Nathaniel Ichabod Lampley wakes up on the morning his science project is due and realizes he has made absolutely nothing.
Not a model. Not a poster. Not even a questionable pile of cardboard with a title taped to it.
That scramble powers “Nathaniel and the Worst Project in the History of the Fourth Grade,” the debut middle-grade novel from Arizona journalist, editor and children’s author Kris Ann Valdez, who writes fiction under the pen name Ann Val.
Published by independent press Twenty Hills, the chapter book follows Nathaniel as he tries to save the assignment before he is late to school again. His emergency supply list is not promising: stuffed animals from a neglected toy chest, his sister’s crayons and a “Star Battles Trilogy” shoebox.
From there, things go about as well as Nathaniel expects.
Written for readers ages 7 to 12, the book finds its humor in the kind of mistake that can feel catastrophic in fourth grade. Nathaniel’s problem gets bigger, stranger and much harder to hide, but the story never treats failure like the end of the road.
“I wrote this book to remind readers that mistakes are not the end of the world,” Valdez says. “In fact, sometimes they’re the beginning of the best stories.”
That idea sits at the center of the chaos. Nathaniel may not have a perfect project, but perfection is not really the point. The fun comes from watching him improvise, panic and keep going.
Valdez brings a journalist’s eye to the story. Her freelance work has appeared in national publications covering parenting, travel and lifestyle, and she serves as editor of Queen Creek City Lifestyle.
She is also taking Nathaniel beyond the page through school visits, bookstore storytimes and library programs across Arizona. The interactive presentations include a reading from the novel, a creative activity inspired by the book and a behind-the-scenes look at how an idea becomes a published story.
“Nathaniel and the Worst Project in the History of the Fourth Grade” is available on Amazon. Readers can also order it through independent bookstores or request it through local libraries.
For Valdez, one forgotten assignment became more than a punchline. It became a debut built around a truth most kids eventually learn: mistakes make excellent material.
Insider Takeaways
- Kris Ann Valdez is stepping into children’s fiction with a debut that turns classroom panic into comedy.
- Nathaniel’s science project kit is gloriously chaotic: stuffed animals, crayons and a “Star Battles Trilogy” shoebox.
- The book is built for readers ages 7 to 12, especially anyone who has ever remembered an assignment way too late.
- Beneath the laughs is a smart, kid-friendly reminder that mistakes can become the best part of the story.
- Valdez is bringing the book to life through school visits, bookstore storytimes and library programs across Arizona.
To learn more, visit krisannvaldez.com.
