The Breadwinner: A Graphic Novel by Deborah Ellis: a review

I have to be clear that I didn’t pick this book up in the wake of everything going on in Afghanistan right now. However, stories like this from just a few years ago remain prevalent. I’m not knowledgeable enough on the subject to make opinions based on current events. I’m just here to review books.

            The Breadwinner: A Graphic Novel by Deborah Ellis follows eleven-year-old Parvana, who has to support her family by disguising herself as a boy during Taliban ruled Afghanistan.

            This is a children’s book (middle-grade) but I feel like it can be enjoyed by all. The emotional aspects aren’t held back for the sake of a younger audience. This is heart-breaking for all. Though, the focus being on a child helps with the readers’ understanding of the situation. It’s hard enough for adults to imagine the struggle of living through political unrest like that, but by making it, on the surface, about a child doing what she can for her family, it makes it far more digestible.

            I recommend this all readers, I really do. It’s a truly beautiful book that left me frankly bereft at the end. It’s a great way to introduce young readers into troubling situations, and to help them better understand the world around them. This is available at Burnley Library for those local.