Hello, Claudia!

Claudia

by Barbara Brooks Wallace

Looking in her fourth grade class for a girl to be her best friend, Claudia is surprised when her new companion turns out to be a boy two years younger.

157 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Award-winning American children's writer. Has received, among others, the NLAPW Children's Book Award and International Youth Library "Best of the Best" for 'Claudia' (2001), as well as the William Allen White Children's Book Award for 'Peppermints in the Parlor' (1983).

Wallace was born and spent her childhood in China, but then moved to the United States. San Francisco was often a port of entry for her family, who lived in a huge, white-pillared mansion on the side of a hill, later to become the Sugar Hill Hall mansion which served as the setting for some of her most popular books. She was a UCLA graduate.

Wallace won two Edgar Allan Poe Awards from the Mystery Writers of America for 'The Twin in the Tavern' (1994) and for 'Sparrows in the Scullery' (1998). 'Cousins in The Castle' (1997 and 'Ghosts in the Gallery' (2001) were also nominated for an Edgar Award.

Reviews

[Elise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mercy (5) and I listened to this on an Audible audio book. We listened to this one last because it was written as a prequel. We listened to the other two Claudia books first. I really like the sweet and considerate girl that Claudia turns into as she gets older better than the 9-year-old Claudia. I recognize that a less refined version of Claudia is to be expected at 9 years old, but I will always reach for the other two first. 11-year-old Claudia is a better moral example to my Mercy than her formal self.

To be clear: 9 year old Claudia did not do anything horrendous, it was more like small things that we already struggle with enough around here!