The Nora Notebooks, Book 1: The Trouble with Ants

Mills, Claudia

ISBN 10: 0385391625 ISBN 13: 9780385391627

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2015

Synopsis

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.

About this title

About the Author:

Claudia Mills is the author of over fifty books for young readers. She does not personally keep an ant farm, but she does have a cat, Snickers, with whom she curls up on her couch at home in Boulder, Colorado, drinking hot chocolate and writing.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 3–6—Nora Alpers is not your typical fourth grader. While her classmates enjoy talking about cute, cuddly cats, she is obsessed with facts, especially interesting facts about ants. Nora keeps a notebook in which she writes down all sorts of information about the everyday happenings of ants. Her parents are both scientists and this inspires Nora to study ants in an ant farm in order to write an article about them. She hopes to submit it to a major scientific journal. Unfortunately, none of girls in Nora's class are interested in her aspirations, though her basketball coach, Coach Joe, is a source of encouragement, as well as her friends Mason and Brody. Will Nora find success as a published writer and break the world record for youngest published author of a professional journal? Readers will be drawn into the story by the sincere and realistic characters Mills has created, as well as the pleasing and appealing illustrations found in every chapter. Patrons will be anxiously waiting to find out what the subject of Nora's next notebook will be. VERDICT A solid additional purchase where younger middle grade fiction is needed.—Martha Rico, El Paso ISD, TX

About this edition

• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0385391625
• ISBN 13: 9780385391627
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 176
• Illustrator: Kath Katie