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Tiny Pep Talks for Teachers

Bite-Size Encouragement for the Classroom

Part of Tiny Pep Talks

Author Paula Skaggs, Josh Linden

Hardcover

$14.99 US

Quirk Books

4-1/4"W x 6"H | 20 oz | 12 per carton

On sale Apr 07, 2026 | 160 Pages | 9781683695295

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Two comedians offer hilarious encouragement for all the tiny heroic acts that teachers perform every day.

Teachers are constantly handing out reassurance, support, and inspiration. But who’s boosting them through their everyday challenges—like waking a sleeping student, paying for supplies out of pocket, or fighting with the copy machine again? Frankly, sometimes an apple isn’t enough!

Comedians Paula Skaggs and Josh Linden are here to give teachers their due, with a hilarious compendium of over 75 pep talks for all the mundane struggles of the classroom. Let them cheerlead the beloved teachers in your life through those tough times at work:

You don’t get the students’ references and now you feel old!
Someone microwaved something gross in the teacher’s lounge!
A parent has strong opinions about their kid’s grade!
It’s 9 p.m. and you still haven’t planned tomorrow’s lesson!
Oops! You looked at your paycheck!
And more low-stakes but all-consuming situations inside and outside of school!

A teacher’s support lasts for a lifetime. Let them know someone’s rooting for them, too—and give them the belly laugh they probably need.

Paula Skaggs and Josh Linden are Chicago-based writers, comedians, coauthors of Tiny Pep Talks: Bite-Size Encouragement for Life’s Annoying, Stressful, and Flat-Out Lousy Moments, cocreators of the conversation game No Wrong Answers, and cohosts of Being Earnest (A Very Sincere Podcast).

Paula Skaggs View titles by Paula Skaggs

Josh Linden View titles by Josh Linden

For When It’s the First Day of School
It’s a brand-new school year! And much like a celebrity performer with a Las Vegas residency, you’re right back on center stage where you belong.
You’re the Rat Pack with more charisma! You’re Celine Dion with an even wider vocal range! You’re Elvis Presley with a vastly superior jumpsuit collection!
No matter how many years you’ve been teaching, it’s your audience’s (a.k.a. students’) first time at your show (a.k.a. carefully planned lessons), and how lucky are they to get to see you shine (a.k.a. teach them valuable skills that they’ll use forever)?
So many people’s jobs are essentially the same day in and day out, year after year. But not yours! Every fall, you get the opportunity to start from scratch with a fresh set of students who are bound to become your biggest fans.
Who knows what this year will hold, but one thing is certain: You’re already a star in our eyes.
Showtime, babycakes.