Bellaire High School teacher's book optioned as movie by Amy Poehler

BELLAIRE, Texas (KTRK) -- It's not even in print yet, but Bellaire High School English teacher Jennifer Mathieu's latest book has already gotten a big endorsement from an actress with a whole lot of star power.

Now, the young adult novel could make its way onto the silver screen.

"Moxie," Mathieu's young adult novel, will come out in September with high praise from 'Saturday Night Live' alum, comedian, actor and producer Amy Poehler on the cover.

"She is a "Moxie" girl. She's just the queen to me," said Mathieu of Poehler's endorsement.

Set in a small-town Texas high school, the book is the story of a teen girl who starts a feminist revolution with the magazines she creates and passes out to classmates.

SEE ALSO: "Moxie" and Mathieu's other books

"It is about fighting for your rights, but it's also about having fun and making lifelong friends," Mathieu said.

The book is inspired, in part, by the student conversations that pop up in her tenth grade Bellaire High School classroom, which cover everything from dress codes to sexual harassment.

"I'm hopeful that 'Moxie' will remind them that speaking in a decent way about women is a good thing -- that's the normal thing," Mathieu said of the book's tone.

With "Moxie," her fourth book, Mathieu knows just how difficult it can be to get a book published. Her first title, "The Truth About Alice," was a work in progress for seven years before it was finally published in 2014.

Mathieu said it's usually even less likely that published books then become movies.

"I've had film agents in the past and there have been nibbles here and there," she said.

However, when a call came in from Amy Poehler's company Paper Kite Productions offering to buy the rights and option the book for a movie, Mathieu said it might have been a case of good timing.

Her story about female empowerment was shopped around right after President Donald Trump's election.

"Speaking about women with considerate and fair language shouldn't be a political issue, it should be a thing of common decency," she said of why the themes in "Moxie" may have garnered traction with Hollywood back in November.

Mathieu said Poehler is just the woman to bring the message of "Moxie" to life: "She embodies what it means to be a woman who not only stands up for herself, but speaks out, is strong and confident."

Poehler's production company will have a finite period of time to work on a script, solicit funding and pull casting together before it can definitely be made into a movie.

Mathieu said she has been able to speak with Poehler a few times about the direction of the movie and would love to see Poehler play Vivian's mom.

"Moxie" will be available from Roaring Brook Press on Sept. 19.

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