EDUCATING ESMÉ

This diary (here abridged) of first-year teacher Esmé Codell, "Madame Esmé," as she cutely insists upon being called, is creditably read by Codell herself. Not all her listeners, particularly educators, will be as heartily pleased with her teaching as she is in this self-serving account. To be sure, Madame Esmé has energy, commitment, creativity (qualities that come through clearly in the narration, too), but her attitudes about her older, stodgier colleagues and, especially, her inept principal border on the mean-spirited. In sum, a book better heard than read (because shorter), but still missable. T. H. © AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/JAN 00]