Nixie Ness, Cooking Star by Claudia Mills, illustrated by Grace Zong

Nixie and her best friend Grace have spent their whole lives together, ever since they met in preschool. Now they're third graders and ready for extra-special after school fun at Nixie's house every day! Then her mom hits them with the news that she's going back to work and Nixie is going to after-school camp while Grace will stay with Elyse from school.
Nixie has a lot of confused feelings about all the changes she's facing. After-school camp is lots of fun, and she kind of likes the new kids she meets. Even more exciting, they get to cook! But she misses Grace and starts to feel that Elyse is stealing her best friend. She struggles to adjust to the changes in her life and ends up saying something cruel to Grace. Can Nixie use her new skills, both in cooking and in socializing, to fix things with her friend?
Mills specializes in realistic, everyday stories of kids navigating life. While the after school program at Nixie's school is a lot fancier than those I've worked with, I've no doubt it's realistic based on some other programs I've looked at. Grace's family can't afford the after-school program and they meet Elyse's family through their church. Nixie is an enthusiastic, bright girl who has to learn to listen to others and not only think of herself - something all third graders (and older kids) often struggle with. She learns to speak up at the right time and that it's ok for friendships to change and grow.
Grace Zong's pencil illustrations were only sketches in the galley I saw, but they look like a good fit for the story, showing a diversity of body types and a wide range of emotions. It looks like there is a variety of races shown as well, although it's not immediately clear from the sketches.

Verdict: Mills' stories are circulate at a steady pace for my library; while they may not fly off the shelf like the latest popular graphic novels, unicorn books, or exciting adventures, they're safe, comforting reads for kids who are struggling with everyday issues with friends, learning to navigate the social waters of elementary school, and enjoy a dose of quiet humor. Mills also matter-of-factly includes mentions of kids who struggle in school, whose families don't have a lot of money, and includes church attendance as a social activity. While these may not meet the needs of every library, they're a good choice for my small town and a popular book club choice.

ISBN: 9780823440931; Published June 2019 by Margaret Ferguson/Holiday House; Galley provided by publisher; Purchased for the library