Words in the Dust, by Trent Reedy
Age: 10+
Themes: Afghanistan; war; childhood.
Synopsis: Words in the Dust is told from the viewpoint of a young Afghan girl, Zulaikha. The story only recalls 18 months of her life, but this period is hugely seminal and life-changing for her. Zulaikha’s story is mainly driven by her misfortune of being born with a cleft-lip which distorts her mouth, nose and teeth. Zulaikha’s deformity has brought her a life of misery and suffering. Read the rest of this entry
Boy Overboard, by Morris Gleitzman
Age: 9+
The is one of my favourite books from when I taught Year 4 Literacy.
It is a gripping story of an Afghan family who must flee Afghanistan due to the Taliban’s oppressive rule. The Taliban laws make it illegal for girls to play football or even be outside without covering their faces.
This book is written from the point of view of a 10 year old boy called Jamal. Jamal desperately wants to save his family from the life-threatening danger of the Taliban and he is determined to fix problems that are far beyond his control. Read the rest of this entry
Wright Reading 