Jessamine Chan’s The School for Good Mothers is headed to the small screen.
Actor Jessica Chastain’s production company, Freckle Films, optioned the rights to Chan’s debut novel, Deadline reports.
Chan’s book, published Tuesday by Simon and Schuster, follows a woman who’s sent to a reform school after leaving her 18-month-old child at home while she runs errands. In a starred review, a critic for Kirkus called the book “an enthralling dystopian drama that makes complex points about parenting with depth and feeling,” and wrote, “If this doesn't become a miniseries, nothing will.”
Jenna Bush Hager selected Chan’s book as the latest pick for her Today show book club on Tuesday, saying, “This debut novel was so captivating, thought-provoking, and beautifully written, everything I tried to pick up next paled in comparison. It was all I wanted to talk about, think about, and read.”
Jude Weng (Fresh Off the Boat, Black-ish) is attached to adapt, executive produce, and direct the TV adaptation of Chan’s book. Chastain and Kelly Carmichael (The 355) will also serve as executive producers.
Weng shared news of the adaptation on Instagram, writing, “I am so excited to finally share this wonderful project and news with you all! Partnering with @frecklefilms with @jessamine.chan and her debut novel THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD MOTHERS is beyond exciting. If you haven’t read Jessamine’s novel, hurry!”
Michael Schaub is a Texas-based journalist and regular contributor to NPR.
