You’ve Been Volunteered

Wisecracking Jen Dixon is back in Gelman’s enjoyable follow-up to Class Mom. Jen’s son, Max, is now in third grade, and Jen has once again been roped into being class mom. Greeting fellow parents (and readers) with one of her notorious emails, Jen reminds everyone that it’s “my way or the highway.” Almost everyone is glad to have her back, but a snooty new mom to the school and a micromanaging PTA president threaten to force Jen to be more professional and not just skirt by on charm. Meanwhile, her husband has forced her to start cutting coupons to save money, and some new friends may be plotting against her. Jen is also strong-armed into managing the safety patrol program, which requires her to assign (and enforce) patrol time slots for parents of fifth graders. But when Jen’s aging mother and father begin asking her for more help and take notice of her freewheeling approach to her duties as class mom, Jen begins to realize that she herself might be the cause of her problems, and wonders if she’s the cool, witty, take-no-nonsense badass she’d like to think she is, or is she just selfish and cruel? Jen has an abrasive demeanor and an intractable stubbornness, but she displays heart and a crackling sense of humor throughout. This refreshing take on modern suburbia will appeal to fans of Lauren Weisberger. (July)