  | Trouble with babies (Nora notebooks) Author: Mills, Claudia | |
| Price: $6.50 | ||
Summary:
Book 2: Fourth grade scientists are not meant to be babysitters.
| Illustrator: | Kath, Katie |
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 5.20 Points: 4.0 Quiz: 183242 | Reading Counts Information: Interest Level: 3-5 Reading Level: 5.30 Points: 7.0 Quiz: 69241 | |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (06/15/16)
School Library Journal (06/01/16)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (07/16)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 06/01/2016 Gr 3–6—Nora's family is about to welcome a new baby, and she's about to become an aunt. The scientific-minded 10-year-old makes her new niece the subject of her next notebook, jotting down as many baby facts as she can. This is quite a change for series fans, who may remember that ants were the stars of the first installment. What begins as a curiosity about the new baby soon turns into a possible idea for a science project. Unfortunately, her teacher pairs her with Emma. Unlike Nora, Emma loves babies, the color pink, and cats. Further adding to Nora's stress is a social studies assignment that involves writing diary entries as Martha Talbot, a pioneer on the Oregon Trail. Fourth grade seems to be getting very complicated. VERDICT Fans of Mills's first Nora book will not be disappointed as she delivers another satisfying read.—Martha Rico, El Paso ISD, TX - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Bulletin for the Center... - 07/01/2016 Fourth-grader Nora (from The Trouble with Ants, BCCB 10/15) should be overjoyed: it’s the season of the science fair, which she loves, and her older sister is about to have a baby, making Nora an aunt. Unfortunately, on the school front, she’s been partnered up for the science fair with classmate Emma, who loves cats, the color pink, and, especially, her own way. On the home front, super-competent Nora is completely thrown by baby Nellie, uncertain of how to interact with her and startled by her scientist parents’ and sister’s descent into baby-craziness. Mills deploys her usual sympathetic yet keen insight into her characters as Nora negotiates these challenges. The book is particularly thoughtful in exploring the implications of personality; Emma proves there’s more to her than Nora had credited, and Nora both gets over her discomfort with the baby and adjusts her view of herself. As in the last book, segments from Nora’s scientific journal are interspersed, this time containing her research and observations about babies. Kath’s monochromatic line and watercolor art is scribbly without being cartoonish, conveying energy and also respect for the kids. The problems are standard middle-grade challenges that will ring true to readers, while the thought-provoking reflections on personality and growth add insight and discussability. DS - Copyright 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.
