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Ranney Lower School Library & Media Studies Teacher Mike Steele Pens Middle-Grade Novel

CJM Publishing will release Ranney Lower School Librarian Mike Steele’s debut middle-grade novel, Not Lucille, on June 24, 2025. The Great Depression setting provides a unique backdrop for its disabled characters.

The story takes place in 1931 in Trenton, NJ. Ten-year-old Lucy (not Lucille) Contento is always in trouble. She talks too much. She’s impulsive. Her brain doesn’t seem to work like everyone else’s. Lucy’s parents would be furious if they found out she’s been sneaking onto the campus of the nearby Trenton Academy for the Deaf. There, Lucy has met Florence, a lonely and profoundly deaf girl her own age. Florence doesn’t mind Lucy’s flaws. Though Florence can’t speak, she has a unique way of communicating. If Lucy can figure out how to learn Florence’s special language, the two could be friends. Lucy devises a plan, but it’s going to cost a whopping $7.98—more money than she’s got. She can’t tell her parents why she wants the funds without revealing she’s been visiting Florence. Besides, her parents don’t have a penny to spare. Her father has been out of work for months. And nobody else in the Contento family has an income. Or do they …? Lucy soon discovers she’s not the only member of her family hiding something. Can she get the money she needs while keeping everyone’s secrets? Or will her scheming land her in the biggest trouble of her life?

“I’m excited for kids to get to read about disability in a historical context,” Steele said. “Lucy has what’s now known as ADHD and Florence is Deaf. Some of the obstacles they face are unique to the Great Depression era, but many of the obstacles are still present in the disability community today. I hope readers will enjoy learning new things about the period, but most importantly, I hope they’ll find ways to connect with characters that may be very different from themselves.”

“We are excited for Mike, and proud of his hard work and dedication to his literary endeavors,” said Head of School Dr. John Griffith. “Watching one of our own bring a story to life for young readers is a powerful reminder of the creativity and passion that fills our halls—not just in our students, but in the educators who inspire them every day.”

Not Lucille (978-1-965648-0700, $14.99) will be available wherever books are sold beginning June 24, 2025. Pre-order is also available for eBook and paperback editions at online retailers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
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Ranney School

235 Hope Road
Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
Tel. 732.542.4777
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