Malala Yousafzai

Starred review from March 1, 2019

Gr 3-5-The story of Malala Yousafzai is a powerful one: she is a living testament to personal strength and the value of education. The young human rights advocate is a true warrior with words, and this up-to-date biography introduces children to her story. For a generation of digital natives, a young woman who expresses herself and elicits change through a blog is both relatable and inspirational. Interspersed with quotes from Yousafzai, the text highlights the important events in her life. From the beginning of her blog until the day of the Taliban's attempt to assassinate her, and onward through her recovery and up to present day, the thread that weaves the story together is her unwavering support of the right each child has to an education. Roth's illustrations are composed of beautiful fabric-and-paper collages. There are gorgeous, bright colors throughout, but the Taliban and events involving them are depicted in muted tones of black and gray. The informational pages at the end of the book are not to be missed. Children can learn more about Pakistan, the Taliban, and The Malala Fund. There is even a section that encourages young readers to take action and provides information on how to do so. VERDICT Available in both English and Spanish, this contemporary biography is excellent for conversations about the power of words, resilience, and the ability of one person to inspire meaningful change.-Katie Darrin, Boulder Valley School District, Boulder, CO

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2018
This detailed picture book celebrating Malala Yousafzai shows how she has used her position in the global spotlight to advocate for children's rights.The story opens with Yousafzai's speech at the U.N. in 2013: "Our words can change the world." It then moves back in time to ask, "Where did Malala learn that her voice and words could change the world?" With a beautiful collage of green land rising to purple and white mountaintops, her upbringing in the Swat Valley of Pakistan is described as nourishing and happy, with a strong family unit. Her words from the blog the BBC began to host in 2009 appear, as do words from her later writings, to describe life under Taliban rule. The latter are pictured as rows and crowds of men in baggy shalwar kameez with scarves tied around their faces and dark holes for eyes. Her family's brief move out of Swat is included, as is her National Youth Peace Prize awarded in Pakistan, details that show both the devastation within Pakistan and her own country's appreciation of her work. The text appears on ruled notebook paper, and paper-and-fabric-collage artwork alternates between focusing on Yousafzai and crowd scenes that show her impact. The cloudy black around the eyes on some faces may be a bit distracting, but the illustrations work well overall, with strong use of color and shadow to convey emotion and energy. A Spanish version is available as well, in a translation by Eida de la Vega. An earlier version of the text was published under the same title in 2014 with illustrations by L.C. Wheatley.A superior telling of Yousafzai's life and work thus far. (historical notes, activist resources, sources) (Picture book/biography. 5-10)

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