It’s Elementary

Description

A fast-paced, completely delightful new mystery about what happens when parents get a little too involved in their kids’ schools, from NAACP Image Award nominee Elise Bryant.

Mavis Miller is not a PTA mom. She has enough on her plate with her feisty seven-year-old daughter, Pearl, an exhausting job at a nonprofit, and the complexities of a multigenerational household. So no one is more surprised than Mavis when she caves to Trisha Holbrook, the long-reigning, slightly terrifying PTA president, and finds herself in charge of the school’s brand-new DEI committee.

As one of the few Black parents at this California elementary school, Mavis tries to convince herself this is an opportunity for real change. But things go off the rails at the very first meeting, when the new principal’s plans leave Trisha absolutely furious. Later that night, when Mavis spies Trisha in yellow rubber gloves and booties, lugging cleaning supplies and giant black trash bags to her waiting minivan, it’s only natural that her mind jumps to somewhere it surely wouldn’t in the light of day.

Except Principal Smith fails to show up for work the next morning, and has been MIA since the meeting. Determined to get to the bottom of things, Mavis, along with the school psychologist with the great forearms (look, it’s worth noting), launches an investigation that will challenge her views on parenting, friendship, and elementary school politics.

Brilliantly written, It’s Elementary is a quick-witted, escapist romp that perfectly captures just how far parents will go to give their kids the very best, all wrapped in a mystery that will leave you guessing to the very end.“Sassy and spirited, Elise Bryant’s It’s Elementary is the perfect puzzle to unravel under the covers. This cozy mystery isn’t just about finding out who did it- it’s about finding yourself along the way.” —Christina Lauren, NYT bestselling authors of The True Love Experiment

“Beautifully written and well-paced, this delightful novel explores the many friends and family who surround Mavis, the struggles she experiences, and the love that flows throughout.”—First Clue ReviewsElise Bryant is the NAACP Image Award-nominated author of Happily Ever Afters, One True Loves, and Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling. For many years, Elise had the joy of working as a special education teacher, and now she spends her days reading, writing, and eating dessert. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Long Beach, California. You can visit her online at www.elisebryant.com.Reader’s Guide
It’s Elementary by Elise Bryant
Discussion Questions:

1.   Mavis has proudly “mastered the swift, no-small-talk drop-off.” Why is she so reluctant to interact with the other parents at Knoll? If you have kids, do you avoid eye contact like Mavis, or are you a card-carrying member of the PTA?

2.   Throughout the book, we see all the work that Mavis does at night, after Pearl goes to sleep. Can you relate to this “second shift”? Is this labor respected and valued in our society?

3.   Mavis is constantly worried about being seen as a Bad Mom, and she makes many decisions based on how she’ll be perceived by others. Do you worry about getting the Bad Mom label, too? Do moms hold themselves (and other moms) to unfair standards?

4.   After being out of the dating game for a while, Mavis makes an instant connection with Jack. Why is she so drawn to him? Is he a good partner for her? What do you predict will happen now that Corey has reentered the picture?

5.   Mavis complains about how DEI roles and responsibilities are often delegated to Black women. She describes it as “free labor to be given willingly to fix problems that we didn’t create” and “exhausting work—trying to prove to everyone else that you and your kids belong.” Do you agree or disagree with Mavis? Should Black parents be responsible for this work in the school setting?

6.   The controversy over the gifted program at Knoll and Trisha’s reaction show how these classes and programs can sometimes serve as a status symbol for parents. Does a kid’s placement in a gifted program actually reflect on the parents? Are gifted programs fair and beneficial to all kids?

7.   Even though Mavis is unhappy at Project Window and has been passed over for a promotion she thinks she deserved, she doesn’t make any moves to find a new job. Why do you think she is scared to leave? What do you think she should do?

8.   Pearl doesn’t ask for help with her bullying problem because she observes Mavis not asking for help with her own problems. Which patterns do you see repeating from your parents? Or with your own kids? How do we make sure our kids don’t pick up our worst habits?

9.   Mavis’s father reminds her of the Gwendolyn Brooks quote “We are each other’s business.” Do you agree with this? We see how gentrification is changing Beachwood from the city Mavis grew up in. What does this do to the sense of community? Do people still make each other’s business their own?US