Educating Esmé is the diary of a woman’s first year teaching elementary aged, inner city school children in Chicago. From acclaimed educator Esmé Raji Codell (You might know her from her Web site, planetesme.com.), this story is supposed to be “for grownups,” but honestly, I’m skeptical about that.

It’s written with a unique voice and some of the content is certainly not for children, but at the same time, a lot of the language is elementary at best. It’s a fun glimpse into Madame Esmé’s world of teaching that sometimes blends reality with daydreaming, and it’s a quick read, but I think the only people who would find the book both useful and interesting are aspiring teachers.

Grade: B-



Educating Esmé is currently available.