Monday, March 17, 2008

Sahara Special

Codell, Esme Raji. 2003. Sahara Special. New York: Hyperion Books For Children.

Codell creates a compelling story where a girl must face her fears of success and let the world know that not only can she write, but that she is smart. Facing 5th grade for the second time can be daunting, but when Sahara gets an amazingly different teacher, things start to look up. Will Sahara have what it takes to shine in this class? Written in a way that which today’s students can relate, the characters in Sahara Special are typical inner city kids facing real life problems. The dialog is believable and the use of “street language” instead of properly constructed sentences enhances the mood of the story. Sahara speaks to the children that are indeed struggling in school and offers a ray of hope for not only a chance to feel smart, but for finding a person that believes in the student that they can become. A must read for not only a struggling student, but for teachers, as it shows the power of a teacher that stands up for and believes in her students.

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