The book starts with the sudden death of an elderly substitute teacher at the Texas Baldwin High School. The scattering of his ashes on school grounds catches the attention of nosy parents, setting in motion a weird, tragic, beautiful and humorous year. Through the death and other situations (over-bearing parents commenting on curriculum choices, social media, banned books, to name a few) readers experience a multiple point-of-view story about the life at the school over the course of a year. Each chapter paints a compelling portrait of a member of the staff, from the seasoned veterans to the brand-new teachers, from the administrative staff to the janitorial department, highlighting how an individual impacts and is impacted by the different aspects of school-life. Some stories are funny, some hopeful, some sad but what brings them all together is that feeling of community around the teacher’s sudden death. There is not much of a plot nor a main character, but every character explored had a depth and richness to their story. The humor in this book is sarcastic but it is still a fun and great read. I highly recommend this book to anyone in the educational field, or who wants to learn about it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review!

The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu tells the story of one school and its faculty, consisting of administrators, teachers, substitutes, nurses, counselors, and custodians. When an elderly substitute teacher drops dead in the faculty lounge in the middle of the school day, it unites the faculty against grief professional development, against busy body district office and nosy parents, and unintentionally brings everyone together. Each chapter is devoted to a different member of the faculty as they tell their story, mixing their past and present. Mathieu does an incredible job weaving together the tales of each person and making you feel for them in only a few pages. From the beginning teacher in her first year who found the substitute teacher to the immigrant custodian who was likely the substitute's only friend in the building, from the administrator struggling with grief and to do her job to the nurse put in a sticky spot, there is a bit of something in here for anyone who has ever worked in a school to relate to.

As a teacher, I found myself drawn to the dynamics between everyone as they dealt with so many realistic problems that we encounter on a daily basis. Parents requesting alternative assignments for their kids because they believe the material to be controversial? People being unable to find jobs in their fields after immigrating to the US despite being qualified in their home country? Professional development that treats teachers like they are students and is universally detested? Happy hour on Fridays for team building? I laughed at so many of the situations, I shed a few tears over the despairing state of education, and I found hope for the future of students. In other words, I loved everything about this book as a teacher. Only one thing annoyed me, and it was that everyone was addressed as "Mr." or "Mrs.", from the oldest to the youngest teachers. I work in a last name school, we forego the formalities and just use last names with each other, so the formality killed me. But maybe there are some schools where they are polite and use people's titles when addressing them. Nonetheless, I adored this book. It is one I will think about nonstop when I start back up in a month with students. If you're a teacher, this is a must read that will give you all the feelings!

Faculty Lounge tells the story of an ensemble of characters beginning with the death of an elderly substitute teacher, Mr. Lehrer, on the couch in the faculty lounge. And, as one of the teachers says - it’s not the weirdest thing to happen at the school.- which leads to telling of many tales. Each member of the faculty has his/her own story to tell, many of them interconnected with the other characters, and many having some connection with Mr. Lehrer (who had actually taught at the school for many years, retired and came back as a sub). This novel shows how people can find purpose and interconnection in their everyday work life.

While (and I feel like I say this a lot), this one took me a bit to get into - I ended up loving this. I appreciated how the story came full circle with all roads leading to Mr. Lehrer in some way or another - he was a thread in many chapters and even though he dies before the novel begins, he was present throughout many characters’ journeys. While this was a novel, there was an element of short stories to it since each chapter was the tale of a different member of the faculty (but the book still had the structure of a novel since the it followed a linear storyline throughout - the academic year kept moving along with an underlying plot). Everyone in the book gets their backstory told, so by the end, the reader feels like part of the school. This was a clever and emotional novel and one I really enjoyed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC to review

4.25 stars

This book can be viewed as a tribute to teachers and other staff. Its setting is a Texas High school, but it delves into their lives outside working hours. It is a warm-hearted, poignant, and memorable character study. Many enter the profession with enthusiasm and dedication to connect with the students and positively affect their lives. Some become disillusioned but continue to hang on to their position and lose much of their effectiveness in their daily routine. Some scenes are hilarious, others sad and thought-provoking. It reminds one of the importance of human connections and that teachers have a life outside work. It addresses the professional challenges from parents, the school board, and the bureaucracy that must be endured.

The death of an elderly, retired teacher, now working as a substitute in the teacher's lounge, sets off a variety of reactions among the staff. Some remember him as a talented teacher, while others fail to understand how he could love his work and miss his classroom on retirement. They count the time until they can leave the profession and look forward to their pension. He wanted his ashes scattered in the schoolyard, which sets off some hilarious and troubling events.

As a long-retired High school teacher and later working in the guidance field, I found many of the characters and their tribulations to be relatable. We never had a dead body in the faculty lounge but the air was pungent from smoking. This relatability of the characters will surely invoke a sense of empathy in the readers.

I wish to thank NetGalley and the Publisher for this entertaining book. It will be of interest to anyone employed in teaching and those who appreciate schools and educators' work. Publication is due July 23. The book's entertainment value will surely make readers feel intrigued and eager to read.

This is an insightful look into the lives of a high school's teachers, administrators, and staff in Houston. While this is fiction, it may resonate with teachers as they see bits and pieces of their lives and experiences portrayed in this novel.

Each chapter is told from a different person's perspective. The chapters are longer to capture the storyline and the characters' actions and reactions to the situation at hand. I enjoyed peeking into these characters' lives and learning more about them and how they felt about teaching, the students, and even the parents. There are some funny moments that we could all relate to, such as replying to an email instead of forwarding it and venting about said email.

There are some hard-hitting moments, too. For example, when someone is caught drinking on the job, the end result is not what you might expect.

I was touched by how one teacher, Bob Lehrer, touched many of their lives. Some worked with him for years, some only knew him as a substitute, but the wisdom he imparted was life changing. He made an impact on his students and those around him. Many teachers strive to have that impact on their students. It inspired a young teacher as she learned from his ways.

I felt like this book depicted high school in Texas, from the testing to the politics and the parents. It might represent high schools in other states as well, but definitely Texas, but without the football tie.

If you are a fan of Abbott Elementary, you will probably enjoy this book. If you are a teacher, you might see yourself or fellow teachers within the pages.

We give the book 4 paws up.

I had mixed feelings about this one. It started off strong with the death of a beloved school faculty member and the internal staff e-mails were funny. But around halfway through the book it took a nosedive into the political realm and I usually don’t prefer that in my fiction. It hit on heavy issues like abortion, illegal immigration and resorted to labeling a former president as bigoted. A couple of character stories were one-dimensional and did not resonate with me despite being part of that demographic. I appreciate the attempts at diversity with an inside look into the struggles public schools often face but it read less as a story and more of a soundboard for political beliefs.

Thank you Dutton for my e-copy of Faculty Lounge. I wished I had liked it more but these are in fact my honest opinions and review.

This book is both hilarious and heartwarming, and I really enjoyed it! It starts off with a young teacher discovering the dead body of a substitute teacher in the faculty lounge. We then get the story of the rest of the school year (as well as past events) through the perspective of everyone from the principal to the undocumented custodial worker to the school nurse. I liked how we got so many perspectives and stories, and I loved how the writing style was both matter-of-fact and funny. As the roommate of a teacher, I have heard so many stories of what really goes on behind the scenes at school (both with students and admin), and this book felt like it could have been one of her stories. It was funny and warm and appreciative of educators and all that they do. I loved it!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for the opportunity to read before pub day! ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. THE FACULTY LOUNGE is out on July 23!

Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for the ebook arc.
Reading this book is like attending a school wide teacher meeting about information that does not pertain to you. It was interesting but did not keep me invested. I chucked and enjoyed some moments but overall.. it was an okay book.
Here's why YOU should read this book: this book is for the people who would like insight on what teachers experience on a daily. The sense of humor is dry and sarcastic, the diverse characters will make you laugh but most importantly; each story, each character shows you resilience, human connection, and the hurdles educators endure inside and outside of the classroom.
Although this book was not for me, it could be for you!

I went into this one with high hopes, it sounded like a sweet, heartfelt, character driven read. I was disappointed.
The POV is so far removed from the characters that even though I know a lot of information about their lives I don't feel like I know the characters or have any connection to them. Also it alternates between referring to them as Mrs, Ms, or Mr whoever and referring to them by their first names, leaving me unclear which first name goes with which last name.
The plot is buried deep under long winded introspectives and flash backs into the different characters lives, leaving the story moving at a glacial pace. A quarter of the way into the book I should feel like I have a handle on the plot, but I'm still waiting for it to start.
The writing is clearly also trying to be both didactic with its statements about the problems in the school system, and literary in the way it talks about the characters and their lives. But it just left me feeling annoyed and slightly horrified by what Mathieu thinks life is like for people over 30.
I didn't feel any heart in this book, only disappointment and the characters are too lost to be driving the story anywhere but over a cliff.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Group Dutton for gifting me a digital ARC of the adult debut by Jennifer Mathieu. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

An elderly substitute teacher at Baldwin High School is found dead in the faculty lounge. That sets off a series of events that cause ripples through the staff at the school.

I loved this book so much! I worked as a public school secretary for many years, and so much of this book rang absolutely true. And it is true because the author is a public school teacher! It covers everything from the teachers to the custodians, school nurses to counselors, to central office, to standardized tests, to parents. I could go on and on, but the best part is getting to meet different staff members and learn the back stories that influence their behavior. This is a must read for anyone involved in education, but also for parents. It's laugh-out-loud funny, poignant, full of heart and hope for our educational system. Highly recommended!

A fun and endearing look at the lives of high school teachers after the bell rings. When a former teacher/substitute dies in the faculty lounge of Baldwin High School at the beginning of the school year, there is a bit of a kerfluffle. However, it's not the craziest thing to ever happen at Baldwin. However, when the spreading of said teacher's ashes reaches the eyes of some busybody PTO parents, the school year becomes one of the most challenging for Baldwin's teachers and administrators.
A lovely (and often funny) look at the humanity of people we usually think of as one-dimensional.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for this e-arc.*

When a substitute teacher is found dead in the faculty lounge, it creates quite a stir but life goes on for the faculty of Baldwin High. Until a memorial spirals and creates a year of drama.

While a fast read, I didn’t get much out of this one. I did enjoy meeting all the characters and how we got in-depth character studies of each of them. I liked how the plot and characters revolved around the death of the OG substitute teacher, especially how it ended with his beginning. When it was all said and done, I did not have a conclusive feeling of reading an entertaining book with a solid plot. I do think that anyone who teaches or works in a school would love this one, but I was not the target audience.

“A dead body in the lounge was not, in fact, the most fucked up thing to ever happen at Baldwin High School.”

The Faculty Lounge comes out 7/23.

Wow. As someone who works in a Texas High School. Um. Are there cameras? Do you work with me? How was this so spot on.

The accuracy.

I literally named characters as my coworkers.

But really. I hate that it is way but geez. The world is making it so HARD ago be in education. Especially secondary education. Elementary education, y’all are probably reading this book and thinking WTH? What is this. Let me tell you elementary and secondary are WORLDS apart. Worlds.

Especially in Texas. We are not education first. We are athletics first. We are football first.

And working in a library it is CRUSHING. Devastating.

But with all that well done Jennifer. Keep bringing to light issues in your stories and speaking for those who can’t always.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

Thank you so much for the ARC of this book. I am a bit of a "sensitive" reader and some of the content was just not for me. I did appreciate how it felt like some of an educator's experience was really reflected in this book, something I haven't seen/read in any other book. I had a hard time with some of the content though for me personally. Thank you again so much!

I think this book is quirky and fun. Compiled of a bunch of short stories, a tale unfolds about the impact of people. Teachers and those who work together in a building to mold children’s lives. Yet instead of focusing on their impact on the children this book focuses on the impact of people on each other’s lives. How they inspired each other, found friendship, made connections, etc. So many times, when looking at teachers we tend to forget they are people outside of their title. Having a degree in teaching myself, I know sometimes we even forget that. Our kids become the focus, but we are more than that. We still are humans who exist, and the work environment of a school is one where we are separate, yet still a whole. This is a lovely book that will resonate with anyone who has worked in the education field and would be great for book clubs.
Thank you so much to Penguin Group Dutton, and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.

I had a blast reading this book! As a teacher's kid, it was refreshing to see school staff humanized. The Faculty Lounge dives into the lives of Baldwin High's educators, from teachers to the janitor and even the school nurse. It kicks off with a substitute's death in the lounge, creating a trauma bond among the staff. Each chapter offers a different staff member's perspective, showing their personal journeys and the educator they are today. Despite the numerous characters, it’s not overwhelming.

The Faculty Lounge is a book of interconnected stories about the staff at a public high school in Houston Texas.
I am not in the education field and I found this to be funny and sad at times but entertaining as well. I’m sure if you are in education it will be even more fun to read. It was well written. This is the author’s adult debut and she hit the mark.
Thank to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for the honest review.
4⭐️

3.5⭐️

This was cute but very, very niche. I think it could be an eye opening read for people who don't necessarily have regular interactions with teachers about the struggles and politics involved with being a teacher in 2024. I dind't really have a connection with any of the characters but had fun nonetheless.

This book was so fun! As the child of a teacher, it was refreshing to see school administrators and staff humanized. It reminded me that everyone has a story and there are many roads that can lead people to the same place. Humans are complex and each individual comes with their own baggage. The Faculty Lounge reiterates that and shares the stories of several educators within Baldwin High School's walls--from English teachers and math teachers to the principal, the janitor, and the school nurse! There's even an appearance from a dreaded PTA member haha. This novel kicks off with the death of a substitute in the teacher's lounge that creates a trauma bond between everyone involved and the story meanders on from there with each chapter being told from the perspective of a different staff member from the school. It tells us about the person and educator they are now and gives some insight to how each one got there. While the amount of different characters and stories included in this short book sounds a little overwhelming, I promise it's not. These are characters that you can truly believe are REAL people (did you know that teachers aren't teachers *all the time*?!) and they have their flaws, but you can also tell that they want to contribute in a positive way to their student's lives. This book was well-written and very enjoyable.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC :)

“A person could color-code and list and organize, but in the end, life sometimes just happened to you.”


The Faculty Lounge is a heartfelt, humorous, endearing, and honest exploration of the teaching experience and I absolutely loved it. All of the teachers work at Baldwin High and you get perspectives, personal stories, and challenges from the Principal to the Nurse to the custodian.
There are more serious topics explored like addiction, grief, and reproductive rights as well as more light-hearted topics like gag end of the year gifts and accidental email chains. All of the teachers are united and related in some way and I really, really loved that.

This story is slower moving and largely focused on character development and if that is your thing I highly, highly recommend this read. It’s not just for teachers but anyone that has ever worked with adolescence or been an adolescent. I can’t stop thinking about it and really really wish it could be a tv series as I want to know what happens as time goes on with all of these characters.

“In this business, we can only focus on what we can do in the moment. We can only focus on the next good choice. It’s been my experience that this is true in life as well. We cannot control other people or their behavior. We can only try to do the next right thing.”

Thank you so much to @duttonbooks and @netgalley for the early copy. This one comes out on the 23rd. Pre-order it now!

5 stars