The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class: Fia Hosein Finds Her Beat - by Tracey Baptiste (Paperback)

About the Book

After moving with her family from Trinidad, Fia makes new friends at Curiosity Academy, but when she begins to lose her Trinbagonian accent, she struggles with her identity until she finds a new way to stay connected to her roots

Book Synopsis

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!
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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)
Thunder Nelson Does the Impossumble (#10)
Sebastian Metzger Solves a Sticky Situation (#11)--available for preorder now!
Fia Hosein Finds Her Beat (#12)--available for preorder now!
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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!

Review Quotes

Praise for The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class Series

"[A] wholesome read...buoyant."--Publishers Weekly

"Believable characters experiencing age-appropriate challenges: making new friends, navigating social groups, overcoming shyness, and dealing with embarrassment.... Share with fans of Annie Barrows' Ivy and Bean books or Sara Pennypacker's Clementine series."--Booklist

"Buy the book and the series. Kids need access to this diverse classroom of students who face everyday crises with their supportive friends, and this gentle read shows the goodness in the world without being overly sappy."--SLJ

"Through Fia, readers can explore the link between language, accent and identity, and what it's like to move to a new country where there are 'new words for the same old things.' Perhaps it will encourage readers to appreciate the music of all voices."--School Library Journal

"Uplifting and encouraging."--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Tracey Baptiste is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty-one books and several short stories for children. She writes fiction and nonfiction picture books, middle grade, young adult, and graphic novels. She is best known for the horror adventure Jumbies series and Minecraft: The Crash. Tracey can be found online at traceybaptiste.com, on Instagram @traceybaptistewrites, and on Bluesky @traceybaptiste.bsky.social.