I read this book after watching the documentary He Named Me Malala. Even though the documentary was inspired by the book, I think it helped to watch the documentary first. Having already seen how Malala carries herself in person, and how she interacts with her brothers, it was easy to hear her voice in the book's narrative, and to imagine her living her life in Swat.
Both the book and the documentary make one thing very clear - at the time during which Malala rose to fame, she was really still just a child! Yes, she was outspoken and brave, and wise beyond her years. But still, she was just a girl who played with friends, fought with her brothers, and liked to watch TV. Seeing her so down-to-earth really emphasized just how remarkable of a person she is.
Written in a very personal, colloquial manner, the book is approachable and appropriate for young readers. (See my last paragraph for more on that...) In fact, I picked up this book after Isabelle read it for a school project.
The content was at times heartbreaking - from Malala's first encounter with children so poor they dug through trash and didn't attend school, to her family's adjustment to life in England - and I teared up often.
I honestly wish every person would read this book. Not just those who are already fans of Malala, but also those who don't know any Muslims personally, or who fear Islam because they only associate it with the Taliban, al-Qaeda, or ISIS. Those organizations are as representative of Islam as the KKK is representative of Christianity - which is to say, not very much at all.
Though not a central issue in the book, I was really affected by how much Malala worried about who would pay for the expensive medical care she received after being shot. Luckily, she was famous, and the Pakistani government pledged to cover all costs. Reading this book in the midst of the U.S. healthcare debate, I couldn't help but think of all the millions of Americans who worry about how they will pay for essential medical treatments, and who don't have any kind of lifeline to help them pay.
As usual, I didn't realize this book has a glossary until I reached it at the end. I actually looked up some Pashto and Urdu words while reading, so knowing the glossary was there would have been helpful.
I also didn't realize until almost the end of the book that I was reading a "Young Readers Edition". I have no idea how this edition differs from the regular edition, but I found this version perfectly informative and enjoyable, so I don't know if I'll bother to read the regular version, though I am tempted just to see how they differ.
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