Ms. Hempel Chronicles

Ms.BeatriceHempel,teacherofseventhgrade,isnew--newtoteaching,newtotheschool,newlyengaged,andnewlybereftofheridiosyncraticfather.Grapplingawkwardlywithhernewness,shestrugglestofigureoutwhatisexpectedofherinlifeandatwork.IsitacceptabletointroduceswearwordsintotheEnglishcurriculum,enliststudentstowritetheirownreportcards,orbringuppersonalexperienceswhileteachingasex-educationclass?SarahShun-lienBynumfindscharactersattheirmostvulnerable,thenexploresthoseprecariousmomentsinsharp,gracefulprose.Fromthismostinnovativeofyoungwriterscomesanotherjourneydowntherabbitholetothewonderlandofmiddleschool,memory,daydreaming,andtheextraordinarybusinessofgrowingup.