"For anyone who has ever worked in a school"
Short stories about various staff in a public high school from the custodian to the counselor to the principal to the teachers are woven together in The Faculty Lounge. As a teacher myself, I absolutely adored this book and think that most others who work in a school will feel the same way. The book touches on the various struggles and expectations that are put on us as teachers and reminds the readers that we are still humans too who have families, health needs to tend to and just general lives outside of school. As in the real world, many of these staff members are dedicated to their students at the expense of their personal lives. I felt all the emotions throughout these chapters: happy, sad, mad, hopeful, discouraged, and so on. My favorite part has to be that (unlike most of our professional development in schools) the book is written by an actual teacher! Jennifer Mathieu is a high school English teacher, so I'm sure has either been through some of these events herself or seen her colleagues go through them. I highly recommend this read to all of my fellow school staff members!

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin Group Dutton and Jennifer Mathieu for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed reading The Faculty Lounge. It reminded me of the show Abbott Elementary. I currently work as the librarian at a high school campus and everything about this book is the truth. Schools are such a mix of new, experienced staff members, happy and sad times, and everything else portrayed in this book. I am definitely recommending it to coworkers!!

A thoughtful story about teachers and their lives in a semi-anthology style. I didn't expect expect to become invested in the characters, but I was thoroughly moved by the end.

I had a very hard time getting into this book. A friend described it as interconnected short stories, but none of the stories really appealed to me. The book starts with a longtime teacher (now a sub) who dies in the faculty lounger. A younger teacher finds him dead. Then, we learn about each of the teachers’ stories. They were boring.

This was such a warm and funny read. As a former teacher, I felt so seen and appreciated and understood. You follow a rather large cast of characters (I did have some trouble remembering who was who, but there was a character list provided!) who are all involved with Baldin High School. Most of the characters are the faculty and staff, and we get to see their triumphs and troubles as they navigate the school year. We dip in and out of their experiences and memories, and truly realize that the person in front of the classroom, the one assigning all the homework…they are extremely human.

That’s not to say that each vignette is a winner. There were some stories that had no impact whatsoever and seemed to almost be filler. But there were other stories that made up for it- I can’t remember her name, but I loved the story about the school nurse. That was a standout for me.

I really enjoyed this and it was a lovely summer beach read. If you are in any way tied to the educational system, be it teacher, administration, or student, I think you’ll enjoy this.

Thank you to Netgalley for the digital ARC.

This is my first time reading Jennifer Matthieu and I'm so glad to discover her through such a heartwarming and relevant novel. The Faculty Lounge is a novel-in-stories/short story cycle that follows the events at Baldin High School in Texas over the course of a school year. Beginning with the death of a long-time substitute teacher in the titular lounge, we see how one event can spiral and affect many individual characters. Each chapter largely follows a singular character, moving chronologically through the school year, and each reveals something new about the dynamics of the school. If you're a fan of Abbott Elementary, then this has a lot of the same vibes. We encounter veteran teachers struggling to adapt to 21st century post-pandemic classrooms, administration dealing with the oversight of Central Office, new teachers doubting themselves, and many other roles who make the school environment what it is. As a novel-in-stories, some chapters are stronger than others, but they're held together well as a whole by a general plot movement and a good emotional tug on readers' heartstrings. It's a bit like the first time you run into your teacher outside of school and realize they have lives of their own.

It did feel like a couple of chapters maybe got cut during revision, because some characters appeared often but never got their own POV. It is also very much a book of its time in the sense of the sociopolitical struggles we have seen since 2020 and how schools, especially in Texas, have had to work under various constraints. At times it is a bit too obvious, but never enough to completely pull you away from the work.

Overall, this was a pleasantly surprising read, and I had a good time with it. I recommended it for anyone who's worked in public education, English majors, and anyone who wants a book that shows the positive impact a single person can have on many. It is a love letter to the highs and lows of education and all of the people who make our schools and childhood memories.

The Faculty Lounge was a series of vignettes focused on different members of staff at Baldwin High School. The stories stem from one incident in the fall of the school year - Mr. Lehrer, a substitute teacher, dying in the faculty lounge during his off-period. From this highly unusual event, we come to learn about Principle Kendricks, the former punk rocker, Luz, the janitorial staff member who was fond of Mr. Lehrer, Mr. Rayfield, whom hates his job, and many more interwoven character studies.

This was an enjoyable book! It was a character-driven comedy-drama that really criticized the American school system in a way that only someone who has worked in the public school system can. Mathieu nails the dynamics of teachers and administration and the PTA all while addressing heavy topics in sensitive and appropriate ways, like abortion, grief, and infidelity.

I would highly recommend this for anyone that has ever wanted to know what their teachers are like outside of school and anyone who enjoys character analysis. Ms. Brennar’s experience at the end was wild but so indicative of a single woman in her late 30s and I enjoyed seeing her very real processing of some very silly events (don’t want to spoil this because it genuinely would make you choke on your latte mid-sentence).

This was a solid read and I think those that work in a school will especially like this. Each chapter is about different staff members and I really enjoyed getting to know each character more. There were some funny moments, relatable moments and some that made you think. I would recommend this to anyone! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"The best you can do is show up and hang on."

3.5 - An entertaining read with a lot of insightful commentary about what it is like to work at a school in a state like Texas. However, it's written in a style that doesn't fully resonate with me, but you might love it.

Every chapter focuses on a different member of this school community, wether it's a teacher, the principal, nurse, custodian, counselor, etc. This makes this place come alive and feel real and complex. However, I struggle connecting with a story when it doesn't have a narrator as an anchor. This choice definitely creates a stronger sense of place and community (which is probably what she was going for and succeeded in). My personal preference, however, is that I want to connect with a character (or small number of characters) and see a story through their eyes. Again, this is simply a preference and you might enjoy this style more than I did.

There were so many storylines that I found compelling, charming, or heartbreaking; I guess I just wanted more from some of those stories instead of just getting a little vignette. It's worth mentioning I am not a teacher, but I always wished I had become one. This was a nice window into what that could've looked like (both the good and the bad). If you are a teacher or work at a school in any capacity, I would imagine this hitting even harder.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for providing a review copy of this book. It's out now!

The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu

This was a very unique book that takes place in a school where, at the beginning of the story, an elderly substitute teacher is found deceased on the couch in the faculty lounge. This teacher had been a member of the faculty for many years and after being retired for a while came back to substitute a few days a week. The book continues with each chapter featuring a different teacher, administrator or staff member. We learn how many of them have been impacted by the teacher who died either directly or indirectly as well as how they are dealing with their role at the school. Some are rookie teachers, some are veterans, some are reluctant teachers, and some have a burning passion for what they do. Some follow the book, others push the envelope, but there is definitely an emphasis on wanting to do what is right even if it is not popular or what is expected.

What I liked most about this book was that it showed the human side of the teacher. I know when I grew up, the teacher was one of the most important authority figures in a young person's life. They were held to different standards and expected to be good examples at all times for the kids entrusted to them 5 days a week. I had teachers I admired, some that I was a little intimidated by, and some definite favorites that I still look up to as an adult. While I knew better, it was sometimes difficult to picture my teachers outside of the school walls. These characters are written very realistically. They are either finding their way or trying to hold on to their way as the world changes around them. They have real problems. They have vulnerabilities. There are lighthearted moments as well as sobering ones.

My sincere thanks to Dutton and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book and give my unbiased opinion of it. I really enjoyed reading The Faculty Lounge and would love to read more books like this one.

I wanted to love this and it started out so strong...a dead body in the faculty lounge and just the hysterics and ridiculousness of life in a comprehensive high school. It was very true to the experience of working in a school. But as the book went on it was much more of a character study than a story that pulled the reader along. It's a good read and definitely would feel familiar to any educator, but was hard for me to stay invested in the second half.

3.5 stars. Teachers have it rough, man.

I thought this book was playful and lighthearted while also navigating complicated and emotional topics with grace. The characters were all interesting - all so different from each other with their job being the only thing they have in common. I enjoyed that we also got to see some emails and text exchanges between the characters which helped move the story along.

Overall I liked it but didn’t love it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer Mathieu, and Dutton books for an advanced copy on exchange for an honest review.

The faculty lounge is a heart warming story of a group faculty at Baldwin high school. The story opens with the sudden death of a long-term sub and former teacher, who died in the teacher lounge during lunch break. His son requests that the funeral service be held at the school where he spent so much of his time. The story follows the faculty as they prepare for this service. We spend time with a majority of the facility members and learn their lives both inside and outside of the school. This novel has heart and humor and is a great palette cleanser in between other reads.

Thanks to the publisher for providing this arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As a former teacher, I was intrigued by the concept of this book. And after reading it, I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was such a good look at the world of education - from the hard parts to the beautiful parts and everything in between.
It felt like a beautiful tribute to everything teachers do for their students and families.

“That there were more books in the world than he would ever have time to read was equal parts comforting and troubling.”

I work in healthcare and haven’t been involved in the public school system in any way since my daughter graduated over a decade ago. That being said I feel like educators would get much more enjoyment out of this book than I did.

2.5 stars. This book started off so strong with an aging teacher dying on the faculty lounge sofa and some subsequent laugh out loud funny bits. But then it turned into almost a character study of individual teachers and I lost all interest. It ended strong as well by circling back to the history of one of the schools beloved teachers, but not strong enough to redeem the story for me. I skimmed the last 25% just to finish.

Thank you up Netgalley, Dutton Books, and the author for the complimentary copy for review.

YA author Jennifer Mathieu is a high school teacher, and this is her adult debut. I think teaching is amazing and underappreciated job and teachers do so much to shape their students intellectual and emotional growth.

But ..... as a reader I need a book with a plot. For me, The Faculty Lounge lacked structure and forward momentum. It seemed more like a series of humorous antecdotes than an actual novel. Since the author is an experienced and talented writer, I assume this is what she intended and that I'm not the right reader for it.

But if you are looking for a book with a lot of characters and a multi-POV, interconnected vignettes kind of feel, definitely try this out!

Thanks to Penguin Group Dutton Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Holy cow, I FLEW through this book! It was just what I needed after months of just reading out of habit, trying to find something I was really interested in. There are many characters in this book about the life of a school faculty over the course of one school year. At times, I wished the reader would learn more about a particular character before the POV changed to another character, and then I would get invested in THAT character. There was no character in particular that was horrible; you really get invested in the staff of the high school and how all their stories interconnect.

If you care anything about the state of education in America, you’ll probably enjoy this read. It’s very relatable and you can’t help but rooting for everyone!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. I really enjoyed this novel and imagine those in the teaching profession would like it even more!

I really liked the backstories of the teachers and other employees at the school. I would have even appreciated deeper dives until the lives of these colorful yet believable characters.

As a teacher, I often say “You can’t make this stuff up!” This story opens with a retired teacher, Mr. Lehrer , coming back to Baldwin High to substitute for the day and ending up dying on the ratty faculty room couch. As his final wish is carried out, spreading his ashes around the school courtyard, some of them end up in the face of a very vocal and powerful PTA mom and thus begins the central office’s investigation into what is really going on behind closed doors, pushing principal, Mark Kendricks, into panic mode. Author, Jennifer Mathieu, spends chapter after chapter, a high school English teacher herself, telling the story of the main “characters” of Baldwin and their dreams and downfalls outside of the walls of the school. No; they don’t actually live at the school and have real genuine lives outside of it! Very relatable and funny! The antics may seem far fetched but I was amusingly surprised by how relatable it was!

The phrase “if you know you know” has never rang more true…as a teacher of over 10 years, I absolutely gobbled this up. Everything from the parent e-mails, to the professional development leader who thinks she knows more than the teachers after “spending two years in the trenches with the ‘kiddos’ “ made me laugh out loud. As we usually say in schools, “you couldn’t make this sh*t up if you tried.” And as the Baldwin Principal says, sometimes, we have to laugh so we don’t cry. But we love what we do (because we’re a little bit insane), and this book was a great reminder of why.