Breadwinner

Title: The Breadwinner
Author: Deborah Ellis
Ages: 9-12
Rating: 4/5

Plot: When Parvana's father is arrested there is nobody left to look after her family. In Afghanistan women are not allowed outside without a man. And so Parvana becomes a boy so that she might make enough money to feed her family, and with this new freedom Parvana learns that life is not easy for anyone anymore.

Assessment: Deborah Ellis' writing is honest as she reveals Parvana's frustration at being kept indoors because she is a girl, fear of the Talib, and hope for the future. Ellis is also forthright about what happens in Afghanistan and writes about violence against men and women by the Talib but also by family members against eachother.

This is book that I would recommended with care to an older or more mature child. Younger or more sensitive children may not be ready for the content in this book.

If you enjoyed this book keep reading about Parvana and Shauzia in the rest of the trilogy: Parvana's Journey and Mud City.

Ellis, D. (2000). The Breadwinner. Toronto: Groundwood books.