First published 2010
Beatrice Hempel stands before her new classroom, clutching lesson plans and fighting back tears. She has just started teaching English at a private school, but everything feels foreign. Her father died recently, leaving her adrift. Her engagement should bring joy, yet she feels disconnected from her fiancé. The students sense her uncertainty. They test boundaries, ask uncomfortable questions, and force her to examine what she believes about education and authority. Beatrice tries to maintain professional composure while processing grief and doubt. She observes her colleagues, wondering if she belongs in their world. Each day brings small victories and larger questions about who she wants to become. The classroom becomes a mirror where Beatrice sees herself reflected in her students' struggles with identity and belonging. As the school year progresses, she must decide whether teaching suits her or if she entered the profession for the wrong reasons. Her father's absence shapes every interaction, every lesson plan, every moment of connection or failure with her students.
Genres: american-fiction, contemporary, adult-fiction, academic
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
176 pages · Hardcover · Atlantic Books
Content warnings: mental-illness