Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley and Kathleen West for the opportunity to read and review this novel - I loved it! This would be a fabulous book club read, especially for parents/teachers dealing with high schoolers.
In the wealthy suburb of Liston Heights, Minnesota, Julia is an intense helicopter mom of Andrew and Tracy. Julia gave up her journalism career to stay at home and the kids have always been her complete job. Desperate for Andrew to have a more substantial part in the upcoming school play, she persuades her husband to make a big donation to the costume shop for the drama club and talks to the principal about the fact that Andrew is owed this part. In her excitement to see what part he is selected for, she sneaks into the school to see the posting and inadvertently hits another student. Of course, the moment is captured on video and goes viral.
Isobel, an English teacher at the high school, grew up with a cross to bear from her father's actions and is adamant that the kids in her classes will understand the responsibility of their privileged life and encourages them to view the novel's in the curriculum with a more liberal viewpoint than others are comfortable with. Tracy becomes attached to her teacher and starts questioning women's roles in the world, much to the chagrin of Julia.
Enter social media. Besides the viral video, there is also a gossip website that encourages parents to talk badly about the teachers in the school.
There is so much to discuss in this book - rank and privilege, helicopter parenting, mean mom attitudes, and a healthy respect for the damage that social media can play in all these. But the writing is spot on and it made for a very enjoyable, light read while exploring more complicated subjects.
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