Class Mom by Laurie Gelman
Laurie Gelman’s clever debut novel about a year in the life of a kindergarten class mom—a brilliant send-up of the petty and surprisingly cutthroat terrain of parent politics.
About Class Mom
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.
Relatable, irreverent, and hilarious in the spirit of Maria Semple, Class Mom is a fresh, welcome voice in fiction—the kind of novel that real moms clamor for, and a vicarious thrill-read for all mothers, who will be laughing as they are liberated by Gelman’s acerbic truths.
My Thoughts
Class Mom is by far one of the BEST books I have read all year. I have not laughed out loud (literally) from a book in what feels like forever, I even had tears in my eyes at times while reading. Class Mom is witty, honest and down to earth. I knew from page one that I would fall in love with this novel and it did not disappoint me at all.
Jen Dixon is down right hilarious. The way Laurie develops her character, you feel instantly connected to her from page one. She is the type of person that you just want and need as a best friend. She is honest, loving but still full of adventure and life. You can relate to her struggles, her fears and her ambitions. She is just like every one of us, the parts of us we are afraid to show and the parts of us that we allow the world to see.
In this novel, we watch as Jen navigates the world of “Class Mom” (a title I didn’t know existed but for those of us who don’t know what a Class Mom is – they are sort of like the Teacher’s Assistant that connects with the parents in the class giving updates, getting people signed up for parties, trips, etc..). I still vividly remember my two years as Parent Council president and while I loved the role, it was the politics I couldn’t handle. The parents that complained but would never help, the parents that had been on the Council but would hold back information until the last-minute and the ones who just truly made your life miserable (but there were also the really amazing ones and the students who made it all worth it!). Toss this in with her preparation for a mud run, an old crush returning to her life and life itself and you have a story that is just downright funny and one that so many of us can relate to. Although I really wish I could have her humour and witty responses, I am definitely not quick enough on my feet to come back with some of those replies – it would have served me well as President and even in life in genera.
I fell in love with the way Laurie writes. It is a personal novel and I felt like I was able to really get to know Jen. She writes the same way as you would expect to have a conversation with your best friend. It was intimate, honest and funny. You feel as though you are there with Jen and her friends in each moment, each struggle and each adventure.
Class Mom is the must read book of the year. You will laugh, you will cry and you will not want to put it down.
You can purchase a copy of this book on Barnes & Noble, Kindle, Kobo, iBooks and Amazon.
Rating: 5/5 +++
About the Author
Laurie Gelman was born and raised in the Great White North. She spent twenty-five years as a broadcaster in both Canada and the United States before trying her hand at writing novels. Laurie lives in New York City with her husband, Michael Gelman, and two teenage daughters. Class Mom is her first book.
You can connect with Laurie on her website and Twitter.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
