EMMA MCKENNA, FULL OUT is the first in a new series about the students in Mrs. Z’s third grade class. In this installment written by Kate Messner, we meet the students and their teacher and get a peek into the start of the school year as the class starts to build community. Emma is excited about making a fresh start at her new school—until her “enemy” from last school year appears at the classroom door. Quick chapters, engaging characters, and relatable scenarios will draw readers in and leave them excited to meet more of Mrs. Z’s students in future books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of the book to read and review.

Emma McKenna is excited about starting third grade in a new school but that all changes when her nemesis Lucy walks into the classroom. Lucy and Emma used to be friends but when Emma put cheer before Lucy it caused a rift that really became a disaster when after the school talent show last year Lucy gave Emma a not so nice nickname that stuck. Now Emma just wants to make friends and get along with everyone at her new school but is Lucy going to bring up the past? A delightful start to the series.

Great choice for young chapter book readers. It has great font size and spacing on the page and has black line illustrations throughout. Emma McKenna is trying to present herself as the perfect friend - which is not easy. Emma's got lots of ideas of how to make friends. Will one of them be just being herself? It's a fun journey to find out. Looking forward to the next book.

I bought this for my third grade twins and they loved it! It’s the first of an 18 book series and each book will feature a different student in a third grade class. Emma learns how to fight for something she wants and how to speak in public. It’s fun and relatable.

I was excited for this series. I like that each character’s story is written by a different author. Best way to get a variety of personalities. This was well done by Kate Messner. Story moved quickly and was captivating. Kids will want to continue the series after this one.

This series was so much fun to dive into! I'm looking forward to the rest of the books to be released. Will definitely recommend them to my patrons!

My 12 year old thoroughly enjoyed this. A quick easy read for her but great for those beginner chapter readers. She enjoyed the story and especially loved that the story is about a teacher with the name of her favorite teacher.

Cannot wait to add this series to my students’ shelves! Absolutely perfect start to what promises to be a spectacular new chapter book series. Kate Messner has done it again. I loved reading about Emma and her 3rd grade class, and I know this will resonate with so
many of my readers!

What a lovely start to a new series- Kate Messner once again does not disappoint. Perfect for early-middle grade readers.

I just love @katemessner! Everything she writes is solid gold. Thanks to @netgalley for the eArc of this book. It is a delightful story of Emma in her third grade year. I teach third grade, and this book is spot on perfect. Another win for Kate

The premise of this new series is lovely! With both diverse and inclusive characters and authors, this may be a great addition to a library's beginning chapter book collection! In this book, Emma is nervous to start third grade at Curiosity Academy, but she quickly realizes that there may be hope in her peers (Olive, Rohan, Poppy). At first, there are a LOT of new characters introduced. But that's also what it feels like for many kids on their first day of school.

The conflict is established early on to hook reluctant readers -- Lucy, Emma's "enemy" is also attending Curiosity Academy. This dims Emma's excitement for the school year, but Lucy also doesn't seem happy to see Emma. Additional highlights from the story -- the teachers are reasonable and trustworthy. Yes, they redirect Emma and her peers, especially when it comes to safety, but they also listen and do what they can do create a positive classroom environment. I hope all readers/kids have teachers like the ones in this book! While the art is noted as final, the current drawings are clear, cute, and related to the story.

The first day at a new school is full of excitement and hope... until your biggest enemy walks in the door.

Kate Messner's first installment is the perfect start to this new and quirky, multi-author series! The kids in Mrs. Z's class are funny, diverse and completely relatable for our young readers. This series will definitely be a must-buy for our school library!

Read this with my 6 year old at bedtime. She enjoyed the book, but was not interested in continuing with the series. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review!

A new chapter book series with a stellar writing team is hitting the shelves next spring! Centred around a class in a new school, each book will feature one of the Grade 3 students. The first book, written by the amazing Kate Messner, focuses on Emma's entry into a new school, finding new friends, and deciding who she wants to be there. With themes of friendship, being true to yourself, and facing your fears, this shorter chapter book addresses a lot of ideas very effectively and appropriately for the chapter book audience.

This is truly a chapter book 2.0. Gone are the predictable plot driven texts with flat characters. Emma is a lovable, well-rounded character you can't help but cheer for. This is a character driven story with a few simple sub-plots masterfully woven in. The illustrations support the story and will help engage the reader. This book will be equally loved by newly independent readers looking for a great series to sink their teeth into, as well as Grade 1 and 2 teachers looking for a great read aloud to start the year. I expect this whole series will be a huge success!