On Subbing

On Subbing is a quiet classic. It's impossible to put down, or forget, Dave Roche's vivid, self-deprecating tales of woe from working as a substitute teaching assistant in Portland's elementary schools in the early 2000s. Roche writes candidly about the great days and the terrible ones, the triumphs and failures, both personal and institutional. He recounts helping kids who can't function in normal classrooms focus on their work, keeping kids from fighting, and keeping his composure while they tease him or adorably flirt with him, and the many challenges of living and eating on a substitute teacher's pay. It's a real heartwarming ticket to putting a smile on your face and turning your day around. Illustrations from Clutch McBastard, Nicole Georges, Keith Rosson, Nate Beaty, Shawn Granton, and Aaron Renier.