The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class: Wyatt Hill Brings a Lizard to School

by Eliot Schrefer

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.

128 pages, Paperback

Published March 11, 2025

About the author

ELIOT SCHREFER is a New York Times-bestselling author, and has twice been a finalist for the National Book Award. In naming him an Editor’s Choice, the New York Times has called his work “dazzling… big-hearted.” He is also the author of two novels for adults and four other novels for children and young adults. His books have been named to the NPR “best of the year” list, the ALA best fiction list for young adults, and the Chicago Public Library’s “Best of the Best.” His work has also been selected to the Amelia Bloomer List, recognizing best feminist books for young readers, and he has been a finalist for the Walden Award and won the Green Earth Book Award and Sigurd Olson Nature Writing Award. He lives in New York City, where he reviews books for USAToday.



Also: I love marshmallows and early twentieth century fiction. And apes.

Reviews

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wyatt is odd and the book is a little odd. Wyatt has his stuffed animal pet Lizard that is a friend to him because he's a bit of a quiet kid. And his siblings tell him he needs to keep the lizard Lizzie at home because it'll be weird to bring it. But he ends up mixing things up at school when the things he notices (basically the gendered side of the world) shifts how recess gets played.

There's a lot of loose ends in the story and it talks around topics but not directly about issues so I'm unsure what the true message is.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fifth book in this series
Wyatt is quiet and observes everything that goes on in his classroom. He has a special friend he brings with him though his older stepbrother and sister warn him not to share this. Wyatt talks with Lizzie and she encourages him to explore. When he takes a few risks, he discovers he has friends and fits in with his class.

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has imagined gender and age norms um both boys and girls play with stuffed animals and play hopscotch step siblings are jerks girls at recess ambush him because they want to know all about him
He is a quiet shy boy who is either just an introvert or autistic or both
The teacher is a weird with half white half black hair who uses her daily scribble journal entries to get into the minds of her students