From the Publisher
In Parvana's Journey, the Taliban still control Afghanistan, but Kabul is in ruins. Parvana's father has just died, and her mother, sister, and brother could be anywhere in the country. Parvana knows she must find them. Despite her youth, Parvana sets out alone, masquerading as a boy. She soon meets other children who are victims of war — an infant boy in a bombed-out village, a nine-year-old girl who thinks she has magic powers over landmines, and a boy with one leg. The children travel together, forging a kind of family out of sheer need. The strength of their bond makes it possible to survive the most desperate conditions. All royalties from the sale of this book will go to Women for Women, an organization that helps women in Afghanistan.
Publishers Weekly
Sequel to The Breadwinner, Parvana's Journey by Deborah Ellis follows the eponymous 12-year-old girl who, disguised as a boy, sets off from Kabul in search of her missing mother and siblings in Taliban-era Afghanistan. When war breaks out, she bands together with other displaced children. Royalties from the sale of the book go to Women for Women, a relief organization benefiting women in Afghanistan. (Oct.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
Susie Wilde
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Children's Literature
Deborah Ellis' 2000 book, The Breadwinner (Greenwood Books, $5.95; ages 10 and up) is an international bestseller which sold more than 125,000 copies. The heroine is Parvana, a thirteen-year-old Afghan whose father loses his leg and is taken to prison for no reason. Parvana must disguise herself as a boy and earn income for her needy family. She does so with a mix of willingness, excitement and fear. Parvana's willingness and fear continue in Parvana's Journey and her exhaustion and loss of hope mount. The sequel begins with the burial of her father and her search for her mother. Along the way she faces hunger, sickness, and collects a "family" of a starved baby, a crabby one-legged young boy, and an optimistic eight year old whom Parvana has rescued from disease and mine fields. This book, dedicated "to children we force to be braver than they should have to be," requires a brave reader as well. 2002, Groundwood, Ages 10 up.
Judy Sasges <%ISBN%>0888995148
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VOYA
The sequel to The Breadwinner (Groundwood, 2000/VOYA June 2001) opens with the burial of thirteen-year-old Parvana's father. Afghanistan is still controlled by the Taliban, but violence and chaos reign. Parvana continues to masquerade as a boy as she journeys to find her remaining family. Fighting loneliness and fear, Parvana rescues a baby in the rubble of a bombed village and befriends a hostile, one-legged boy. As Parvana's group struggles to find shelter, they meet more refugees, including a young girl who feels magically protected from harm as she scavenges in the minefields. Parvana's reactions to events in her life are believable and touching. Meeting a woman on the road, Parvana vents her frustration by screaming, "You're a grownup. You have to take care of me!" before realizing that the woman is mentally ill. She questions whether she should steal food because any stealing is wrong. Retaining her faith in humanity, Parvana becomes a resourceful and caring leader to her new "family." This book stands alone but lacks the atmosphere and intrigue of the first book, as Parvana roamed Kabul, hustling food for her family. The dialogue is sometimes more political than natural. One man says, "Sometimes we are bombed by the Taliban. Sometimes we are bombed by the other side. We used to be farmers. Now we are targets." Younger readers will continue to be moved by Parvana's story, validated by current events, and the optimistic ending will satisfy many in this serviceable sequel to a compelling story. The ending suggests yet another installment. VOYA CODES: 3Q 4P M J (Readable without serious defects; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined asgrades 7 to 9). 2002, Groundwood/Douglas & McIntyre, 200p,
School Library Journal
Gr 7-10-This sequel to The Breadwinner (Groundwood, 2001) easily stands alone. After her father's death, 13-year-old Parvana, disguised as a boy, wanders alone through war-torn Afghanistan looking for her mother and siblings who had disappeared in the tumult of the Taliban takeover of Mazar-e-Sharif. Early in her journey, Parvana comes across a baby, the only survivor in a bombed village. She takes him along, as both a burden and comforting company. Taking shelter in a small cave, she discovers an angry one-legged boy who is starved for both food and human companionship. Imagining treasure in their cave, they dig, only to find a cache of bullets-a scene that epitomizes what childhood has become for these young people. The three continue Parvana's search, stopping for a time in an apparent safe haven on the edge of a minefield where an eight-year-old lives with a near-comatose grandmother. When their refuge is destroyed, the four children join a long line of refugees, arriving finally at a camp. A bittersweet ending offers some hope for Parvana and her family, but readers are left with a horrifyingly realistic picture of the effect of war on children. While the reading is not difficult, the grim content cries out for discussion. An unforgettable read.-Kathleen Isaacs, Edmund Burke School, Washington, DC
(11 ratings)
Decent book
My 6th grade class loved this book!
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