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them walk in their shoes through the pages of
books. The books below offer a glimpse into
the lives of children striving to fulfill their
dreams of attaining an education. Walking
in their footsteps other children can learn a
great deal, and provide a helping hand.
Nasreen’s
Secret
“Nasreen’s
Secret School: A
True Story from
Afghanistan”, by
Jeanette Winter
(Ages 8+)
When Nasreen’s parents are removed from
their home by the Taliban soldiers, her life
is turned upside down. Because they forbid
girls to get an education, a neighbor opens
a secret school for girls. Based on a true story, and set in contemporary times, this story
highlights the struggle for freedom that some
children face today.
Beatrice’s
Goat
“Beatrice’s Goat”,
by Page McBrier
(Ages 4-9)
In a small Ugandan village, a little girl desperately wants to go to school. When a fat,
new goat is given to their family, they have
milk to drink and sell, and later sell one of
the goat’s kids. Soon the family has enough
money to send the children to school and
build a stronger house. Based on a true story
of a family who received a goat from Heifer
International, this story is a heart-warming
reminder that not everyone has equal access
to education.
“Yasmin’s Hammer”,
by Ann Malaspina
2010. (Grades 1-5)
Yasmin and her sister spend their days
working hard in the brickyards to help make
money for their family. Yasmin dreams of
going to school so that she can have a better
life (“… I don’t want to sweep a rich lady’s
floor”), and decides to take action herself to
help her dream come true.
Ruby’s
Wish
“Ruby’s Wish”, by
Shirin Yim Bridges
(Ages 4-8)
Set at the turn of the century in China, little
Ruby has an unthinkable dream: she is determined to attend university when she grows
up, just like the boys in her family. The last
page of the book reveals that it is based on
the true story of the author’s grandmother,
with a photograph of her at university. I was
incredibly moved by this story, and believe
the age level should be age 4 through adult!
THE
RED
PENCIL
“The Red Pencil”,
by Andrea Davis
Pinkney
(Ages 9 and up)
Twelve-year-old Amira has a wonderful life
in a small farming village in Darfur, Sudan.
The poems give us glimpses of her life, their
traditions, her chores, and a dust storm that
passes through. One day the Janjaweed, “evil
men on horseback,” attack and her family has
to flee, ultimately living in a refugee camp.
The second part of the book describes her
new life in the refugee camp and her journey
toward healing. A relief worker gives Amira
a red pencil, which helps her work towards
recovery and keeps her dream alive that one
day she’ll be able to go to school.
I Am
Malala
“I Am Malala”, by
Malala Yousafzai
with Patricia
McCormick, Little,
Brown Books for
Young Readers
(Ages 10 and up)
Malala Yousafzai was only ten years old
when the Taliban took control of her region.
They said music was a crime. They said women weren’t allowed to go to the market. They
said girls couldn’t go to school. Raised in a
once-peaceful area of Pakistan transformed
by terrorism, Malala was taught to stand up
for what she believes. So she fought for her
right to be educated. And on October 9,
2012, she nearly lost her life for the cause:
She was shot point-blank while riding the
bus on her way home from school. Now
Malala is an international symbol of peaceful
protest and the youngest-eve