Sahara Special — Esme Raji Codell

There are two files on Sahara Jones. The one the school counselor keeps is evidence that she's a fifth grader who needs special education. The other is the book Sahara is secretly writing, her Heart-Wrenching Life Story and Amazing Adventures.

The latest chapter in her book unfolds when her mother insists that she be taken out of special ed. So Sahara is facing fifth grade in the regular classroom, again. But why even try to do the work, Sahara wonders, if everything she does just winds up in the counselor's file?

Enter Miss Pointy, the new fifth-grade teacher. With her eggplant-colored lipstick and strange subjects, such as "Puzzling" and "Time Travel',' she's like no other teacher Sahara has ever known. When she passes out writing journals to the class, Sahara begins to have fresh hope for the school year. Through Miss Pointy's unusual teaching, storytelling, and quiet support, Sahara finds the courage to overcome her fears and prove which file shows her true self.

Laugh-out-loud dialogue and unforgettable characters distinguish Esme Raji Codell's debut novel about a troubled but talented student, and the inspiring teacher whose belief in her changes her life.
Ages 8-12