Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind
by Suzanne Staple
Knopf, 1989 240 pgs. Historical Fiction
I read Shabanu because Ms Staples is one of the authors that will be coming to the BYU Children’s Literature Symposium in July, 07. This was her first book and it won a Newbery Honor in 1990. The story is set in modern Pakistan. Shabanu is the second daughter of a nomadic camel herder. Shabanu’s older sister is thirteen and has just been engaged to her cousin. Shabanu is 11, but she is beginning to mature and she knows as soon as her monthly cycle starts, she will be engaged as well. When her marriage plans are suddenly changed, she must decide weather she will go through with a marriage to a man old enough to be her grandfather, or endanger her family by escaping to freedom. The book is a fascinating look at a very foreign culture but addresses issues that all girls face as they grow up. Shibanu loves the freedom of her childhood and feels uneasy about her impending initiation into womanhood. Ms Staples lived in Afghanistan as a reporter and writes with a level of detail that shows she is thoroughly familiar with the culture and setting. Her lyric descriptions help the reader understand how a young girl could love the harsh life of the desert. This is a book that is most appropriate for teens who are familiar with the facts of life since it deals with maturation and marriage. It is a good way for readers to become more famliar with a girl's life and role in Middle Eastern culture.
by Suzanne Staple
Knopf, 1989 240 pgs. Historical Fiction
I read Shabanu because Ms Staples is one of the authors that will be coming to the BYU Children’s Literature Symposium in July, 07. This was her first book and it won a Newbery Honor in 1990. The story is set in modern Pakistan. Shabanu is the second daughter of a nomadic camel herder. Shabanu’s older sister is thirteen and has just been engaged to her cousin. Shabanu is 11, but she is beginning to mature and she knows as soon as her monthly cycle starts, she will be engaged as well. When her marriage plans are suddenly changed, she must decide weather she will go through with a marriage to a man old enough to be her grandfather, or endanger her family by escaping to freedom. The book is a fascinating look at a very foreign culture but addresses issues that all girls face as they grow up. Shibanu loves the freedom of her childhood and feels uneasy about her impending initiation into womanhood. Ms Staples lived in Afghanistan as a reporter and writes with a level of detail that shows she is thoroughly familiar with the culture and setting. Her lyric descriptions help the reader understand how a young girl could love the harsh life of the desert. This is a book that is most appropriate for teens who are familiar with the facts of life since it deals with maturation and marriage. It is a good way for readers to become more famliar with a girl's life and role in Middle Eastern culture.
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