You've Been Volunteered: A Class Mom Novel

by Laurie Gelman

Overview

In the eagerly anticipated follow-up to Laurie Gelman’s "irreverent and hilarious" (The New York Post) hit Class Mom, brash, lovable Jen Dixon is back with a new class and her work cut out for her in You've Been Volunteered

If you’ve ever been a room parent or school volunteer, Jen Dixon is your hero. She says what every class mom is really thinking, whether in her notoriously frank emails or standup-worthy interactions with the micromanaging PTA President and the gamut of difficult parents. Luckily, she has the charm and wit to get away with it—most of the time. Jen is sassier than ever but dealing with a whole new set of challenges, in the world of parental politics and at home.

She’s been roped into room-parenting yet again, for her son Max’s third grade class, but as her husband buries himself in work, her older daughters navigate adulthood, and Jen’s own aging parents start to need some parenting themselves, Jen gets pulled in more directions than any one mom, or superhero, can handle.

Refreshingly down-to-earth and brimming with warmth, Dixon’s next chapter will keep you turning the pages to find out what’s really going on under the veneer of polite parent interactions, and have you laughing along with her the whole way.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250771254
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/08/2020
Series:	Class Mom Series , #2
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	335,311
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.90(d)

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. The author of Class Mom, Laurie has appeared on Live With Kelly and Ryan, Watch What Happens Live, and The Talk, among others. She lives in New York City with her husband, Michael Gelman, and two teenage daughters.

Editorial Reviews

"Something tells me that Laurie Gelman has been volunteered many, many times. This is a must-read and a love letter to all those underappreciated multitaskers, who just want to be left alone." —Kelly Ripa

“Gelman’s laugh-out-loud follow-up gets an A.” —People

“Gelman gets right to the point reuniting readers with the main character they fell in love with in her debut, Class Mom…Her antics are laugh-out-loud funny, and she shows no signs of slowing down. The tone and pacing are excellent, and new characters, who come with their own issues and snark, are delightful.” —Library Journal, *starred review*

“Wisecracking Jen Dixon is back in Gelman’s enjoyable follow-up to Class Mom. This refreshing take on modern suburbia will appeal to fans of Lauren Weisberger.” —Publishers Weekly

“Dixon's emails to and escapades among the concerned parents of Kansas City have the same anodyne quality as an old-fashioned television sitcom, with a pratfall, a wisecrack, and a chuckle every few minutes like clockwork… Just add chardonnay.” —Kirkus Reviews

“All mothers will find themselves relating to Jen’s struggles as a mother and wife in You’ve Been Volunteered.” —WorkingMother.com

“I just wish Jen was real so I could hang out with her. Hilarious and the exact escape I needed at night after putting my kid down. Funny, heartwarming, and fulfilling. Brava!" —Katie Lowes, actress

“Jen’s cheeky and mildly cynical worldview will delight any mom who has ever had to convince fellow parents to bring gluten-free cupcakes to the class party. Give to fans of Allison Pearson and of Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic books.” —Booklist

“In an age overrun with superheroes, Jennifer Dixon may have the most formidable superpower: smooth-flowing snark. Laurie Gelman’s follow-up to Class Mom proves the pen is mightier than the sword, the shield, the hammer, or even wrist-propelled spider webs. It’s great fun." —Tom Bergeron, Emmy Award-winning TV host

“This delicious sequel to Class Mom will resonate whether you’re in the thick of the PTA years or looking back at them longingly. Get ready to laugh out loud with this highly relatable and breezy read.” —Jane L. Rosen, author of Nine Women, One Dress

From the Publisher

★ 05/01/2019

Jen Dixon has been coerced into the class mom position yet again, this time for her son Max's third grade class. Starting the year off right by sending out one of her notorious snarky emails, noting response times, and assigning parents various items to bring for class events, she is on a roll. But soon Jen starts getting pulled in different directions when the new micromanaging PTA president ropes her into safety patrol duty, her parents need more help as they age, her daughters begin navigating adulthood, and her husband considers franchising his business. Gelman gets right to the point reuniting readers with the main character they fell in love with in her debut, Class Mom. From a swinger proposal to a spin class epiphany to urgent diarrhea, Jen deals with it all. Her antics are laugh-out-loud funny, and she shows no signs of slowing down. The tone and pacing are excellent, and new characters, who come with their own issues and snark, are delightful. VERDICT Buy it—no questions asked.—Erin Holt, Williamson Cty. P.L., Franklin, TN

Library Journal

2019-04-14
Max Dixon is in third grade, and his mother has been roped into active duty again.

The subtitle of this sequel to Gelman's (Class Mom, 2017) maiden foray into the wilds of elementary school volunteering indicates that Jen Dixon, room parent extraordinaire, is in it for the long haul. Good thing. Dixon's emails to and escapades among the concerned parents of Kansas City have the same anodyne quality as an old-fashioned television sitcom, with a pratfall, a wisecrack, and a chuckle every few minutes like clockwork. This year, Dixon is trying to use the SignUpGenius software to organize the refreshments for "that Fyre Festival known as curriculum night," has been charged with supervising the morning safety patrol, and is coping with the effects of a nasty new kid and his tight-ass mom on the peanut-free ethos of William Taft Elementary. Her mom has recovered from breast cancer, her husband, Ron, is trying to woo an investor to help him expand his sporting goods business, her adult daughters are having boy troubles, and Jen herself has discovered the transcendent joys of spin class. The plot gambols along from one parent missive to the next—"Exciting news from Mrs. Randazzo! She has finally decided on a field trip for our offspring. About time, am I right?" "I'm sure by now you've all heard what happened at safety patrol today so let me just state the obvious: this cannot happen again"—takes a quick, boozy detour to Vegas, and winds up with everything just fine, sitcom style.

Just add chardonnay.

Kirkus Reviews