Thursday, May 24, 2018

At Least There Was Plenty of Snark and Attitude - Class Mom Review

TITLE: Class Mom
AUTHOR: Laurie Gelman
PUBLISHER: Henry Holt & Co.
PUBLISHING DATE: August 1, 2017

FROM GOODREADS: Jen Dixon is not your typical Kansas City kindergarten class mom--or mom in general. Jen already has two college-age daughters by two different (probably) musicians, and it's her second time around the class mom block with five-year-old Max--this time with a husband and father by her side. Though her best friend and PTA President sees her as the-wisest-candidate for the job (or oldest), not all of the other parents agree.

From recording parents' response times to her emails about helping in the classroom, to requesting contributions of-special-brownies for curriculum night, not all of Jen's methods win approval from the other moms. Throw in an old flame from Jen's past, a hyper-sensitive -allergy mom,-a surprisingly sexy kindergarten teacher, and an impossible-to-please Real Housewife-wannabe, causing problems at every turn, and the job really becomes much more than she signed up for.

MY THOUGHTS: So "Class Mom" isn't my usual read but after seeing one of my favorite bloggers review it, I grabbed it from my library. So a few weeks ago when I was severely under the weather, I picked it up anticipating and easy and light read and it was the PERFECT thing to keep me company while I "died" on the couch.

Jen Dixon is married and has two daughters in college and a 5 year old son. She gets roped into being class mom for his Kindergarten class and that's when the fun ensues. Jen is not really ready to dive back into school activities. She raised her daughter as a single mother following her young adult years filled with being a groupie for INXS and only settling down when children dictated she do so. In fact, she isn't entirely convinced that the lead singer isn't her daughter's father. But now Jen is a "respectable" housewife. Her husband owns a sporting goods store and she is trying to get in shape after being embarrassed by last year's mud run.

What makes this book so great is Jen's snarky and sarcastic attitude. Part of the book is told in emails sent to the class parents and to say Jen is a smart ass is an understatement. Gelman also does a wonderful job of portraying the various parents one might expect to encounter in today's school environment. Even the parent whose kid is allergic to EVERYTHING! 

"Class Mom" might seem an odd read for someone who doesn't have small children at home but truth be told, you don't really need that element to find this book hilarious. However, the humor in this book is not for everyone and I could see some people being offended at some of the things in it. However, if you are in the mood for sarcasm, friendship, unique characters, lots of drama and a small amount of intrigue, "Class Mom" just might be the book you're looking for.

MY RATING: 4 PAWS



I ALSO THINK THIS IS CURRENTLY ON SALE AT AMAZON FOR $2.99 UNTIL 5/29

13 comments:

  1. Jen sounds so relatable. I don't have kids, but just reading your review had me nodding and smiling!

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    1. She is definitely one of my favorite characters!

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  2. oh I think I need to read this book! Even though my kids are not that little anymore I love sarcastic funny parenting stories! :)

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    1. Oh yes, I think this is totally up your alley!

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  3. I was a class mom many years ago so I'm sure this would bring back lots of memories. Sounds like fun!

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  4. This sounds fun and funny - when I came across it on Goodreads, I immediately recommended it to my sister - she has a 2-year-old, but I can already see some of this stuff starting to happen!

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    1. It was such a fun read. Great for mindless fun!

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  5. This sounds so funny!! I'm in need of a book that will give me a laugh! :)

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  6. I'm so glad you enjoyed this one as much as I did! I don't typically enjoy books like this either but this one was so much snarky fun. Had there been a class mom like Jen in my school system I might've actually participated (but still probably not!)

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    1. It was because of you that I read it. I could totally see myself being friends with Jen.

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  7. Barb, thank you for that wonderful review! I love when someone who is not a class mom still gets a kick out of it. And while you were sick! Double win for me. The sequel is almost finished! xo Laurie Gelman

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