow.

1. The Trouble With Ants (2015) – Nora sets out to prove she can be a real scientist by studying ants.
2. The Trouble with Babies (2016) – Nora applies her scientific observation skills to her new baby brother.
3. The Trouble with Friends (2017) – Nora navigates the complex social dynamics of third-grade friendships.

Mason Dixon Series

This series follows the humorous everyday mishaps of a boy named Mason Dixon and his best friend, Brody. These books are best read in order as they follow the transition from one school year to the next.

1. Pet Disasters (2011) – Mason's parents try to find the perfect pet for him, with disastrous results.
2. Fourth-Grade Disasters (2011) – Mason and Brody join the school choir and try to survive fourth grade.
3. Basketball Disasters (2012) – Mason is forced to join the local basketball team despite having no interest in the sport.

Dinah Series

One of Claudia Mills's earlier middle-grade hits, this series follows the charismatic and dramatic Dinah Seabrooke as she grows from a fifth-grade star to a teenager navigating first love. Reading these in order is highly recommended to follow Dinah's personal growth.

1. Dynamite Dinah (1990) – Dinah loves being the center of attention until a new baby brother and a school play challenge her spotlight.
2. Dinah for President (1992) – Dinah runs for middle school student council president.
3. Dinah in Love (1993) – Dinah deals with school debates and confusing feelings for a boy named Nick.
4. Dinah Forever (1995) – Dinah enters seventh grade and wrestles with larger questions about life, death, and relationships.

Gus and Grandpa (Early Readers)

This 10-book early reader series captures the warm bond between a young boy named Gus and his grandfather. Because each book covers a self-contained event or holiday, readers can jump in at any point without losing track of the story.

• Gus and Grandpa (1996)
• Gus and Grandpa and the Christmas Cookies (1997)
• Gus and Grandpa Ride the Train (1998)
• Gus and Grandpa at the Hospital (1998)
• Gus and Grandpa and the Two-Wheeled Bike (1999)
• Gus and Grandpa and Show-and-Tell (2000)
• Gus and Grandpa at Basketball (2001)
• Gus and Grandpa and the Halloween Costume (2002)
• Gus and Grandpa Go Fishing (2003)
• Gus and Grandpa and the Piano Lesson (2004)

Key Standalones & Noteworthy Novels

Beyond her series, Claudia Mills has written several standalone books that showcase her skills as an author and her training in philosophy:

• Zero Tolerance (2013) – A critical favorite. Sierra Shepard, a model student, is sent to in-school suspension after accidentally bringing a small knife in her lunchbox. The book explores rules, fairness, and institutional blind spots.
• Fractions = Trouble! (2011) and 7 x 9 = Trouble! (2002) – Companion novels dealing with the real-life anxieties of elementary school math. Perfect for readers who struggle with school stress.
• The Lost Language (2021) – Mills's first novel written in verse, telling a poignant story of friendship, poetry, and family changes.

The Walker's American History Mystery

Some online databases list a series called "Walker's American History for Young People" as being written entirely by Claudia Mills. However, this is actually a publisher's series of historical fiction books released by Walker & Company in the 1980s, featuring various authors. Claudia Mills wrote What about Annie? (1985) for this collection, but other titles in the list were penned by different writers (such as Marilyn Cram Donahue and Thomas Fleming).

What to Know Before You Start

Claudia Mills was a philosophy professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, and her academic background in ethics deeply informs her writing. Her characters frequently face minor but realistic moral challenges: how to handle a spelling test when a friend is struggling, how to treat a classmate who is different, or how to balance personal success with loyalty to others. Her stories are comforting, highly realistic, and feature close-knit family units and supportive teachers.