I’m back from vacation, and what a wonderful time we had! Great weather, great beaches, great hikes, great restaurants, great everything, and even though I didn’t have much time to read, I also managed to read a great book!
I read The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis, a juvenile fiction title and the first in “The Breadwinner” series. I wanted to read this because I have the author booked to visit both my schools in November and wanted to be familiar with at least one of her books. Ellis is an author from Simcoe, Ontario, whose books are mainly concerned with issues of social justice. This book is told from the point of view of Parvana, an eleven-year-old girl living with her family in Afghanistan’s capital city, Kabul, which is under Taliban rule. Because her father was injured in a bombing but must go out to work, Parvana, unlike the other girls and women in her family, is allowed to accompany him to the market each day, where he reads and writes letters for customers, as well as selling the odd item that Parvana’s mother has decided the family can part with. When Taliban soldiers invade their home one night and take her father away to prison, Parvana, disguised as a young boy, takes on her father’s role and becomes the breadwinner of the family. This shift in roles commences a series of changes, including the development of new relationships, the creation of educational opportunities for girls, and a sense of freedom that Parvana has not experienced in nearly two years. But where will these changes lead, and can they continue? This wonderful little book was practically “unputdownable” for me, and I look forward to reading Parvana’s Journey, the next book in the series, to find out what happens next. For me, The Breadwinner offered a window into the experiences of men, women, children and families in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. It was enlightening and sad and yet filled with hope as I read of the resilience of the human spirit, and the will to survive and to care for those you love at any cost. This book is recommended for children ages ten to twelve, but I would highly recommend it for adults, too. I can't wait to meet the author later this year.
That’s all the reading I got done last week, but this week should offer more opportunities, and I hope to get through at least one adult novel, maybe even two, if the rain keeps up. Have a great week, and keep reading!
Bye for now...Julie
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