Why Did I Get a B?

I’ll admit, I approached *Why Did I Get a B?* expecting another ‘teachers are unsung heroes’ sermon. Instead, I got a masterclass in how to turn classroom warfare into comedy gold. Reed’s essays thrive on specificity—like her breakdown of the five types of parent emails (the Passive-Aggressive, the Overly Familiar, the *Novel*) or her confession that she once Googled ‘how to quit teaching without burning bridges’ at 2 a.m. The audiobook’s strength lies in these granular details, which Samantha Desz delivers with the perfect mix of exasperation and affection. Her performance never veers into ‘afterschool special’ territory; she *gets* that Reed’s humor is born from exhaustion, not cynicism. That said, the pacing stumbles slightly in the latter half, where a few essays blur together in their sameness (how many ways *can* you riff on grading, really?). And while Desz nails the comedic timing, her voice occasionally flattens during Reed’s more introspective passages—like the piece on her own high school English teacher—where a touch more warmth would’ve landed the emotional beats harder. Still, this is a rare audiobook that balances humor and heart without tipping into schmaltz. If you’ve ever taught, been taught, or just love a good eyeroll at bureaucracy, it’s worth the listen—just maybe not while grading papers. You’ll laugh so hard you’ll have to start over.