The Breadwinner
by Deborah Ellis

Ground Wood Books, 2001, 166 pp., $8.95
ISBN 978-0-88899-416-5
ISBN 0-88899-416-8

The Breadwinner stars a girl named Parvana and her family. They live in Afghanistan under the Taliban rule which means girls can’t go outside alone; they can’t work or even go to school.  After moving several times because bombs kept destroying their house they finally find a stable place to live. One night when the family is eating, the Taliban captures Parvana’s dad. The family is heart broken but they still have to find a way to earn money, get groceries and water from the tap. So they do the unthinkable, something that will change their lives forever and give to book an interesting twist.

Deborah Ellis does an excellent job of incorporating real life situations with fiction and she makes you want to read more.  She does a great job of making you feel like you are right by Parvana's side through the whole story.  She also does a very good job of incorporating a lot of characters but not to many you can’t keep track of them all. She also has a lot of themes in the book. I think that the main theme in The Breadwinner is survival because Parvana has to fight for her life every day, in fear of getting bombed again. Another main theme is violence, bombs, guns and the vicious Taliban surround Parvana everyday.  

I would definitely recommend this novel to any one age 11 and up. If you would like to learn more about Afghanistan and life under the Taliban rule then you will not be able to stop reading this book. I give this exciting thrilling adventurous novel 4.5 out of 5 stars.

~ reviewed by Margaret