Kat Fajardo – illustratör

Meet the kids in Mrs. Z's wacky and wonderful third grade class! Sebastian Metzger is overjoyed when he checks out a brand-new book on octopodes from the school library, but everything goes awry when the book gets ruined.Sebastian Metzger loves learning new things, especially about animals. He's actually been experiencing many new things recently: third grade marks his first year living as a boy. Some things don't change, though. His imaginary friend, Jimothy the chipmunk, is always by his side!When Sebastian spots a new book in the school library on octopodes, he just knows he has to check it out. The only problem is: this book is so new, the librarian hasn't even prepared it to be checked out! Sebastian promises to take great care of it, and the librarian makes an exception.But when his little sister accidentally ruins the book, Sebastian is devastated. Will Sebastian find a way to save the library book and redeem himself?Both sweetly poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, with black-and-white illustrations by Pura Belpré Honor artist Kat Fajardo, Sebastian's story invites readers into Mrs. Z's class where friendship and fun rule the school, from award-winning author Kyle Lukoff.Perfect for!★ My Weirdtastic School fans★ Reluctant readers★ Classroom read-alouds★ Andrew Clements fans★ Animal/Octopus enthusiasts★ Book loversRead 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) Ayana Ndoum Takes the Stage (#6) Olive Little Gets Crafty (#7)Synclaire Fields Knows the Score (#8)Theo Chang is Not a Cat (#9)-available for preorder now!Thunder Nelson Does the Impossumble (#10)-available for preorder now!Sebastian Metzger Solves a Sticky Situation (#11)-available for preorder now!Fia Hosein Finds Her Beat (#12)-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!

Meet the kids in Mrs. Z's wacky and wonderful third grade class! Fia Hosein loves life in Peppermint Falls, but when she notices her Trinidadian accent beginning to fade, she hits a few bumps in the road while regaining her voice. When Fia Hosein and her family moved from Trinidad & Tobago to Peppermint Falls, she was excited for everything new that awaited them, like snow days! But one cold winter day, Fia's voice starts to sound different and Ma and Grampy tell her it sounds like she has "snow in her throat." Oh no! Did Fia catch a cold?Now, Mrs. Z has assigned Fia a verbal presentation to perform in front of the whole class. How is Fia supposed to speak in front of her classmates when her voice feels all wrong? With the support of her parents, friends, and teachers, Fia must find a new sound that rings true to who she is!​Both sweetly poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, with black-and-white illustrations by Pura Belpré Honor artist Kat Fajardo, Fia's story invites readers into Mrs. Z's class where friendship and fun rule the school, from New York Times bestselling author Tracey Baptiste.Perfect for!★ My Weirdtastic School fans★ Reluctant readers★ Classroom read-alouds★ Andrew Clements fans★ Young musicians★ Anyone who's had a big move!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) Ayana Ndoum Takes the Stage (#6) Olive Little Gets Crafty (#7)Synclaire Fields Knows the Score (#8)Theo Chang is Not a Cat (#9)-available for preorder now!Thunder Nelson Does the Impossumble (#10)-available for preorder now!Sebastian Metzger Solves a Sticky Situation (#11)-available for preorder now!Fia Hosein Finds Her Beat (#12)-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!

Ready? Okay! Meet "The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class," an innovative new chapter-book series where every book will focus on a different kid in the same third-grade class, each created by a different acclaimed children's writer. In this first book from New York Times bestselling author Kate Messner, 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.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 in its attention to kids' worries and friendships and laugh-out-loud funny in its storytelling, with black-and-white illustrations throughout by Pura Belpré Honor artist Kat Fajardo, Emma McKenna, Full Out is the perfect launch for the exciting new Kids in Mrs. Z's Class chapter-book series.

In the exciting new KIDS IN MRS. Z'S CLASS chapter-book series, every book is written by a different beloved children's author and stars a different kid in the class. For Book Three, Poppy Song must navigate both a tricky candy recipe and her grandmother's increasing forgetfulness in a heartwarming tale written by New York Times bestselling author Karina Yan Glaser (The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street).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.Poppy is excited -- and daunted -- to try to make the candy, but she has other worries on her mind as well. Ever since they moved to Peppermint Falls, Po Po has been acting differently, putting items back in the wrong places, even mixing up ingredients in the recipes she knows by heart. Poppy wonders whether to say anything about these changes. Then comes a day when the differences put Po Po in danger, and Poppy must find her own courage to help her grandmother and her family figure out a way forward. This tender novel from the author of The Vanderbeekers on 141st Street series celebrates all the people, and surprises, that make life sweet.

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. His parents point out just one small problem: Rohan has never taken care of an animal before. They think he doesn't even like touching animals. (There is a reason cats aren't on his list.) To prove his parents wrong, Rohan volunteers to spend a weekend watching over Honey, the class guinea pig. But Honey appears surprisingly anxious, which makes Rohan nervous as well. When his big dreams meet his secret fears, what will Rohan do?

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. His parents point out just one small problem: Rohan has never taken care of an animal before. They think he doesn't even like touching animals. (There is a reason cats aren't on his list.) To prove his parents wrong, Rohan volunteers to spend a weekend watching over Honey, the class guinea pig. But Honey appears surprisingly anxious, which makes Rohan nervous as well. When his big dreams meet his secret fears, what will Rohan do?

In the exciting new KIDS IN MRS. Z'S CLASS chapter-book series, every book is written by a different beloved author and stars a different kid in the class. With Book Four, written by National Book Award winner William Alexander, Memo Castillo is excited to attend his first-ever fan convention with his best friend, Theo Chang -- but when their transportation plans go awry, will they get to live out their dreams?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.But Memo's dad can't drive them to the convention. His mom can't either. Theo's family is out as well. That leaves just one option: Memo's fearsome abuela. Lala doesn't speak English, though, and Memo doesn't speak Spanish. The two of them have never been able to really connect or communicate. But when Lala unexpectedly agrees to take Memo and Theo to the convention, it opens up a whole new set of adventures and challenges -- along with a kind of magic that Memo never expected.

Mrs. Z's class is holding a variety show, and everyone has signed up to demonstrate their special talent! 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 talent be?Before she can figure it out, she has an even bigger problem to deal with: Why is her dad at school?Turns out her dad-a professor who gets excited about schedules and has lots of goofy sayings-is a variety show volunteer! He talks to everyone and asks too many questions. It's embarrassing for Ayana, who likes to be quiet and help from the sidelines. And with her dad taking up the spotlight, will she ever find her own way to shine?

In the innovative KIDS IN MRS. Z'S CLASS series, every book is written by a different all-star author and features a different kid in the same third-grade class. In the fifth book, written by New York Times bestselling author Eliot Schrefer, Wyatt Hill has a stepbrother with a lot of opinions, a stuffed lizard who thinks everything Wyatt wants to say-and the beginnings of a voice that can surprise the whole school, starting with Mrs. Z's class.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.Wyatt's always known who he's SUPPOSED to be, but not who he is. The answer he discovers just might finally unite the boys and girls at recess-and reveal the zany kid who's been quietly there the whole time, waiting to speak up.

Meet the kids in Mrs. Z's wacky and wonderful third-grade class! Synclaire Fields is proud to be the best in the class at math-until one mistake in a high-stakes situation means she's NOT the best after all. So who is she instead?Synclaire Fields is the Math Kid in Mrs. Z's class, getting perfect marks on every quiz and helping her classmates master tricky concepts. She especially loves demonstrating her skills at her parents' store after school. Then she gets TWO ANSWERS WRONG on a math test, and ... How can she be the Math Kid if she isn't good at math anymore?So Synclaire embarks on a quest to figure out what's next. Maybe she'll be a piano prodigy? A board-games whiz? A skating star? She likes some of these hobbies, but there's one constant with every role: She seems to come back to math. Maybe, with the help of her friends in Mrs. Z's class, she can still be the Math Kid after all? Both sweetly poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, with black-and-white illustrations by Pura Belpré Honor artist Kat Fajardo, Synclaire's story invites readers into Mrs. Z's class where friendship and fun rule the school, from NAACP Image Award finalist Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich.Perfect for!★ My Weirdtastic School fans★ Reluctant readers★ Classroom read-alouds★ Andrew Clements fans★ Math whiz kids★ Math haters★ Kids who haven't found their hobby yet!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) - coming soonTheo Chang: Boy or Cat (#9) - coming soon!Thunder Nelson and the Impossumble Dream (#10) - coming soon!*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!

Meet the kids in Mrs. Z's wacky and wonderful third-grade class! Olive Little thinks a crafting club would be the perfect way to connect with her classmates-but when her club plans keep falling short, can she still find a way to make a place for herself in Mrs. Z's class?  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! Can she craft a solution to the stinky situation in time to save her club? Both sweetly poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, with black-and-white illustrations by Pura Belpré Honor artist Kat Fajardo, Olive's story invites readers into Mrs. Z's class where friendship and fun rule the school, from acclaimed author Linda Urban. Perfect for! ★ My Weirdtastic School fans ★ Reluctant readers ★ Classroom read-alouds ★ Andrew Clements fans ★ Young artists ★ Crafting enthusiasts 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! Synclaire Fields Knows the Score (#8) - coming soon! Theo Chang: Boy or Cat (#9) - coming soon! Thunder Nelson and the Impossumble Dream (#10) - coming soon! *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!

Meet the kids in Mrs. Z's wacky and wonderful third grade class! In the first six books of this playful chapter book series, you'll go on adventures with an energetic cheerleader, a scared pet sitter, a baking whiz, a fantasy enthusiast, an imaginative lizard lover, and a talent show star. These funny and reassuring classroom tales are perfect for fans of Andrew Clements, My Weirdtastic School, and The Questioneers.It's time for school at the brand new Curiosity Academy, where a certain third grade classroom stands out from the rest. It's got a zany teacher named Mrs. Z, who wears high-tops and science earrings, and an eclectic class of students from all over Peppermint Falls. But even when school is cool, life can still be challenging. In each book, follow along with a different student as they try new things, face their fears, and learn to soar in Mrs. Z's class.★ Emma just wants to makes friends at her new school, but an old friend-turned-enemy might ruin her chance at a fresh start.★ Rohan opens a pet care company to raise money for a school garden, but it's hard to care for pets when you've never done it before...and might be a little afraid of them!★ Poppy tries out a new candy recipe for her class, but she's distracted by her grandma, who's suddenly forgetting things she used to know by heart.★ Memo is thrilled to be going to a sci-fi fantasy convention, but his Spanish-speaking abuela has to take him there and Memo doesn't speak Spanish. Nothing could go wrong, right?★ Wyatt usually keeps to himself and chats with his best friend, Lizzie, who happens to be a stuffed lizard. But as he gets older, is it still okay for him to bring Lizzie to school? ★ Ayana doesn't know what to perform at the upcoming variety show. Even worse, her dad is a variety show volunteer! How can she figure out her act when he keeps embarrassing her?With six exciting tales of friendship and family packaged together, and six all-star children's authors, this series is perfect for getting early readers hooked on books! The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class can be read in any order you choose.Included in this box set:★Emma McKenna, Full Out ★Rohan Murthy Has a Plan★Poppy Song Bakes a Way★The Legend of Memo Castillo★Wyatt Hill's Best Friend Is a Lizard★Ayana Ndoum Takes the StageBut Mrs. Z's Class isn't done yet! Don't miss!★Olive Little Gets Crafty (#7)★Synclaire Fields Knows the Score (#8)★Theo Chang is Not a Cat (#9)★Thunder Nelson and the Impossumble Dream (#10)

Meet the kids in Mrs. Z's wacky and wonderful third grade class! Theo Chang is thrilled his family adopted a new cat, but the cat is less thrilled about his new home. Can Theo find a way to befriend the kitty before his family gives up and takes him back to the shelter?Theo Chang loves Trainwhistle, his family's newly adopted cat. There's just one problem: Trainwhistle does not love Theo. Although he's a lovey-dovey lap cat with humans, Trainwhistle is very rough with other cats. And for some reason, he clearly thinks Theo is another cat. Chased around the apartment and bitten on the ankle by the ferocious feline, Theo doesn't know what to do!Too embarrassed about getting beaten up by his own cat, Theo can't ask his best friend Memo for advice, but when his parents start talking about returning Trainwhistle to the shelter, he realizes time is running out. Can Theo convince Trainwhistle he's a boy, not a cat, before it's too late?Both sweetly poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, with black-and-white illustrations by Pura Belpré Honor artist Kat Fajardo, Theo Chang welcomes readers into Mrs. Z's class where friendship and fun rule the school.Perfect for!★ My Weirdtastic School fans★ Reluctant readers★ Classroom read-alouds★ Andrew Clements fans★ Cat lovers!★ Families who've adopted a petRead 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) Ayana Ndoum Takes the Stage (#6) Olive Little Gets Crafty (#7)Synclaire Fields Knows the Score (#8)Theo Chang is Not a Cat (#9) - available for preorder now!Thunder Nelson Does the Impossumble (#10) - available for preorder now!Sebastian Metzger Solves a Sticky Situation (#11) - available for preorder now!Fia Hosein Finds Her Beat (#12) - 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!

Meet the kids in Mrs. Z's wacky and wonderful third grade class! When Mrs. Z's class is looking for an animal to "adopt," Thunder Nelson knows just the critter-the baby possum she just saved. But Thunder isn't ready for what happens when a wild animal goes to school!Mrs. Z's class is voting on a small class mascot, since big animals tend to get all the attention. But Thunder hates voting-it's like sports but less fun. Everyone is nominating tardigrades, while Thunder is hoping for something fuzzy, like a hamster.Then she finds an abandoned baby possum and has a brilliant idea. She'll bring the possum to school and convince the class it should be their mascot! How could they resist picking a real, live animal? But when Thunder's plan goes off the rails, the possum-and the class-may end up in danger if Thunder can't find a way to fix her mistakes.Both sweetly poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, with black-and-white illustrations by Pura Belpré Honor artist Kat Fajardo, Thunder's story invites readers into Mrs. Z's class where friendship and fun rule the school.Perfect for!★ My Weirdtastic School fans★ Reluctant readers★ Classroom read-alouds★ Andrew Clements fans★ Animal lovers!★ Anyone who's had to fix a mistakeRead 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) Ayana Ndoum Takes the Stage (#6) Olive Little Gets Crafty (#7)Synclaire Fields Knows the Score (#8)Theo Chang is Not a Cat (#9) - available for preorder now!Thunder Nelson Does the Impossumble (#10) - available for preorder now!Sebastian Metzger Solves a Sticky Situation (#11) - available for preorder now!Fia Hosein Finds Her Beat (#12) - 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!