(ASQ: Milwaukee) -- Claire Anne and the Talking Hat (Quality Press, 2008), a new children’s book written by Barbara Cleary, takes a unique approach to reaching kids using quality concepts that can make school work easier and learning more fun.

The brightly illustrated book follows Claire Anne, an imaginative young student, who along with her friends and the help of Manny, a bird, and Martin, a mouse, discovers problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork. In the process of learning, they become more organized and focused, and Claire Anne and her friends are rewarded with good grades and confidence.

“This creative children’s story demonstrates in a humorous yet effective way how younger students can use the same tools employed by companies like Toyota and Boeing to improve their own academic success,” says Roberto Saco, president of American Society for Quality (ASQ).

Claire Anne and the Talking Hat is written for children in first through fifth grade who need help to become more effective, self-directed learners. ASQ, which trains K-12 schools throughout the country on how to apply quality tools and concepts to improve student achievement, teamed with Cleary to create this book as a way to talk directly with students about how learning tools can help them do even better in school.

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