 In Kabul, Afghanistan, twelve-year-old Zia’s father tells him to take care of his mother, as he is arrested, never to be seen again. After that, in 1989, the Russian army pulls out of Afghanistan, there is a civil war, and the Taliban take over. Zia becomes the “man” for the neighborhood widows. He can no longer attend school, and the Taliban forbids women and children to be seen outdoors. Zia and his mother eventually are forced to flee Kabul and take refuge in Pakistan. A historical note provides additional information. Black and white drawings capture the mood of the story. This eye-opening story is based on the author’s own experiences as a young mother having to flee an Afghanistan torn apart by war with her young son. mjw |
| Title: Zia’s Story Author: Shahnaz Qayumi Illustrator: Nahid Kazemi Publisher: Tradewinds Books. Vancouver, BC. Canada Copyright: 2024 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-990598-14-2 Paperback pages: 88 Age range: 9-12 Genre: Historical fiction Book setting: Afghanistan and Pakistan Author’s ethnicity: Afghan Author’s residence: Vancouver, British Columbia Illustrator’s ethnicity: Iranian Illustrator’s residence: Montreal, Quebec Subjects: Afghanistan, Civil war, Kabul, Middle East, Refugees, Taliban, War |
Zia’s Story
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This question-and-answer book features a young girl and her grandfather exploring water’s role in world history and earth science. Topics include: How much water is there on earth? Why does it rain? How are rainbows and water related? How is a sea different from an ocean? What lives in our oceans? How powerful is water? What is life without water? How can we protect our planet’s water? The answers offer many vocabulary words clearly explained in the energetic text. The book’s endpapers reveal fascinating water facts. To illustrate the book, the author/artist sprinkled, dripped, and thinned acrylic paints with water. Approximately ten liters (2.6 gallons) of water were used to create the book’s gorgeous artwork. 
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