The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class

From a New York Times bestselling author, cheerleader Emma McKenna is thrilled for her first day at a new school–but when her former best friend (now her enemy) shows up in class, Emma’s quest to start over socially may take a tumble.

Rohan Murthy dreams of running a successful business like his creative and kind mom. When Mrs. Z announces that Curiosity Academy needs to raise money for a school garden, Rohan sees the chance to launch his dreams right away! He'll start a pet care company to help the people of Peppermint Falls look after their dogs, hamsters, fish, snakes, lizards . . . anything but cats. With hard work, some glittery posters, and the help of his friends from Mrs. Z's class, Rohan knows he can do a lot for the school garden.

When Poppy Song joined Mrs. Z's third-grade class at Curiosity Academy, she knew just how to connect with her classmates: baked goods. Her beloved grandmother Po Po used to own her own bakery, and Poppy has inherited Po Po's gift for making pineapple buns, egg tarts, and other sweets, which she gladly shares with the other kids in Mrs. Z's class. After her classmates hear about a fancy treat called Dragon's Beard candy, they can't wait for Poppy to make some and bring it in.

Guillermo "Memo" Castillo and Theo Chang have been best friends since they were in kindergarten, and now they're partners in Sorcery too -- the mega-popular collectible card game, that is. Memo and Theo are excited to attend the upcoming science fiction & fantasy fan convention not far from Peppermint Falls. They plan to dress up in costumes, play in their first-ever Sorcery competition, defeat that arrogant fifth grader Josh Harkan in the tournament, and have an awesome day.

Wyatt Hill is the quiet giant of Mrs. Z’s class—a third-grader who looks like a fifth grader, nearly as tall as Mrs. Z herself. Because of his size, everyone expects him to play sports or be a tough guy, but that isn’t Wyatt’s way. He adores his stuffed lizard, Lizzie, and the lively conversations they share. He notices who’s having a bad day in class and wonders why boys don’t get to play hopscotch, which looks like a very fun game. And he is starting to put words down on paper in a way that might finally express all his thoughts about the world, which are so hard to say out loud.

Mrs. Z’s class is holding a variety show, and everyone has signed up to demonstrate their special skill! Everyone that is, except Ayana Ndoum. She’s good at reading, but someone’s already reciting a poem out loud. She’s good at synchronized swimming, but they can't get a pool onstage. What could her act be? Before she can figure it out, she has an even bigger problem to deal with: Why is her dad at school?

Olive Little loves making things ... but she’s still working out how to make friends. After she spies some other kids checking out crafting books from the school library, Olive gets a brilliant idea: She’ll start a crafting club! With a super-extraordinarily crafty invitation, everyone will surely want to join Olive's new club. And she knows just the invitation to make. All she needs is a perfect poem, some colorful confetti, a dozen eggshells, and some crafty know-how. Easy peasy! Until Olive discovers a local skunk has made its home in her family’s backyard henhouse!