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The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class #2
The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class: Rohan Murthy Has a Plan
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 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?
His parents point out just one small 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?
128 pages, Paperback
Published April 30, 2024
5 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Rajani LaRocca
34 books560 followersRajani LaRocca was born in India, raised in Kentucky, and now lives in the Boston area, where she practices medicine and writes award-winning books for young people, including Red, White, and Whole, which won a 2022 Newbery Honor, the Walter Dean Myers Award, Golden Kite Award, and New England Book Award. Her other books include: Midsummer’s Mayhem (2019), Seven Golden Rings (2020), Bracelets for Bina’s Brothers (2021), Much Ado About Baseball (2021), Where Three Oceans Meet (2021), My Little Golden Book About Kamala Harris (2021), The Secret Code Inside You (2021), I'll Go and Come Back (2022), and more. She’s always been an omnivorous reader, and now she is an omnivorous writer of fiction and nonfiction, novels and picture books, prose and poetry. She finds inspiration in her family, her childhood, the natural world, math, science, and just about everywhere she looks. To connect with Rajani and learn more about her and her books visit her at www.RajaniLaRocca.com and on Twitter and Instagram @rajanilarocca.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 7, 2024
Book #2 in this creative series was fabulous, too!
It would be so cool to pair these with Andrea Beaty’s picture books. Just like kids try to guess which character will be featured next in The Questioners series, they can guess which of the kids in Mrs. Z’s class will be featured in the next chapter book!
It would be so cool to pair these with Andrea Beaty’s picture books. Just like kids try to guess which character will be featured next in The Questioners series, they can guess which of the kids in Mrs. Z’s class will be featured in the next chapter book!
May 3, 2024
Cute! I loved the message of, “Try things that scare you, but if you don’t like it, you don’t have to keep doing it.” It’s a good thing for a kid and even an adult like me to be reminded.
January 27, 2025
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After his mom gives a presentation to his class about starting your own business, Rohan is inspired to create a new pet-sitting business to raise funds for the school garden. The only problem? He doesn't have much experience with pets and if he's honest... they make him a little nervous. Will he be able to face his fears to help the garden?
Nicely written. A fun story. This one didn't resonate with me quite as much as the first one, but still a great entry in the series with an engaging story, realistic problem, and great characters.
Wonderful themes of responsibility, using your strengths, and opening up to others about your problems. Loved how this one wrapped up.
As with the first book, the black-and-white illustrations are wonderful and bring each character to life.
Can certainly be read as a standalone, but I've really been enjoying the series as a whole. It is such a great concept for a series and I am looking forward to meeting more kids in Mrs. Z's class and following their adventures.
After his mom gives a presentation to his class about starting your own business, Rohan is inspired to create a new pet-sitting business to raise funds for the school garden. The only problem? He doesn't have much experience with pets and if he's honest... they make him a little nervous. Will he be able to face his fears to help the garden?
Nicely written. A fun story. This one didn't resonate with me quite as much as the first one, but still a great entry in the series with an engaging story, realistic problem, and great characters.
Wonderful themes of responsibility, using your strengths, and opening up to others about your problems. Loved how this one wrapped up.
As with the first book, the black-and-white illustrations are wonderful and bring each character to life.
Can certainly be read as a standalone, but I've really been enjoying the series as a whole. It is such a great concept for a series and I am looking forward to meeting more kids in Mrs. Z's class and following their adventures.
March 21, 2024
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central
Mrs. Z. has some good news; the children at Curiosity Academy are going to be able to have a school garden. In order to get supplies, however, they will need to be able to raise some money. Rohan's mother, who is an artist, stops by to give the class some pointers on how to set up their own businesses. Wanting to be an entrepreneur, and to raise money for the garden, Rohan decides that he will start a dog walking business, since it fills a need in his community. His parents, however, are skeptical, since he has never had to take care of a pet. Before they okay the idea, they want him to gain some experience. He is able to take home Honey, the class guinea pig, for the weekend. He is less successful when trying to befriend his music teacher's cat, who once scratched him. Things don't go as smoothy with Honey as he had hoped. With the help of his friends in Mrs. Z's class, he realizes that he has much stronger drawing skills than pet care ones, and decides to work with a classmate who is baking animal cookies. He will draw sketches of peoples pets, and leave the dog walking to people with more experience.
LaRocca has several books for older middle grade readers that include facets of this story; business skills in Midsummer's Mayhem and Indian cultural connections in Red, White, and Whole, and has recently moved into books for younger readers, like the recent The Secret of the Dragon Gems with Chris Baron, so it's good to see her take her turn with the new series. Rohan's enthusiasm for helping is tempered with his fear over pets, and he is able to navigate these complicated feelings with the support of parents and classmates. Gaining independence is a major accomplishment in third grade, and LaRocca does an excellent job of showing this process with nuance and understanding.
Fajardo's illustrations are always fun to see, but this particular book had a lot of very cute pets, which will be an added attraction for young readers.
Pet walking is a job that many young children can handle, and Rohan's attempts at setting his business up would put him in good company with Faruqi Must Love Pets series and Fairbairn and Assarasakorn's Paws books. Early chapter book readers who liked Ahn's Pug Pals or Winston's Wednesday and Woof mysteries will also be interested to see another installment of adventures from Curiosity Academy.
Mrs. Z. has some good news; the children at Curiosity Academy are going to be able to have a school garden. In order to get supplies, however, they will need to be able to raise some money. Rohan's mother, who is an artist, stops by to give the class some pointers on how to set up their own businesses. Wanting to be an entrepreneur, and to raise money for the garden, Rohan decides that he will start a dog walking business, since it fills a need in his community. His parents, however, are skeptical, since he has never had to take care of a pet. Before they okay the idea, they want him to gain some experience. He is able to take home Honey, the class guinea pig, for the weekend. He is less successful when trying to befriend his music teacher's cat, who once scratched him. Things don't go as smoothy with Honey as he had hoped. With the help of his friends in Mrs. Z's class, he realizes that he has much stronger drawing skills than pet care ones, and decides to work with a classmate who is baking animal cookies. He will draw sketches of peoples pets, and leave the dog walking to people with more experience.
LaRocca has several books for older middle grade readers that include facets of this story; business skills in Midsummer's Mayhem and Indian cultural connections in Red, White, and Whole, and has recently moved into books for younger readers, like the recent The Secret of the Dragon Gems with Chris Baron, so it's good to see her take her turn with the new series. Rohan's enthusiasm for helping is tempered with his fear over pets, and he is able to navigate these complicated feelings with the support of parents and classmates. Gaining independence is a major accomplishment in third grade, and LaRocca does an excellent job of showing this process with nuance and understanding.
Fajardo's illustrations are always fun to see, but this particular book had a lot of very cute pets, which will be an added attraction for young readers.
Pet walking is a job that many young children can handle, and Rohan's attempts at setting his business up would put him in good company with Faruqi Must Love Pets series and Fairbairn and Assarasakorn's Paws books. Early chapter book readers who liked Ahn's Pug Pals or Winston's Wednesday and Woof mysteries will also be interested to see another installment of adventures from Curiosity Academy.
November 19, 2024
Rohan creates a plan for a business to raise money for his school's new garden. After running into his friend Emma and her dog, Bongo at the park, he decides to create a pet care business. There is only one problem: he's afraid of animals and doesn't enjoy caring for them. He isn't willing to admit this though and moves forward with his plan with the help of his friends and classmates. A misadventure with the class guinea pig, Honey, though leaves him wondering if his plan might not need some adjustments. As in the first book in the series, Rohan makes for a relatable character with relatable problems. His little sister makes for a great secondary character as she forces Rohan to face his fears, but thanks to his family and friends, he finally finds a way forward that he can live with and even enjoy. Not only does the book highlight the ups and downs of running a business but the give and take of family relationships and the importance of help from those around us. A great addition to the series. Recommended.
June 21, 2024
Loved book 2 in this new early chapter book series! Rohan’s teacher is excited for students to start a school garden at Curiosity Academy…but they’ll need to raise money for materials, first. While going on a family bike ride around the neighborhood pond, Rohan notices how many people are out walking their dogs. He decides to start a pet care company to help the Peppermint Falls community look after their animals.
To prove he’s up for the job, Rohan brings the class guinea pig, Honey, home with him for the weekend. But when Honey acts scared, is it time for Rohan to face the truth and realize that maybe he’s not a pet-loving kid?
Favorite lines: pages 86/87
“Sometimes, you have to overcome fear,” Mom said. “But sometimes you have to listen to fear, because it’s telling you something important.“
I’m excited to bring the first two books in the series into my classroom this fall, and share books 3 and four with my readers when they are published in October.
To prove he’s up for the job, Rohan brings the class guinea pig, Honey, home with him for the weekend. But when Honey acts scared, is it time for Rohan to face the truth and realize that maybe he’s not a pet-loving kid?
Favorite lines: pages 86/87
“Sometimes, you have to overcome fear,” Mom said. “But sometimes you have to listen to fear, because it’s telling you something important.“
I’m excited to bring the first two books in the series into my classroom this fall, and share books 3 and four with my readers when they are published in October.
June 12, 2024
4 stars
The students at The Curiosity Academy want to start a community garden but it takes money. Rohan has an idea for a pet-sitting business, The only problem: Rohan is uncomfortable around animals due to some bad experiences. He really thinks that this is a good plan and he's willing to take home the class guinea pig, Honey, to prove that he's both responsible and capable. Things get off to a rough start, but Rohan eventually learns to face his fears and that maybe his great idea and plan could be tweaked. This is a solid entry in this series, The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class, but it could be read as a stand alone.
The students at The Curiosity Academy want to start a community garden but it takes money. Rohan has an idea for a pet-sitting business, The only problem: Rohan is uncomfortable around animals due to some bad experiences. He really thinks that this is a good plan and he's willing to take home the class guinea pig, Honey, to prove that he's both responsible and capable. Things get off to a rough start, but Rohan eventually learns to face his fears and that maybe his great idea and plan could be tweaked. This is a solid entry in this series, The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class, but it could be read as a stand alone.
June 30, 2024
The second book in the series was just as fun and sweet as the first. I like that every student in the class has a secret and they need to solve that problem in the book where they're the central character. Here, Rohan wants to do some good, but the solution he comes up with to raise money by starting a pet business brings him in contact with his worst fear. Rohan's little sister is a good foil to Rohan, and I continued to enjoy the running recorder joke from the first book. The adults continue to be supportive and upbeat, along with Rohan's friends. This book was heartfelt and fun! Also, the pictures and notes sprinkled throughout add to this series' appeal.
October 23, 2024
The resolution to this book was a little disjointed, but didn't diminish my enjoyment of the series and book as a whole. Rohan is a kid who has got a mom who is an industrious entrepreneur. She shared that with the class as a visitor and got Rohan thinking of ways to start a business to fund the garden at school which involves taking care of pets-- except he doesn't have much experience with pets. He needs to prove himself but pivots to be able to achieve his ultimate goal.
The universe of the series is going to start taking shape and I'm excited to see how it all goes. The humor, realism, and entertainment factor are all there.
The universe of the series is going to start taking shape and I'm excited to see how it all goes. The humor, realism, and entertainment factor are all there.
March 11, 2024
I received an ARC of this book for my honest opinion.
Rohan wants to raise money for his classroom’s community garden and thinks pet walking is the way to go with one small hurtle: Rohan is uncomfortable touching animals. Can he raise money for his class and overcome his fear?
I enjoyed both Rohan's and Emma's books. The kids were realistic with realistic fears and issues. Overall, I just think it is a brilliant idea to not only have each book focus on one kid in the class but to also have different authors for each student, ensuring that all of the kids will be represented appropriately and uniquely. I loved learning about the kids as I was reading, looking at their portraits in the front and seeing how Rohan viewed Emma and vice versa. A really cool idea for an early chapter book series with options for all kinds of kiddos.
Rohan wants to raise money for his classroom’s community garden and thinks pet walking is the way to go with one small hurtle: Rohan is uncomfortable touching animals. Can he raise money for his class and overcome his fear?
I enjoyed both Rohan's and Emma's books. The kids were realistic with realistic fears and issues. Overall, I just think it is a brilliant idea to not only have each book focus on one kid in the class but to also have different authors for each student, ensuring that all of the kids will be represented appropriately and uniquely. I loved learning about the kids as I was reading, looking at their portraits in the front and seeing how Rohan viewed Emma and vice versa. A really cool idea for an early chapter book series with options for all kinds of kiddos.
April 29, 2024
Brand new school, new class, and the hope to make new friends. The kids in Mrs. Z’s class have the opportunity to be part of creating their ideal learning space, the Curiosity Academy.
Each book features one student from Mrs. Zamora’s third-grade class and focuses on their hopes and challenges; gradually moving from strangers to a unity that will stay with them forever.
I always enjoy books with different POVs and giving each student their individual book is brilliant. This way we can get to know them on a deeply personal level and feel like we are becoming part of this class.
It is also very refreshing that different authors write these books. This way they bring their special voices and experiences into the stories, and make the books much richer.
This new series is a great exploration into different subjects for young readers and will engage them for a whole school year at Curiosity Academy.
Each book features one student from Mrs. Zamora’s third-grade class and focuses on their hopes and challenges; gradually moving from strangers to a unity that will stay with them forever.
I always enjoy books with different POVs and giving each student their individual book is brilliant. This way we can get to know them on a deeply personal level and feel like we are becoming part of this class.
It is also very refreshing that different authors write these books. This way they bring their special voices and experiences into the stories, and make the books much richer.
This new series is a great exploration into different subjects for young readers and will engage them for a whole school year at Curiosity Academy.
September 24, 2024
Second book in this series.
LaRocca focuses on Rohan and his family as he thinks about ways to raise money for their new school garden. He decides pet sitting would be a great business but there is a problem - he is afraid to pet small animals. Readers learn why and get to see him overcome his fears by the end. As in other volumes, the classmates interact and we see several of them work together.
LaRocca focuses on Rohan and his family as he thinks about ways to raise money for their new school garden. He decides pet sitting would be a great business but there is a problem - he is afraid to pet small animals. Readers learn why and get to see him overcome his fears by the end. As in other volumes, the classmates interact and we see several of them work together.
May 17, 2024
I am so excited for this series. In this one, we get a great spin on the kid-starts-a-business theme - Rohan realizes he needs to change his plan! So instead of yet another dog walking book, it goes in a whole different direction.
Brisk but not rushed. Lovely characters who are realistic - kind but not cloying.
Brisk but not rushed. Lovely characters who are realistic - kind but not cloying.
May 29, 2025
3.5 stars. This was a cute enough story about a boy who decides to run a pet sitting company to make money for his school. He takes home his class hamster for the weekend and realizes its more work than anticipated. I've read similar books and this didn't do anything crazy unique, but it was cute.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews