5 stars
A powerful and inspiring picture book recounting Malala Yousafzai’s activism for education for all.
The illustrations perfectly match the tone of the author’s words. They show the hardships in the environment but also the beauty of change and the power of people coming together.
The story itself gives some of the basic details of Yousafzai’s story in a way that can be more easily understood by a young audience. Yousafzai recalls learning about children who had to make money for their families instead of going to school and girls who were not allowed to go to school. She also describes the “powerful and dangerous men” in charge and how they tried to silence her voice. Works well as a starting place for adults to elaborate on based on the listener’s age.
The backmatter contains a letter from Yousafzai that serves as a call to action to speak up and a short biography that goes into a little more detail about Taliban rule and Yousafzai’s impact.
A fantastic read that demonstrates the power of a voice to make change. A wonderful place to begin when discussing education, poverty, activism, and fierce girls and women throughout history.