Comments from readers of this best-selling work include one teacher who says "I feel hopeful for all our kids when I read a book such as this. There is hope as long as there are teachers willing to go the extra mile." Another reviewer says that it is "inspirational to read about someone who is obviously so passionate about education and the importance of meeting the needs of students." While some reviewers point out that Esquith spends more time with his students than the average teacher could manage, most agree that his methods are sound.
From the Publisher's Weekly review: "Throughout each school day, Esquith teaches life skills: how to think about problems, how to plan a strategy to solve them and, most important, how to work together and be nice to each other. While his goals are inspiring, he's also practical."