“Educating Esme” is a sheer delight! As Madame Esme, a 24 year old teacher starts her first year as a fifth grade inner-city teacher in Chicago, she keeps a detailed and personal diary. The diary is the book. Esme’s honesty and acerbic wit, as well as her wildly imaginative teaching methods make her a great teacher, and an outcast with her principal, Mr. Turner, and her co-staff. Each entry Esme makes draws us deeper into the difficulties that she encounters having to be parent, teacher and counselor to children who have to learn boundaries, social skills, conflict resolution, and how to deal with their hard lives – as well as how to learn. She makes up titles for subjects: math is Puzzlers, science is Mad Scientist Time, social studies is T.T.W.E., which stands for Time Travel and World Exploring and language arts is Art of Language, while reading is Free Reading Time.
As Esme pours her soul into teaching the children learn respect and how to think, and she also earns their respect by always keeping her word. She deals with issues immediately. Called into Mr. Turner’s office, she fights back when he demands she call herself Mrs. Codell instead of Madame Esme. Fraught with hilarity, pathos and just plain Esme and her humanness, we fall in love with this confident and wacky soul. Her entries include poems about the janitor and life in the classroom, and are wonderful. When she creates a Time Travel machine out of an old refrigerator with a cop squad car siren on top (that works) the kids believe her. She puts them in one at a time, with a box of books and when they come out, they have to tell their travel adventures from the book they read in “real time.” As in, “when I was an alien on Garthos, I…” What an adventure they have and learning is fun.
This book is short and sweet – and a wonderful example of what we could have – and should have – for all of our children. Esme really teaches that learning is fun, conflict can be resolved respectfully and she teaches the reader that life is not the drama we make it.
I loved every page and so will you! Not only for educators, and teachers – although this is a MUST read for the profession, “Educating Esme” is about life. My only objection was that the book was too short. I am going to read it again! Delightful, delightful, delightful. And a true depiction of how difficult it is for our best and brightest teachers to remain teachers in the face of a standardized test-minded set of bureaucrats and directors of the board of public (and private) schools. Wish I had had Madame Esme as a teacher! Fantastic.
Rating is based on a 5-star scale.
Plot: 5
Presentation: 5
Characters: 5 Overall: 5
Review by Broad “A” – Ava
To learn more about the Blog Tour and read other reviews as well as visits with the author you can visit Educating Esme Blog Tour.
Look for an upcoming interview with Esme Codell on Champagne Living.
Thank you to Julie Bonn Health and Esme Raji Codell for supplying this wonderful book for our review.
We’re giving away our review copy here on The Review Broads.
GIVEAWAY
Rules:
Simply leave a comment regarding the book (questions, remarks, anything – as long as it’s related to this book) along with your e-mail address in the comment section below.
Please make sure you leave your email address when adding a comment or I will not be able to contact you if you win.
* This giveaway is open to US residents, 18 and over and ends on September 15, 2009 11:59 EST.
* The winner will be randomly chosen and contacted via email.
* The winner has 48 hours to respond to my email or an alternate winner will be chosen.
* Please make sure you check your junk mail folder
* Good Luck
sounds like agreat read would love to have it
mverno@roadrunner.com
This would be so interesting to read! I live in the Chicago area and am thinking of becoming a teacher myself.
Thank you for the giveaway 🙂
hurdler4eva(at)gmail(dot)com
heathergfox2003@yahoo.com
sounds like a great book
hope i win
sueshannon@pacbell.net
My Daughter, Amanda, has just about to finish up her teaching credentials. She will be teaching high school English. She is a bit nervous about having the respect of the students, which are close to being her peers. This book will be a interesting read for both of us.
I'd love to read this book. I've been teaching for over 35 years.
bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com
This sounds like a fun read. How does one write a poem about the janitor? Please enter me.
kalea_kane(at)yahoo(dot)com
This looks like a great read! I am a former teacher and am interested in finding out what her strategies were in an inner-city school.
donnyandshelly (at) (yahoo) (dot) (com)
I already wish I'd had her for a teacher just from the review. I can't wait to read the book.
smehary@comcast.net
I just started my 33rd year of teaching! I'd love to read this.
mj.coward[at]gmail.com
I can't wait to read this book!
dmkayes@gmail.com
I'd like to read about her time travel machine. This book sounds great! Count me in!
dlodden at frontiernet dot net
This would be the perfect gift for my daughter because she's working for her teaching certificate now. Thanks for the giveaway!
I have always admired teachers for their patience and desire to shape our children's minds. I have a hard time just helping my children with their homework! Book looks good and would love to read it! Thanks!
dcf_beth at verizon dot net
sounds very interesting
chromiumman (at) mail (dot) com
I would love to read this…my next career choice would be teacher if opportunity knocks!
bwalker1123 at gmail dot com
Would love to read this book! akinseyfree@yahoo.com
I have lots of teacher friends. This would be a great insight into what they do day after day.
smehary@comcast.net
I am a teacher and my 20 year old daughter is thinking about getting her Master's Degree in Education so she can teach. I would like my daughter to read this to get a view of the first year of teaching. For most people, it is their hardest year and the reason why many people quit within the first 5 years of teaching.
Nancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
A great idea, showing what teaching is like in the trenches!
Kemp Burpeau
Kempburpeau@lawyer.com
Sounds very interesting. Looking forward to reading it.
patrice@pmvint.com
I also started out teaching in Chicago, love the idea of tracking how the school year evolved! Would love to read the whole story as I am sure it is motivating to say the least.
odis64@aol.com
sounds lika good book. Lorislater08@yahoo.com
Would like to read this. Tiffsinny@yahoo.com
Enter me please. Lindagranada48@yahoo.com
Would like this book. Barbara.lemmen@att.net
This book looks great! I always love when my children have a “new” teacher…they have so many great ideas & you can see that they really WANT to be teaching!
I'd love to have a copy!squickpeep@yahoo.com
Please enter me in the giveaway, the book sounds very interesting! Thank you.
brwnsugj@hotmail.com
SOUNDS GREAT
This book sounds wonderful. I can only imagine what she has done for those children. I remember being in 5th grade and loving it… my teacher was wonderful and made our days with her special. She changed the way I thought and made my school experiences better. This would most definitely be a great read!
One year the school board gave every first year teacher a book called “my first day of school” it was great for the kindergarten teachers. This book seems like it would be great for the rest of us 🙂
jagerton1973@hotmail.com
Wanted to be a teacher, couldn't afford the schooling. Love to read about others experiences.
smehary@comcast.net
This sounds like a wonderful book. Please enter me in the giveaway.
brwnsugj@hotmail.com
SOUNDS LIKE AN INTERESTING READ
sounds like a great book; please include me; thanks
dd DOT bookgoddess AT gmail DOT com
Would love the insight into all my teacher friends.
smehary@comcast.net
Please enter me.
Thanks!
Bridgette Groschen
joeandbridge@aol.com
I tweeted your giveaway:
http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/3804630938
Thanks!
Bridgette Groschen
joeandbridge@aol.com
twitter id: joeandbridge
stuffy419@yahoo.com
Sounds like a wonderful book! I would love to read it and then pass it on to my grandmother who is a retired teacher who worked with inner city kids
I tweeted your giveaway today: Thanks!
http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/3828880772
Bridgette Groschen
joeandbridge@aol.com
twitter id: joeandbridge
fb name: Bridgette Groschen
My daily tweet for your giveaway: Thanks!
http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/3841197069
Bridgette Groschen
joeandbridge@aol.com
twitter id: joeandbridge
This book sounds like it would be a really interesting and inspirational read! We hear so much about the negative aspects of teaching, so it would be great to hear from an enthusiastic young teacher!
lahlstedt (at) gmail (dot) com
Just sounds like a good read about a career I thought seriously about when I was younger.
smehary@comcast.net
I linked your giveaway to my Facebook Page. Thanks!
Bridgette Groschen
joeandbridge@aol.com
FB name: Bridgette Groschen
I tweeted your giveaway on Twitter today (daily tweet) Thanks!
http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/3875577134
Bridgette Groschen
joeandbridge@aol.com
twitter id: joeandbridge
Great book for a teacher
This would be a wonderful book for my daughter who is a teacher.
pkildow at gmail dot com
We have had a few excellent teachers for our daughters over the years. I would like to give this to my youngest who just started college with music education as her goal. She is already a remarkable young woman, strong leader, loving camp counselor. Plus, she is a little wacky-this book would be excellent for her.
Ann Freier
msanta101@gmail.com
I would love to read this book!
I tweeted your giveaway today. (daily tweet) Thanks!
http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/3888593855
Bridgette Groschen
Christina – xristya@rock.com – This sounds like such a fascinating book!
Interesting idea for a book – would love to read it. Lisa – stewpette@aol.com
My daughter is a music education major and has wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. I know she would love to read about Esme's experiences as a young teacher. Sounds like Esme teaches like they did when I was in school. The focus was on learning and not cramming.
anne[at]anneonlife[dot]com
I posted a link for your giveaway on my Facebook page (daily fb link) Thanks!
Bridgette Groschen
joeandbridge@aol.com
fb name: Bridgette Groschen
I tweeted your giveaway on Twitter today (daily tweet) Thanks!
http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/3913846209
Bridgette Groschen
joeandbridge@aol.com
twitter id: joeandbridge
WOULD LOVE TO READ THIS
Just need a good read to relax with.
smehary@comcast.net
I'd love to read this!
I tweeted your giveaway today (daily tweet) Thanks!
http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/3944877022
Bridgette Groschen
joeandbridge@aol.com
twitter id: joeandbridge
I tweeted your giveaway on Twitter today (daily tweet) Thanks!
http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/3966194797
Bridgette Groschen
joeandbridge@aol.com
twitter id: joeandbridge
I subscribe via email.
Samfor3@aol.com
I would love to read this. I had a couple of teachers who made a lasting impression in my schoolage years.
Samfor3@aol.com
I tweeted your giveaway today(daily tweet)Thanks!
http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/3982318175
Bridgette Groschen
joeandbridge@aol.com
twitter id: joeandbridge
I've been seeing this everywhere; it looks fascinating. Please accept my entry. Thanks!
Eveyrone raves about this book!
theyyyguy@yahoo.com
It follows her first year – was it published her first year of schol?
Sounds interesting
qwills2cats(at)hotmail.com
I'd like to read this to compare to “Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire”. Sounds like it is similar.
I love to read and this sounds like a good one!
I really want to read this — I'm always looking for good teaching ideas and she sounds like a teacher every child would want to have!
I can't wait to read this book! This sounds great.
Is it aviable now?
erma.hurtt@sbcglobal.net
Sounds like an interesting read.
kgrant77@gmail.com
this sounds like an awesome book, short and sweet, that's all i have time for!
Christina – xristya@rock.com – Sounds like a wonderful book! I've always wondered how teachers make it through the day (if I weren't a poet, writer and artist, I'd be a full-time teacher instead, but need my energy for my creativity!).
I tweeted your giveaway today **daily tweet**
http://twitter.com/joeandbridge/status/4009489695
Bridgette Groschen
joeandbridge@aol.com
Hope I win! Would love a copy of this interesting book! mermomm@aol.com merri matalon
It sounds like it would be a really interesting read 🙂