Tiny Dancer: The Incredible True Story of a Young Burn Survivor's Journey from Afghanistan by Anthony Flacco

From the Publisher

The astonishing story of a brave little girl from Afghanistan who not only survived horrific disfiguring burns but was given a second chance at life

Tiny Dancer is the amazing true story of Zubaida Hasan (pronounced Zu-BAY-dah Ha-SAN), a nine-year-old girl from the remote deserts of Afghanistan who, in the summer of 2001, accidentally fell into a kerosene fire while heating water for a bath. Though she was horribly mutilated, her father refused to give up and exhaustively sought help to save his child.

When an American Green Beret soldier by chance sees Zubaida and her father on the street, he decides he must get involved. With assistance from many members of the U.S. military, little Zubaida is given a second chance at life. She is flown to Los Angeles to begin a two-year journey through a series of surgeries performed by famed burn surgeon Dr. Peter Grossman. He and his wife, Rebecca, eventually take the child into their own home. This is a heartfelt and inspiring story of incredible courage equally matched by incredible kindness.

Booklist

In July 2001, Zubaida, a nine-year-old Afghan girl, was badly burned when a kerosene heater exploded. Bravely disregarding his orders, an American soldier took the girl to the U.S. medics, a selfless gesture that led to her being flown to Los Angeles, where she underwent lengthy reconstructive surgeries. The girl who would have died became, through the kindnesses of many strangers, a beautiful young woman. Although this book is ostensibly about Zubaida, it is most interesting and affecting when Flacco writes about the girl's benefactors, the men and women who put aside personal concerns for someone they barely knew. The topic could easily have generated a book maudlin in the extreme, but the author reins in the sap. Any emotional response from the reader is honestly earned, the product of a genuinely moving story. Similarly, the events of September 11, 2001, play a role in the book, but the author doesn't let that larger context overshadow the small, personal story he is telling. Zubaida already has received plenty of newspaper coverage, so expect some demand for a book-length version of her story.

Publishers Weekly

One fateful day in July 2001, Zubaida, a nine-year-old Afghan girl, slipped while filling a kerosene heater and set herself on fire. Her burns were so severe, no one thought she'd live. But Zubaida survived, and her father brought her all over the region, finally to the American army base in Kandahar, trying to get help. A Green Beret listened, and Zubaida was flown to a specialized burn center in America for a year of reconstructive surgeries. Flacco's depiction of Zubaida's culture shock is remarkable. The TV and film writer explains how, for the first time, Zubaida was going to school, getting to make personal choices and spending time with children who had the luxury of imagining limitless futures. The medically complex procedures were successful; the social adjustments were difficult. With improved language skills, therapy and lots of love from her host family, Zubaida began to thrive (she even appeared on Oprah). But then it was time to return to Afghanistan, where she felt like a model ship in a bottle-perfectly formed but going nowhere. Flacco's empathy and ability to tell Zubaida's story like he's inside her head makes for an engrossing feel-good read. Photos. Agent, Martin Literary Management. (Sept.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

Adult/High School-Zubaida Hasan, a nine-year-old girl in Afghanistan, suffered horrible burns in an accidental kerosene fire in her home. Doctors in several cities did what they could to prevent infection, but all advised her father to take her home and pray for a quick death. Going against tradition, where it would be normal for a father to let his female child die, he prayed not for her death, but for a miracle. His search for better care was rewarded when an American soldier, going against orders, brought Zubaida into the military health-care system. She was transported to the United States, where she spent a year without her family, receiving a series of surgeries designed to restore her terribly disfigured face and body. This is a gripping account from the first few pages, and it never lets go. As readers follow Zubaida's journey, they learn much about the Afghan way of life. There are also stunning examples of the strength of the human spirit and the depth of human kindness.-Gari Plehal, Pohick Regional Library, Fairfax County, VA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

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