Rohan Murthy has a plan

LaRocca picks up the baton for this latest in the series, each of which is written by a different middle-grade author and follows a different student in Mrs. Z's third grade class. Mrs. Z announces that Curiosity Academy has a new garden. To help raise money for it, Rohan decides to start a pet-care business--an odd choice, as his younger sister, Kavya, points out, given that he dislikes animals. Ever since he was bitten by his music teacher's cat, he worries that all pets bite. His parents insist that he prove he's responsible enough. So when Mrs. Z tells the students that they may sign up to take Honey, the class guinea pig, home for a weekend, Rohan jumps at the chance. Though he's afraid, he's determined, and when Honey gets frightened during a thunderstorm and goes missing, Rohan learns another valuable lesson: "It's easier to get over being scared with a friend." The premise of this lightweight, sweet tale feels a bit unrealistic; most kids who are nervous around animals likely wouldn't volunteer to take the class pet home, much less start a pet-related business. Still, the resolution is heartening. LaRocca captures sibling dynamics ably; Rohan and Kavya squabble but ultimately support one another. Mrs. Z is brown-skinned in the upbeat, expressive illustrations; Rohan and his family are cued South Asian. Final art not seen. Quietly uplifting and encouraging. (Chapter book. 6-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

The biggest dog Rohan had ever seen was barreling toward them! It was pulling a teenage girl behind it. The dog had fluffy brown and white fur and a huge brown nose. Drool dripped from its open mouth, filled with huge, pointy teeth. Rohan froze. "Tiny! Stop it!" called the girl. She pulled on the dog's leash, and finally got the dog to stop. "Sit!" she said. The dog sat right in front of Rohan's sister Kavya. "Oh, can I pet the doggy?" Kavya asked. "Sure," said the girl. "I'm Amanda, and this is Tiny. He's very friendly. He's just a puppy, so he sometimes wants to run too fast." That enormous dog was a puppy ? Rohan couldn't imagine how big it would be when it was full-grown. "Let him sniff your hand, like this," Mom said, showing Kavya what to do. Kavya reached out, and Tiny sniffed her hand. "Oh! Tiny kissed me," she said, giggling. She petted the dog's enormous head. "Good doggy." "Do you have to walk Tiny every day?" Rohan asked while Mom and Dad petted the dog, too. "Three or four times a day," said Amanda. She laughed. "He has a lot of energy." "I'll bet," Dad said. "Want to pet him, Rohan?" Rohan rubbed the base of this thumb. "You sure it's safe?" he asked Amanda. "Definitely," she said. Rohan held out his hand for the dog to sniff. He closed his eyes as the huge mouth came close. The dog touched Rohan's hand with its wet nose, and Rohan opened an eye. He reached out his finger and brushed Tiny's head before drawing his hand back again. That wasn't that hard. Now Rohan knew how he could raise money for the school garden. Now hHe just needed to turn his idea into a plan. Excerpted from Rohan Murthy Has a Plan (the Kids in Mrs. Z's Class #2) by Rajani LaRocca All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.