Sahara Special
by Esme Raji Codell

Sahara Special

Grades 5 & up

Realistic Fiction

Sing a Song of Tuna Fish
Vive la Paris
Educating Esme

Book Summary:
Sahara decides that school isn't working for her, so she's not going to turn in the work, or raise her hand, or be bothered with any of it. This decision means that Sahara repeats fifth grade, with a brand new teacher and group of classmates. Sahara's father left a few years ago, and she misses him. This book is about how she faces challenges - will she try to make friends, or go it alone?

Book Review:
Sahara is one of the most memorable characters in middle grade fiction. The immediacy of her concern about repeating fifth grade and dealing with peers resonates instantly with readers. Her long-term concerns about her identity, her career, and her important relationships are also easy for readers to connect with, even if they don't have quirky teachers or live in large cities.

"The desert is a mystery. 
To cross it, you have to be a camel.
You have to use what you have for yourself,
keep what you need inside yourself, in a big, sagging hump."
p. 159

Quirky Teacher
Grade Retention; Failing School
Writing
Absent Parent

Identity
Rebellion
School Systems
Peer Relationships
Family Relationships

2004 - IRA Children's Book Award for Intermediate Fiction

If you like this book, you may also like . . .

Fish in a Tree

Notes from a Liar and Her Dog

All's Faire in Middle School