Copyright Date:
2024
Edition Date:
2024
Release Date:
04/30/24
Illustrator:
Fajardo, Kat,
Pages:
106 pages
ISBN:
Publisher: 1-523-52572-X Perma-Bound: 0-8000-6582-4
ISBN 13:
Publisher: 978-1-523-52572-0 Perma-Bound: 978-0-8000-6582-9
Dewey:
Fic
LCCN:
2023039386
Dimensions:
20 cm.
Language:
English
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews
A new school and an old embarrassment threaten Emma's third grade year.Emma is excited to start at the brand-new Curiosity Academy, but of the 18 kids in Mrs. Z's class, one turns out to be her former BFF, Lucy. What if everyone learns about the humiliating nickname Lucy saddled her with last year? Emma doesn't seem to notice that Lucy is avoiding her and not having a great time herself. As her peers introduce themselves, Emma becomes convinced that she's the Least Interesting Person in class. Her plan to become more popular goes awry, and her hopes of learning to play the flute in music class are dashed. Still, the perceptive Mrs. Z finds a way to help Emma shine, and when the students start debating what the school's new mascot should be, Emma hits upon the perfect idea: the capybara, a creature that gets along with everyone-just as Emma hopes to. Impulsive but kind Emma's troubles are relatable, while brown-skinned Mrs. Z feels like a hip reincarnation of Ms. Frizzle from the Magic School Bus books. When it comes to Emma and Lucy's relationship, however, this engaging, low-key tale feels a bit unresolved, in part because of the series' premise. Each title follows a different student and is written by a different author; readers will eventually learn Lucy's full story. In Fajardo's cartoon artwork, Emma and Lucy present white; the class is diverse. Final art not seen.A gentle back-to-school tale sure to resonate with youngsters confronting their own friendship woes. (Chapter book. 6-9)
After the Morning Scribble, everyone got to share One Interesting Thing about themselves.
Fia had just moved to Peppermint Falls from Trinidad.
Steven helped his grandmother care for injured animals.
Mars wanted to be a makeup artist for scary movies when he grew up, and Ruthie wanted to be a Broadway star.
Emma didn't know what she wanted to be. Was she supposed to know that?
Poppy spoke Cantonese.
Adam spoke Urdu and Arabic.
Carlota volunteered at a center to help new immigrants.
Emma stared down at her skirt. Was cheerleading interesting? Maybe not.
She had twin sisters. That was kind of interesting.
She had a pet bulldog so old he had to go for walks in a baby stroller. That was interesting, but Emma couldn't share it. Not without reminding Lucy of the nickname.
"I...uh...like cheerleading," Emma said when it was her turn.
Mrs. Z. nodded and smiled. Then she moved on to Thunder, who told the class that she knew how to speak hamster and was teaching her dog English using buttons with words on them.
There was no doubt about it. Emma was the Least Interesting Person in Mrs. Z's class. No one would want to be friends with her. Third grade was doomed.
"Doomed" was a good word. When you used it, grownups always said you were exaggerating, but Emma wasn't. She knew doom when she saw it coming.
Excerpted from Emma Mckenna, Full Out (the Kids in Mrs. Z's Class #1) by Kate Messner
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
Meet the kids in Mrs. Z’s wacky and wonderful third-grade class! Cheerleader Emma McKenna is thrilled for the first day of school… until her frenemy shows up and all of Emma’s plans for a social do-over take a tumble!
Emma McKenna can’t wait for third grade at the brand-new Curiosity Academy. She’ll have a cool teacher who wears high-tops and science earrings. She’ll meet interesting classmates from all over Peppermint Falls. Best of all, she’ll get a fresh start after last year’s talent-show disaster left her with that awful nickname. It’s going to be the best year ever!
Then Lucy walks into Mrs. Z’s room.
Lucy, Emma’s best-friend-turned-enemy.
Lucy, who gave Emma that nickname and spread it all over school!
Emma’s fresh start is doomed . . . unless she can make friends before Lucy ruins everything.
So Emma sets out to be pals with everyone, just like her favorite animal, the capybara. As her classmates argue over the choice of a new school mascot, Emma stays quiet and doesn’t pick sides. (The last thing she needs is another enemy.) But maybe speaking up could be the thing that helps her really connect with her class—and saves her at last from third-grade doom.
Both sweetly poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, with black-and-white illustrations by Pura Belpré Honor artist Kat Fajardo, Emma McKenna welcomes readers into Mrs. Z’s class where friendship and fun rule the school in this series-starter from New York Times bestselling author Kate Messner.
Perfect for!
★ My Weirdtastic School fans
★ Reluctant readers
★ Classroom read-alouds
★ Andrew Clements fans
★ Cheerleaders
Read them all! The Kids in Mrs. Z’s Class have plenty of stories to share!
Emma McKenna, Full out (#1)
Rohan Murthy Has a Plan (#2)
Poppy Song Bakes a Way (#3)
The Legend of Memo Castillo (#4)
Wyatt Hill Brings a Lizard to School (#5) — available for preorder now!
Ayana Ndoum Takes the Stage (#6) — available for preorder now!
Olive Little Gets Crafty (#7) — available for preorder now!
Synclaire Fields Knows the Score (#8) — available for preorder now!
*The Kids in Mrs. Z’s Class is an innovative series where every book is written by a different all-star author and features a different kid in the same third-grade class. They can be read in any order!
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