CINA'S DAYS IN THE 4TH GRADE

A young girl navigates the wild, wacky world of fourth grade in Baldwin’s chapter book.

Cina is a bright and energetic fourth grader who loves nothing more than hanging out with her two best friends, Candice and Sarai, and sneaking in a few extra minutes of sleep before getting ready for school. Each chapter starts a new day with her mom urging her out of bed, after which Cina desperately (but fruitlessly) attempts to rid the house of a pesky spider who simply will not leave (“I could not relax with the thought that it could just crawl out from anywhere, but I had to get ready for school”). She then heads off to Mrs. Clark’s class, where she faces various triumphs and trials—some more unusual than others. For example, Cina is in charge of taking care of the classroom pet, a snail named Braxton who keeps escaping his tank. She must also prepare for the major debate tournament that a well-meaning teacher signed her up for (alongside her archnemesis, the know-it-all Drexton Lee). Add to that a disastrous picture day and the big talent show, and Cina has her hands full. But even after navigating various setbacks, she always manages to see the bright side of things. Colorful, cartoonish pictures that appear to be AI-generated begin each chapter (no illustrator is listed). Cina is a delightful protagonist, a kind but no-nonsense Black girl whose signature phrase (“Fix your face”) perfectly captures the book’s silly humor. Baldwin thoughtfully touches upon problems that are both universal and unique to the Black experience, such as Cina’s “freshly pressed hair” shrinking “back into a tiny afro” after a sweaty recess. The action moves along briskly, with the chapters almost acting as separate mini-adventures. The result is a very sweet story.

A fun, inspiring romp.