The Kids in Mrs. Z’s Class: Fia Hosein Finds Her Beat
Written by Tracey Baptiste
Illustrated by Kat Fajardo
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
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.
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!
Primary ISBN: 9780316594387
Publication Date: March 2026
Available As: Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook, eBook
Chapter Book, Age 06 or older
Community Represented: Trinidadian/Trinidadian American
Themes: Cross-Group Friendship, Cultural Empowerment, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Family, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Identity, Family Relationship: Grandparents, Family Relationship: Parents, Format: Audiobook, Generational Differences, Generational Differences: Language, Identity: Exploration, Identity: Multilingual, Mental Health, Own Voices/Lived Experience, Welcoming by School
Setting: United States
Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Immigrant
Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience
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Source: Hachette Book Group