Audiobook Reviews: (Class Mom Series) – Class Mom (#1), You’ve Been Volunteered (#2) & Yoga Pant Nation (#3)

Author & Narrator: Laurie Gelman

Audiobook Length: 7 hours 2 minutes

Jen Dixon is not your typical Kansas City kindergarten class mom – or mom in general. Jen already has two college-age daughters by two different (probably) musicians, and it’s her second time around the class mom block with five-year-old Max – this time with a husband and father by her side. Though her best friend and PTA president sees her as the “wisest” candidate for the job (or oldest), not all of the other parents agree.

From recording parents’ response times to her emails about helping in the classroom to requesting contributions of “special” brownies for curriculum night, not all of Jen’s methods win approval from the other moms. Throw in an old flame from Jen’s past, a hypersensitive “allergy mom”, a surprisingly sexy kindergarten teacher, and an impossible-to-please Real Housewife wannabe causing problems at every turn, and the job really becomes much more than she signed up for.

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Class Mom begins a new series that gives a humorous take on a mom trying to do it all while being involved in her child’s school. Jen Dixon is 48-years-old and is becoming the Class Mom for her son, Max’s, kindergarten class. In addition to her son Max, who she had with her husband Ron, she has two older daughters from previous relationships. The story starts off strong with the snarky emails and other communications with the other parents in the class; however, it did slow down a little with a slightly different tone towards the end. Her inner thoughts are more outspoken than her actual delivered words at times, so combined her personality can be a bit much for the reader. There were a few moments, though; when her judgmental comments were over the top as she would not agree with people of mixed attractiveness (by her standards) would end up together.

The main story follows her time during Max’s kindergarten year before he moves on to first grade. One of the parents ends up being an old high school crush and the two of them text each other. For me, I did not like this plotline, but others may not mind it as much. The parts I did like were Max and Ron bonding and there were still great moments between Jen and the other parents. Overall, it was a story that did not take itself too seriously and it was a fun start to the series.

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Author & Narrator: Laurie Gelman

Audiobook Length: 6 hours 28 minutes

If you’ve ever been a room parent or school volunteer, Jen Dixon is your hero. She says what every class mom is really thinking, whether in her notoriously frank emails or standup-worthy interactions with the micromanaging PTA President and the gamut of difficult parents. Luckily, she has the charm and wit to get away with it—most of the time. Jen is sassier than ever but dealing with a whole new set of challenges, in the world of parental politics and at home.

She’s been roped into room-parenting yet again, for her son Max’s third-grade class, but as her husband buries himself in work, her older daughters navigate adulthood, and Jen’s own aging parents start to need some parenting themselves, Jen gets pulled in more directions than any one mom, or superhero can handle.

You’ve Been Volunteered follows Jen Dixon as the Class Mom during her son, Max’s, time in third grade. The snarky nature of her interactions with the other parents is similar to the first novel where there are sarcastic emails and some inappropriate comments. Her husband, Ron is trying to start a fitness franchise and the financial burden is weighing on their relationship. There are also Jen’s two older daughters and her aging parents that come into play a little more in this installment. Overall, this one flowed a little better than the first while retaining some nice humorous moments.

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Author & Narrator: Laurie Gelman

Audiobook Length: 6 hours 41 minutes

Jen Dixon is class mom—again—for her son’s fifth grade year, and a class bully, spin-teacher training, and her irresistible granddaughter keep her on her toes and perpetually in yoga pants.

Jen has a lot on her plate this year in Yoga Pant Nation—from childcare duties for her daughter’s two-year-old to her determined mission to become a spin instructor. When her husband’s ex-wife shows up to her first ever class as a full-fledged teacher—and compliments her performance!—she can’t help but wonder what the catch is.

Throw in a mandate from the PTA president to raise $10,000 for the fifth graders’ new tablets and her granddaughter’s other grandmother (whom no one has ever met) visiting for Christmas, and Jen is going to need more than her regular spin class to get her through the year. But as ever, humor is her best stress relief. Her acerbic emails to the class parents and friendly spars with her daughter over how organic is organic-enough for baby food will have you laughing out loud and texting Jen’s best lines to your friends.

Yoga Pant Nation returns to the world of Jennifer (Jen) Dixon where Max is now in fifth grade, his last year in elementary school. Jen’s humorous approach to life carries through from the first two novels. Some of the sarcasm is toned down slightly compared to the previous installments, but there is still a lot weaved throughout the novel. Jen is now a certified spin instructor, which adds one more thing to track in her busy life. Her parents are starting to forget things, which makes Jen think it may be time to look for an assisted living facility.

Between these new developments in Jen’s life, there is the drama surrounding her granddaughter and the stress from organizing everything as a class mom. While there are many storylines going on in this novel, it was easy to track them. Some of the elements were wrapped up nicely while others remained more open, which added some nice realism compared to all of them Overall, this was a sweet and enjoyable installment in the series. I believe this one is the final addition, but there is room for expansion in the future.