The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class: Ayana Ndoum Takes the Stage

Meet the kids in Mrs. Z's wacky and wonderful third-grade class! Ayana Ndoum, who prefers blending into the background, will have to take center stage for the class variety show--but it's hard to concentrate on her talent when her embarrassing dad is volunteering at school, too!

Mrs. Z's class is holding a variety show, and everyone has signed up to demonstrate their special skills! Everyone, that is, except Ayana Ndoum. She's good at reading, but someone's already reciting a poem. 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?

Turns out her dad 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. With her dad taking up the spotlight, will she ever find her own way to shine?

Both sweetly poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, with black-and-white illustrations by Pura Belpr? Honor artist Kat Fajardo, Ayana's story invites readers into Mrs. Z's class where friendship and fun rule the school, from award-winning author Kekla Magoon.

Perfect for!
★ My Weirdtastic School fans
★ Reluctant readers
★ Classroom read-alouds
Andrew Clements fans
★ Quiet kids
★ Anyone who's ever been embarrassed by a parent!

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)
Olive Little Gets Crafty (#7) -- available for preorder now!
Synclaire Fields Knows the Score (#8) -- available for preorder now!
Theo Chang is Not a Cat (#9) -- available for preorder now!
Thunder Nelson Does the Impossumble (#10) -- 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!

Author: Kekla Magoon
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 03/11/2025
Pages: 128
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.25lbs
Size: 7.70h x 5.40w x 0.40d
ISBN13: 9781523527540
ISBN10: 1523527544
BISAC Categories:
- Juvenile Fiction | Readers | Chapter Books
- Juvenile Fiction | African American & Black
- Juvenile Fiction | Family | Parents

About the Author
Kekla Magoon is the author of many novels and nonfiction books for young readers, including The Season of Styx Malone, The Rock and the River, How It Went Down, and Revolution in Our Time: The Black Panther Party's Promise to the People. She has received the Margaret A. Edwards Award, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, the John Steptoe New Talent Award, three Coretta Scott King Honors, the Walter Award Honor, an NAACP Image Award, and been a finalist for the National Book Award. Kekla conducts school and library visits nationwide and serves on the Writers' Council for the National Writing Project. Kekla holds a B.A. from Northwestern University and an M.F.A. in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts, where she now serves on faculty. She invites you to visit her online at keklamagoon.com.

Kat Fajardo (they/she) received a Pura Belpr? Honor for Illustration for their first graphic novel, Miss Quinces (published in Spanish as Srta. Quinces). Born and raised in New York City, Kat now lives in Austin, Texas, with their pups, Mac and Roni. They invite you to visit them at katfajardo.com.