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Exit Tickets: A Novel
"A powerful, realistic portrayal of life in the American public education system." -Editor's Pick, Publishers Weekly
"A masterful tapestry of strife and resiliency." -Kirkus Reviews
There's never been a school year like the one at P.S. 961...
It's 2007 in New York City, and the well-meaning Mr. J, a newly arrived teacher still mourning the loss of his sister, latches onto a vulnerable student. Kandra, a bright but troubled girl, pushes boundaries to the limit in pursuit of a brazen intimacy with her teacher, risking far more than failing grades in a school filled with emotionally disturbed teenagers.
Mr. J struggles to help Kandra and his other students amidst an environment where volatility is rampant, but he finds limited support among the colleagues who should be able to help the most. Mr. Cody, the principal, is on the brink of retirement and only intermittently engaged, much to the school's detriment. And Shirley, a dedicated veteran teacher, knows a reckoning looms but can do little to prevent it.
As fierce as it is heartbreaking, Exit Tickets, told from multiple points of view, lays bare the dreams and struggles, sacrifices and heroism of its characters.
"A masterful tapestry of strife and resiliency." -Kirkus Reviews
There's never been a school year like the one at P.S. 961...
It's 2007 in New York City, and the well-meaning Mr. J, a newly arrived teacher still mourning the loss of his sister, latches onto a vulnerable student. Kandra, a bright but troubled girl, pushes boundaries to the limit in pursuit of a brazen intimacy with her teacher, risking far more than failing grades in a school filled with emotionally disturbed teenagers.
Mr. J struggles to help Kandra and his other students amidst an environment where volatility is rampant, but he finds limited support among the colleagues who should be able to help the most. Mr. Cody, the principal, is on the brink of retirement and only intermittently engaged, much to the school's detriment. And Shirley, a dedicated veteran teacher, knows a reckoning looms but can do little to prevent it.
As fierce as it is heartbreaking, Exit Tickets, told from multiple points of view, lays bare the dreams and struggles, sacrifices and heroism of its characters.
- GenresContemporary
318 pages, Hardcover
First published November 18, 2025
6 people are currently reading
5302 people want to read
About the author
Kenneth Chanko
1 book25 followersKenneth Chanko's debut novel, "Exit Tickets," eleven years in the works, was inspired by his ten years of teaching in Manhattan and South Bronx public schools. A former entertainment journalist, whose byline has appeared in The New York Times, New York magazine and Entertainment Weekly, Chanko switched careers in his mid-40s to become a New York City public school teacher.
"Exit Tickets" has been hailed by Publishers Weekly as "a powerful, realistic portrayal of life in the American public education system," with the novel being awarded PW's "Editor's Pick" in its December 1st, 2025, issue. And Kirkus Reviews, in its Nov 15 issue, praised it as "a masterful tapestry of strife and resiliency."
Chanko is currently working on a sequel to "Exit Tickets." For more information, visit: www.kennethchanko.com
"Exit Tickets" has been hailed by Publishers Weekly as "a powerful, realistic portrayal of life in the American public education system," with the novel being awarded PW's "Editor's Pick" in its December 1st, 2025, issue. And Kirkus Reviews, in its Nov 15 issue, praised it as "a masterful tapestry of strife and resiliency."
Chanko is currently working on a sequel to "Exit Tickets." For more information, visit: www.kennethchanko.com
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 15 reviews
November 17, 2025
Great read. There's a fantastic, loose tension to every page. We're bopping from character to character, and it all works & flows into a larger, cohesive story. Very hard to make a MAGNOLIA or CATCH-22 story as streamlined as this, but Chanko does it. Not only was I a NYC student, but my partner is also a high school teacher, and this manages to be authentic AND a blast to read.
November 16, 2025
A Must Read for All Public Education Stakeholders
Teachers across the country routinely gather at happy hours, downing shots while exchanging war stories in what amount to free group therapy sessions. Non-teacher attendees shake their heads in incredulity at what they hear—outsiders who have never experienced an urban classroom. For those not privy to these gatherings, but who want to understand why LeeAnne cannot simplify a fraction or Charles cannot write a simple hamburger graph, there is a new book to add to the classroom canon (Up the Down Staircase,Blackboard Jungle, To Sir With Love): Kenneth Chanko’s Exit Tickets.
Chanko has woven his classroom experiences into a novel that, while ostensibly fiction, has the verisimilitude of a documentary about the trials and tribulations of urban public education—and how the vicissitudes of urban life impact the students, their families, and the teachers’ ability to provide a quality education. The setting for Mr. J’s (the protagonist, a naïve newbie teacher) special needs public school seems inspired by Jonathan Kozol’s Savage Inequities, for it is located around the corner from one of New York City’s most elite prep schools on the Upper East Side (a real-life irony).
The characters could have been plucked straight out of my own East Harlem school: precocious, sassy, and at times violent student Kandra; pragmatic, detached, and cynical principal Thomas Cody; and my favorite, paraprofessional/bouncer Big Henry (who is truly sui generis).
What elevates Exit Tickets above the typical teacher war stories is Chanko’s gift for writing—he writes authentically from multiple points of view—and the poignancy of the relationship between Mr. J and Kandra. These disparate characters forge a genuine, if fraught, connection as they become entangled in a relationship that threatens to derail Mr. J’s fledgling career. As every teacher knows, you cannot elevate a student without first creating a bond and conveying the importance of grit. Mr. J’s exit ticket (a tool teachers use to assess learning outcomes after each lesson) provides a master class in how to build that bond—and foster resilience.
Teachers across the country routinely gather at happy hours, downing shots while exchanging war stories in what amount to free group therapy sessions. Non-teacher attendees shake their heads in incredulity at what they hear—outsiders who have never experienced an urban classroom. For those not privy to these gatherings, but who want to understand why LeeAnne cannot simplify a fraction or Charles cannot write a simple hamburger graph, there is a new book to add to the classroom canon (Up the Down Staircase,Blackboard Jungle, To Sir With Love): Kenneth Chanko’s Exit Tickets.
Chanko has woven his classroom experiences into a novel that, while ostensibly fiction, has the verisimilitude of a documentary about the trials and tribulations of urban public education—and how the vicissitudes of urban life impact the students, their families, and the teachers’ ability to provide a quality education. The setting for Mr. J’s (the protagonist, a naïve newbie teacher) special needs public school seems inspired by Jonathan Kozol’s Savage Inequities, for it is located around the corner from one of New York City’s most elite prep schools on the Upper East Side (a real-life irony).
The characters could have been plucked straight out of my own East Harlem school: precocious, sassy, and at times violent student Kandra; pragmatic, detached, and cynical principal Thomas Cody; and my favorite, paraprofessional/bouncer Big Henry (who is truly sui generis).
What elevates Exit Tickets above the typical teacher war stories is Chanko’s gift for writing—he writes authentically from multiple points of view—and the poignancy of the relationship between Mr. J and Kandra. These disparate characters forge a genuine, if fraught, connection as they become entangled in a relationship that threatens to derail Mr. J’s fledgling career. As every teacher knows, you cannot elevate a student without first creating a bond and conveying the importance of grit. Mr. J’s exit ticket (a tool teachers use to assess learning outcomes after each lesson) provides a master class in how to build that bond—and foster resilience.
November 16, 2025
Set in the New York City school system in the mid-aughts, this is a character-driven novel delivered with empathy, imagination, and an ear for dialogue. Told from multiple points of view, by both adolescent and adult characters from diverse backgrounds, the story is propulsive without sacrificing deep reflection and meaning. Recommended for readers who want to be immersed in a specific time and place, and left with something to think about.
December 23, 2025
This is a work of fiction that reads, in many places, like a memoir. It is a recounting of one man’s experience as a New York City school teacher in district 75, the portion of the school system that admits and teaches those students who are significantly disabled such that it is deemed that they need a setting that is different than regular public schools. This particular teacher becomes embroiled in a scandal concerning a student.
This was a well written novel with multiple perspectives. We see things, of course, from this teacher’s perspective but also from that of the student and others in the system. I think that was a wise choice, as it provides some authenticity into some of the teacher’s actions rather than possibly having an unreliable narrator who sees things only one way. The chapters were clearly marked so that the reader know who is speaking (one of my pet peeves is when it takes too much work to figure out who is narrating).
This is a debut and I think particularly for a fledgling author, this was a valiant effort. The characters were compelling and while flawed, they seemed authentic and good, even when making bad decisions. An issue that I had with the novel, which is more my own personal problem but which will impact other readers, is that it was difficult to read without inserting my own experiences. Like the author, I was a NYC school teacher for many years (twice as long as he was) and not only that, I taught Special Education, started in district 75 and was a teaching fellow (and likely not much earlier than he was). There were moments where I found myself questioning authenticity because of my own experiences, though admittedly they could have just been different. Taking off that hat though, and substituting a normal reader without such parallel experiences, there were details which seemed authentic but which would have made my eyes glaze over. In other words, there were things that were relevant to my experience but which readers without such experience might find tedious or more than they could comprehend. I wonder how much interest this book would hold for those who are not teachers and wonder where the author will go beyond this. This novel has what I think is a limited audience and in order for Mr. Chanko to have continued success, he will need to go beyond this setting.
This said, I think this was an excellent debut and I look forward to reading his sequel. Thank you to NetGalley and Luminaire Press for providing me with a copy of this novel. All of the opinions expressed herein are my own. Three and a half stars rounded to four.
This was a well written novel with multiple perspectives. We see things, of course, from this teacher’s perspective but also from that of the student and others in the system. I think that was a wise choice, as it provides some authenticity into some of the teacher’s actions rather than possibly having an unreliable narrator who sees things only one way. The chapters were clearly marked so that the reader know who is speaking (one of my pet peeves is when it takes too much work to figure out who is narrating).
This is a debut and I think particularly for a fledgling author, this was a valiant effort. The characters were compelling and while flawed, they seemed authentic and good, even when making bad decisions. An issue that I had with the novel, which is more my own personal problem but which will impact other readers, is that it was difficult to read without inserting my own experiences. Like the author, I was a NYC school teacher for many years (twice as long as he was) and not only that, I taught Special Education, started in district 75 and was a teaching fellow (and likely not much earlier than he was). There were moments where I found myself questioning authenticity because of my own experiences, though admittedly they could have just been different. Taking off that hat though, and substituting a normal reader without such parallel experiences, there were details which seemed authentic but which would have made my eyes glaze over. In other words, there were things that were relevant to my experience but which readers without such experience might find tedious or more than they could comprehend. I wonder how much interest this book would hold for those who are not teachers and wonder where the author will go beyond this. This novel has what I think is a limited audience and in order for Mr. Chanko to have continued success, he will need to go beyond this setting.
This said, I think this was an excellent debut and I look forward to reading his sequel. Thank you to NetGalley and Luminaire Press for providing me with a copy of this novel. All of the opinions expressed herein are my own. Three and a half stars rounded to four.
November 16, 2025
This novel excelled at creating a rich, interconnected world by piecing together diverse narratives which enhanced the understanding of complexities in the daily lives of students and teachers.
Each chapter contributed unique themes that highlighted deeper explorations of trauma, love, and community; revealing how individual lives intersected in unexpected ways. The characters' choices and experiences reflected broader societal issues and the cumulative effect was a mosaic of the drive, empathy and instinctual yearning to know and be known. The story encouraged readers to appreciate growth in both character and intelligence, the highest aims of education.
Each chapter contributed unique themes that highlighted deeper explorations of trauma, love, and community; revealing how individual lives intersected in unexpected ways. The characters' choices and experiences reflected broader societal issues and the cumulative effect was a mosaic of the drive, empathy and instinctual yearning to know and be known. The story encouraged readers to appreciate growth in both character and intelligence, the highest aims of education.
February 14, 2026
Chanko’s compelling novel is a thoughtful and grounded portrayal of teaching at its most demanding. When Mr. J arrives at P.S. 961, he is determined to reach students others have written off. His connection with Kandra, a perceptive but troubled teenager hungry for attention, grows increasingly complex. As her attachment deepens and administrative support falters, the space between mentorship and misstep begins to narrow.
Chanko rejects sentimentality for hard truth and delivers a piercing look at the American public education system. Set in 2007, the story follows teachers and students inside a bureaucracy that is both fragile and deeply human. Through multiple perspectives, it reveals how idealism collides with trauma, volatility, and institutional inertia. The author draws his characters with understanding and empathy. Mr. J's sorrow is not incidental; it shapes the way he sees his students and the intensity with which he tries to reach them. Kandra becomes the emotional fault line of the story. Mr. J's attempt to offer stability grows complicated as her hunger for attention tests limits he struggles to enforce. Chanko neither excuses nor vilifies; instead, he positions their closeness within a structure already weakened by systemic tension.
The school feels real and fully inhabited. Leadership is weary, not cruel; Mr. Cody’s distance reflects years of compromise. Shirley senses crisis but lacks power to stop it. Faculty navigate loyalty and self-preservation, and the undercurrent of liability and reputation rings true. The novel gains its depth from refusing easy blame. Students aren’t reduced to diagnoses, and teachers aren’t cast as heroes or villains. Chanko examines how grief, ambition, and exhaustion intersect in a high-pressure environment, where the line between compassion and overreach can blur quickly. Classroom volatility mirrors adult instability, creating steady tension. The prose remains controlled and perceptive, balancing psychological confrontation with quieter moments that reveal the emotional toll of working in a system that offers little protection.
By shifting across viewpoints, the narrative deepens its complexity, resisting any simple version of events. In the end, the book stands as a grounded portrayal of teaching—often politicized, rarely rendered with this level of nuance. Chanko balances institutional critique with individual responsibility, revealing how fragile even the best motives become under pressure. Fans of Notes on a Scandal by Zoë Heller and Trust Exercise by Susan Choi will want to take a look. A triumph!
Chanko rejects sentimentality for hard truth and delivers a piercing look at the American public education system. Set in 2007, the story follows teachers and students inside a bureaucracy that is both fragile and deeply human. Through multiple perspectives, it reveals how idealism collides with trauma, volatility, and institutional inertia. The author draws his characters with understanding and empathy. Mr. J's sorrow is not incidental; it shapes the way he sees his students and the intensity with which he tries to reach them. Kandra becomes the emotional fault line of the story. Mr. J's attempt to offer stability grows complicated as her hunger for attention tests limits he struggles to enforce. Chanko neither excuses nor vilifies; instead, he positions their closeness within a structure already weakened by systemic tension.
The school feels real and fully inhabited. Leadership is weary, not cruel; Mr. Cody’s distance reflects years of compromise. Shirley senses crisis but lacks power to stop it. Faculty navigate loyalty and self-preservation, and the undercurrent of liability and reputation rings true. The novel gains its depth from refusing easy blame. Students aren’t reduced to diagnoses, and teachers aren’t cast as heroes or villains. Chanko examines how grief, ambition, and exhaustion intersect in a high-pressure environment, where the line between compassion and overreach can blur quickly. Classroom volatility mirrors adult instability, creating steady tension. The prose remains controlled and perceptive, balancing psychological confrontation with quieter moments that reveal the emotional toll of working in a system that offers little protection.
By shifting across viewpoints, the narrative deepens its complexity, resisting any simple version of events. In the end, the book stands as a grounded portrayal of teaching—often politicized, rarely rendered with this level of nuance. Chanko balances institutional critique with individual responsibility, revealing how fragile even the best motives become under pressure. Fans of Notes on a Scandal by Zoë Heller and Trust Exercise by Susan Choi will want to take a look. A triumph!
February 16, 2026
I was quite intrigued when I heard about Kenneth Chanko's new novel Exit Tickets, which is about Mr. J from Indiana, a rookie teaching fellow in a tough, gritty NYC public school, because years ago I had been a young teacher in a NYC public school myself. Although my school was not a "special needs" school like the one in Ken's novel, I remember the kids playing lots of pranks on the teachers (although no pranks that included excrement!) and I remember feeling sad about many situations among the students and about the difficulty of trying to effectively teach them. I eventually left for an "easier" field (healthcare.) The school in which Exit Tickets takes place makes my former school look like paradise! Many of the students are either living in shelters, foster care or other very difficult home situations. Role models are scarce and very flawed if they exist at all. The staff is soured and hardened. Violence and calls to police are common events. Mr. J is also a flawed human being, drinking a lot and still mourning the past death of his sister, but he sincerely wants to teach and help these difficult students. I would recommend Exit Tickets, a wonderful first novel by Ken, to anyone who is interested in sad/touching but thought-provoking read.
November 16, 2025
I just finished Exit Tickets and found myself truly sorry to reach the last page. The story drew me in from the beginning, and by the end, I felt as though I really knew these characters. I’m happy to hear that a sequel is in the works, because I’m eager to see how their lives continue to unfold.
The author’s strength lies in remarkable character development and authenticity. Each character—students, teachers, and administrators alike—felt vividly real. The dialogue, interactions, and daily routines captured the true rhythm of school life, from its quiet struggles to its moments of humor and connection.
Beyond the realism, the writing balances insight and empathy, showing the challenges of education with honesty but also deep understanding. The story never feels exaggerated or sentimental—it’s grounded, observant, and full of heart.
This is one of those rare novels that stays with you after you finish, because it makes you care about ordinary people doing meaningful work. I’m impressed, and I can’t wait to read the next installment.
The author’s strength lies in remarkable character development and authenticity. Each character—students, teachers, and administrators alike—felt vividly real. The dialogue, interactions, and daily routines captured the true rhythm of school life, from its quiet struggles to its moments of humor and connection.
Beyond the realism, the writing balances insight and empathy, showing the challenges of education with honesty but also deep understanding. The story never feels exaggerated or sentimental—it’s grounded, observant, and full of heart.
This is one of those rare novels that stays with you after you finish, because it makes you care about ordinary people doing meaningful work. I’m impressed, and I can’t wait to read the next installment.
February 17, 2026
Exit Tickets is a grounded and unflinching look at a school year that feels both specific to 2007 New York City and familiar to anyone who has worked inside a stressed public system. Chanko captures the emotional weight teachers carry and the complicated dynamics that form when vulnerable students collide with adults who are grieving or overwhelmed. I admired the honesty in the multiple points of view and the way the novel shows how small choices ripple through a community that is already stretched thin. The atmosphere is vivid, the characters feel real, and the story raises important questions about responsibility, care, and the limits of good intentions. While the reading experience did not fully land for me on every level, I appreciated its sincerity and the effort to portray the difficult spaces where education and humanity meet.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC
#ExitTickets #NetGalley #LuminarePress #LiteraryFiction #BookReview #AndiReads2025
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC
#ExitTickets #NetGalley #LuminarePress #LiteraryFiction #BookReview #AndiReads2025
December 29, 2025
Exit Tickets by Kenneth Canto is a character-driven debut novel told from multiple perspectives, set in a New York City public school over the course of a year. The story centres on Martin, a new teacher dealing with personal grief, and Kandra, a troubled but perceptive student whose fixation on him becomes increasingly unsettling.
The novel is strongest in its characterisation. The shifting viewpoints work well, offering insight into students, teachers, and administrators, and creating a convincing portrait of the emotional and moral pressures within the school environment. The dialogue and psychological detail feel depressingly authentic and carefully observed.
Overall, Exit Tickets is a thoughtful and promising debut.
December 14, 2025
Wickedly good read! Like absolute candy! I could not set this book down. Read the whole book in record amounts of time. I don’t know how you did it Ken but after being a teacher, I wasn’t thinking I wanted to feel back into it all. But this was a very different experience. It read like the most captivating study of individual character archetypes, their synergy with again an almost addicting story line. The tension and suspense was real to life. No shying away from the weirdness and even taboo nature of life. I loved it!
November 16, 2025
This novel is brilliant on many levels. Ken Chanko skillfully brings us inside the emotions and lives of the individual students and staff at a challenging New York City Junior High School. The fullness and veracity of the portrayals is astounding. It captures the social and physical geography of inner-city life as it is today. In addition, it is an exciting tale from beginning to end. Hopefully this is the first of many books by this new author.
November 25, 2025
Couldn’t put it down as it grabbed me from page one. Chanko ‘s carefully crafted novel drew me into a world totally unfamiliar and made me care about each and every character! From midwestern ideals to inner city turmoil, this skillfully paced tale is dense with imagery to the point it brought me to tears at the conclusion. An outstanding debut which deserves the anticipated sequel!
January 29, 2026
This book was interesting, but I kept wondering why Mr. J didn't shut Kandra down much earlier when she started pushing the boundaries, and why he didn't bring his concerns to an authority figure.
It's NYC in 2007 and Mr. J is trying his hand at teaching, mostly in the memory of his sister who has died but always believed in him. He quickly connects with a troubled student, Kandra, who engages with his teaching, perhaps a bit too much. Mr. J is ill-equipped to deal with his students and doesn't get much support from his colleagues. He gets drinks with the other new teacher and the gym teacher frequently to vent with each other, but eventually the other teachers leave or become focused on their own concerns, and Mr. J never discusses how close he and Kandra are getting.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
It's NYC in 2007 and Mr. J is trying his hand at teaching, mostly in the memory of his sister who has died but always believed in him. He quickly connects with a troubled student, Kandra, who engages with his teaching, perhaps a bit too much. Mr. J is ill-equipped to deal with his students and doesn't get much support from his colleagues. He gets drinks with the other new teacher and the gym teacher frequently to vent with each other, but eventually the other teachers leave or become focused on their own concerns, and Mr. J never discusses how close he and Kandra are getting.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 15 reviews