Clara Humble: Quiz Whiz (Clara Humble Series #2)

by Anna Humphrey, Lisa Cinar (Illustrator)

Overview

Clara Humble, the winsome and über-confident fourth-grader who’s been described as “Ramona Quimby meets Timmy Failure” is back for a second adventure. When Clara and her best friend, Bradley, discover their favorite game show, Smarty Pants —a mix of trivia and obstacle course stunts — is recruiting in their area, Clara is sure she’ll be chosen. Fame and game-show glory will be hers… with Bradley’s help, of course.




Things get complicated when Bradley also earns a contestant spot on the show, and the friends are pitted against each other. It escalates into an epic schoolyard battle between boys and girls, and not everyone is playing fair. Will Clara and Bradley’s friendship survive? Between the tension, sabotage, shenanigans, and Clara’s comics featuring her alter ego @Cat, this is a flat-out funny, fast-paced read.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781771472159
Publisher:	Owlkids Books
Publication date:	09/15/2017
Series:	Clara Humble Series , #2
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.90(d)
Lexile:	820L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

ANNA HUMPHREY dreamt of being a writer since she was a teenager, and those dreams came true with the publication of her first YA novel, Mission (Un)Popular. Clara Humble: Quiz Whiz is the second in the Clara Humble series and Anna's fifth book. Anna lives with her family in Kitchener, Ontario.



LISA CINAR is an illustrator, educator, picture book enthusiast, pattern lover, and owner of the online shop Draw Me a Lion. She has written and illustrated two picture books in addition to illustrating the Clara Humble series. Lisa teaches in the Continuing Studies department at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design and lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Clara Humble and the Not-So-Super Powers:



"Ramona Quimby meets Timmy Failure."

— Lindsey Ferrante, Collection Development, Baker & Taylor



"Beautiful and fun... A worthy addition to the growing field of doodle-illustrated middle-grade novels."


— Booklist



"A promising beginning to a new series about a spirited character who is discovering her real strengths."


— Kirkus Reviews



"Humphrey succeeds in establishing a likable heroine, a spunky comic book fan with a wild imagination... A solid start to a new series."

— School Library Journal



"Subtly thought-provoking... Humphrey - and Clara - have staked out their own comic territory."

— Quill & Quire



“Spunky Clara Humble and her clever cartoon drawings about her feline heroine @Cat are bound to delight kids who love a school story filled with mischief, mystery and real-life problems. Kids who have graduated from the Just Grace series and are looking for more will love following Clara’s misadventures as she battles her nemesis, Bossy Becky, and deals with all kinds of challenges in her life. Can’t wait for book two!”

— Phyllis Simon, Vancouver Kidsbooks



“You'll love Clara Humble. She has a vibrant imagination, a wild spirit, and a tender heart. Fans of the Ramona Quimby books and Ivy and Bean series will delight in Clara's passionate yet hare-brained plans to save her school from the mean kids, to stop her best friend from moving away, and to bring super hero-style justice to her elementary school.”

— Erica Nikolaus, Words Worth Books



"Clever and creative—this book has the perfect mix of 'comic' relief and expert storytelling that tugs on all the right heart strings."

— Arthur Slade, Author, The Hunchback Assignments series



“You’re going to fall in love with Clara’s zest and energy and amazingly fun approach to life. Add a memorable story to a memorable character, and you have the perfect ingredients for a wonderful read.”

— Sigmund Brouwer, Author, Justine McKeen series and Seven series contributor



“Spirited and imaginative, Clara Humble’s true superpowers are found in her creative ability, the love and support of her family and friends, and her everlasting determination to right the wrongs of her fourth-grader life. Her memorable comic adventures show true heart.”

— Amy Mathers, Amy’s Marathon of Books



“Whether defending her school from bitter rivals or scheming up ways to keep her friends happy, I couldn’t help rooting for Clara. Her imagination, adventurous spirit, and all-around charm drew me right in.”

— Kristen Ciccarelli, Bookseller for Words Worth Books



"Author Anna Humphrey has done a wonderful job of telling a story that many children will be able to identify with: things happen that we have no control over and we need to learn how to cope. This book is sprinkled with adorable illustrations that depict Clara's comic strip and how she sees the world around her. This book will help students know they are not alone in how they feel and what they are dealing with. Recommended."

— School Library Connection



"A funny and touching story through which young readers may explore their own feelings of helplessness and frustration."

— Canadian Children's Book News



"Clara's supposed super powers make for quite an interesting storyline. The characters are well-developed, and the story is interesting... Recommended."

— Canadian Review of Materials



"Humphrey's new series starring Clara Humble as a plucky young cartoonist tackles the big challenges facing kids like friendship, anger, competition, and change with honesty and humor...delightful...hilarious super hero hijinks that kids will love."

— The Midwest Book Review

From the Publisher

"Kids who like to laugh will thoroughly enjoy this novel."

Canadian Review of Materials

08/01/2017
Gr 3–5—Clara Humble (Clara Humble and the Not-So-Superpowers) returns for another humorous misadventure. When a popular kids' game show, Smarty Pants, comes to town, Clara and the other fourth graders at Gledhill Elementary are eager to try out. But the trivia contest soon becomes an all-out war between the boys and girls led by new student Shane. Now the competition isn't the only thing on the line as Clara and best friend Bradley's relationship is put to the test. Clara is spirited and likeable, but not without her flaws; she is coaxed by the girls to sabotage the boys, including Bradley, during the game show. The concept behind the competition is creative; the trivia questions are interlaced with over-the-top obstacles that contestants must complete. Along the way, Clara learns the valuable lesson of being more supportive and encouraging towards her friend. Cinar's black-and-white comic strips of Clara's superhero creation, @Cat, are scattered throughout, adding humor and appeal for reluctant readers. Fans of the first book will enjoy this installment and, because the story stands well enough on its own, new readers can easily jump in. VERDICT A satisfying sequel for younger readers seeking realistic fiction with levity and a plucky protagonist.—Laura J. Giunta, Garden City Public Library, NY

School Library Journal

★ 2017-06-27
Clara Humble (who is not so humble) gets to show off her stuff on television when her favorite show, Smarty Pants, comes to town!The only trouble is that she's competing with lots of her friends, including her best friend, Bradley. And to make matters worse, the age-old battle between the girls and the boys erupts into a full-blown war, both on the playground and on the set. When she and Bradley find themselves in opposition on the gender issue, Clara worries that her best friend has gone to the dark side. Will the two of them be able to keep their friendship despite the stress of competition? And how far will Clara go to prove that she's the best at answering trivia questions while wallowing around in vats of pudding? Humphrey's second Clara Humble book delivers another exciting adventure featuring a group of characters who feel pleasingly authentic and who find themselves in tricky situations that require sharper-than-usual creative thinking skills. (Naming conventions point to some diversity among Clara's classmates, but Clara and Bradley appear to be white.) Paired with Clara's comic-strip drawings featuring @Cat, superheroine extraordinaire, the lively narrative and cunning plot points provide a nifty adventure and an exploration of the consequences of going with the crowd. Smart, lively, and genuine, Clara Humble will feel familiar to anyone who has ever ignored that worried feeling in the pit of their stomach. (Fiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews

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