Sahara Special

Set in contemporary Chicago, Sahara Special (2003), American author Esme Raji Codell’s debut children’s novel, follows Sahara Jones, who is entering fifth grade again. Sarah wants to be a writer but has not written anything at school, including her homework, since her father left two years ago. As a result, Sahara’s teachers believe her lack of schoolwork means she belongs in a special education class. However, instead of continuing as “Special Sahara” as her classmates call her, Sahara’s mother thinks it best to repeat the fifth grade. While Sahara is reluctant at first, her entire outlook changes with the arrival of her new teacher, Miss Pointy, a peculiar teacher with a free spirit and unconventional teaching methods. As Sahara begins to open up and embrace her new teacher, she finds the confidence to express her feelings through writing again. Kirkus Reviews called Sahara Special “an absolutely lovely debut for children”; Publishers Weekly wrote, it “will surely be empowering for reluctant learners—and thought-provoking and gratifying for everyone,” The novel was named a 2004 ALSC Notable Children’s Recordings Selection and was the winner of the 2004 International Children’s Book Award.

Narrated in the first-person perspective by ten-year-old “Special Sahara” Jones, the story begins in contemporary Chicago, Illinois. Sahara, an aspiring writer, has spent her last year of school in a special needs class, where she is taken into the hall and given individualized attention. Sahara’s teachers placed in her the class because she has stopped doing her schoolwork since her father left home when she was in the third grade. However, Sahara loves to read and has been secretly writing her autobiography, which she keeps in her own file hidden in a little-used area of her school library. In class, Sahara also writes secret notes to her absent father, asking, “Why did you leave?” and “Are you ever coming back?” When one of her teachers finds the notes, she confiscates them, informing the school counselor, Mr. Singer, as well as Sahara’s mother, Mrs. Jones. Not liking that her counselors keep a file on her, Sahara refuses to do any more schoolwork. Sahara’s mother disagrees with her teacher’s assessment that she needs extra attention, and instead of putting Sahara in a special education class for sixth grade, she encourages Sahara to repeat the fifth grade. Sahara opposes the idea at first, thinking it is a waste of time.

However, everything changes when Sahara meets her new fifth-grade teacher, Madame Poitier. Poitier, who allows her students to call her Miss Pointy, is the most unique teacher Sahara has ever had. Sahara’s classmates include Rachel, Sahara’s cousin and best friend; Darrell Sikes, a troublemaker also forced to repeat fifth grade; Paris, who loves to read and tries to befriend Sahara; Luz, Paris’s best friend who earns several stickers from Miss Pointy for good behavior; and Ernie, who enjoys the library and participating in classroom storytelling.



The first thing Sahara and her classmates notice is how weird and wacky Miss Pointy acts. The nontraditional teacher has copper-red hair, wears eggplant-colored lipstick, and spends her time in class teaching unusual subjects such as “puzzling” and “time travel.” With an odd sense of humor, Miss Pointy doesn’t take herself too seriously, which makes her unlike any teacher Sahara has ever had. When Darrell curses in class, Miss Pointy does not scold him or send him to the principal’s office like other teachers would. This builds trust between Miss Pointy and her students, who come to view their new teacher as a friend they can trust rather than an authority they should fear. Free-spirited, Miss Pointy bends the rules, does not examine student files or judge them, and encourages her students to challenge themselves. She pokes, prods, challenges, and inspires her students. These methods impress Sahara. When Miss Pointy has the students start a daily writing journal in class, Sahara is even happier.

One day, Sahara and Rachel are too sick to attend school. Rachel’s mother cannot stay and sit, so Sahara’s mother looks after them instead. Miss Pointy kindly visits Sahara’s home to drop off the girls’ homework. Miss Pointy notices Sahara’s notebook and discovers that she is a talented writer. Miss Pointy encourages Sahara to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. Sahara soon reengages with her schoolwork, actively participating in classroom storytelling, poetry, and vocabulary lessons, and changing her attitude about teachers in general.

As Sarah continues to write her autobiography, she makes friends with her classmates, something she was unable to do as “Special Sahara” a year earlier. Paris and Luz ask Sahara if she wants to join a club they are starting. This makes Sahara feel welcome and wanted, giving her the confidence to be herself. Later, Sahara’s special needs teacher, Peaches, asks Darrell to visit her classroom. Miss Pointy writes a note saying Darrell does not have to go. At the end of the story, Sahara finds the courage to share part of her autobiography in front of the class. She reads a long paragraph about her family’s namesake. Sahara’s classmates respond with support, saying, “It was great!” and “She writes like a grownup.” Finally, the confiscated letters Sahara wrote to her father are returned to her. With a newfound sense of self-worth and pride in her writing ability, Sahara returns home and spends time in her bedroom reading her work file.



In addition to Sahara Special, Codell has written several children’s books, including How to Get Your Child to Love Reading, Fairly Fairy Tales, Hanukkah Shmanukkah!, Sing a Song of Tuna Fish, Diary of a Fairy Godmother, Vive La Paris, The Basket Ball, Seed by Seed, It’s Time for Preschool!, Educating Esme, Maybe Mother Goose, and more.