“I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban”
by Malala Yousafzai.
Little, Brown and Company, New York, 2013, 327 pages, Grades 8 and higher.
Sometimes people find the courage to do great things. They often do not see themselves as anything extraordinary, but their actions are heroic. In American history, people like Harriet Tubman are examples of this. Tubman helps countless slaves escape through the Underground Railroad. Faced with countless problems, Harriet Tubman lived her life with fortitude.
In modern times, we also find similar people. One of these is a young Pakistani girl named Malala Yousafzai. Her goal of going to school comes into conflict with the Taliban movement in Pakistan. These deluded zealots are determined to stop girls from going to school and are willing to kill those opposing them. The Yousafzai family believes the Taliban are vicious and ruinous to the Muslim religion. Their daughter, Malala, will be at the center of the violent confrontation between the Yousafzai family and the Taliban.
Malala is born into a society that has a restricted understanding of the roles of women. She relates that few people congratulate a family when girl children are born. Rarely is the need felt to send girls, especially in rural areas, to school. Malala states that women are supposed to cook, clean, take care of the children and only leave the home if accompanied by a male relative. As a result, large percentages of women are illiterate in Pakistan.
Malala’s father thinks that girls should go to school and develop their minds. He becomes a forceful advocate for girls going to school and even starts a school for girls. This is fortunate for Malala, as she shows great promise academically. The Yousafzai family lives in the Swat Valley in Pakistan, and “Aba,” (Daddy) as Mr. Yousafzai is called by Malala, faces financial and social strains as he tries to educate his students.
After the attacks on the World Trade Center, the world changes radically in Pakistan. War breaks out in neighboring Afghanistan which soon spills over into the nearby Swat Valley. A stern, bearded group of fundamental Muslims, the Taliban, begin to slowly gain control of the Swat Valley and other parts of Pakistan. Anything Western, such as televisions, CDs and cosmetics, are seized and destroyed by the Taliban. If people refuse to obey their dictates, the Taliban quickly executes them. So a reign of terror, death and destruction takes over the Swat Valley.
One of the major issues with the Taliban is the submission of women to traditional roles. Malala and her family refuse to acquiesce to the threats of the Taliban and continue to teach and learn in their privately-run school. Malala becomes something of an international celebrity through an Internet blog she creates exposing the viciousness of the Taliban. Death threats soon follow and assassins are finally sent to silence the girl. They stop and surround her school bus and then ominously enter. The killers ask one question: “Who is Malala?”
Why does Malala survive the brutal shooting? How does this savage attack have such a massive effect on public opinion? Why can a 5-foot-tall, 14-year-old girl stand up to the abuses and violence of the Taliban? Where does Malala discover her heroic courage and fortitude? To find out, go to the library and check out this harrowing, but heroic story of the girl that stood up to the Taliban.
Malala’s story is told with great compassion and sensitivity. It is only in October 2013 that she finally recovers from her savage attack. Obviously, this book is not some simple, pleasant story. But Malala’s stand against injustice is one that needs to be known.
The epic courage of Malala and her family is uplifting and inspiring. The Yousafzai family represents the best qualities in the human spirit. I hope you get a chance to read this outstanding book of courage, sorrow and triumph.
