PlanetEsme Book-a-Day Plan
By Kathy Ishizuka -- School Library Journal, 9/1/2006
The multitalented Esmé Raji Codell, former teacher and librarian and children’s book author—Sahara Special (Hyperion, 2003), among other titles—can now add blogger to that résumé.
On the recently launched PlanetEsme Book-A-Day Plan, Codell holds forth on her picks in fiction, nonfiction, and picture books for children. In her own words: “I’m a professional readiologist who thinks children’s trade literature is our best hope for equalizing education in America,” she writes on the blog. “Anyone who says they care about kids and schools and doesn’t read aloud is lying or about to make the discovery of a lifetime. I’m a woman on a mission. Let me rock your pedagogical world.” Daily entries are accompanied by a book jacket image, recommended age range, and a second write-up of a book that’s of similar interest. More reviews are available on the sister site PlanetEsme.com, along with thematic book lists and related links.
Whether or not it rocks your world, Codell is a charming writer, who reminds us all of our capacity to inspire young readers each and every day.
