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From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)

The young reader’s edition of Malala Yousafzai’s memoir is more focused on her own life and work than the adult volume, which talks more about her father, who ran the school Malala attended in her home in Pakistan’s SWAT Valley. Malala’s voice is both wise and authentically young as she describes her childhood in a family where girls and education both were valued; and where her two younger brothers sometimes annoyed her as siblings do. Her growing passion for speaking out in support of girls’ education was in part a direct response to the growing threat presented by conservative voices in Pakistan, including the Taliban, and both her parents were sources of inspiration — her father for his passion and commitment, her mother for her courage. Malala had been speaking out for five years before she was shot by the Taliban at age fifteen. She talks about the immediate aftermath of the shooting and what happened in the weeks and months that followed as her story became a source of both outrage and inspiration. She and her family now live in Birmingham, England, where she was taken for care following the shooting, because it is unsafe for them to return home. (This volume was published before Malala was named co-winner of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize.) (Age 12 and older)

CCBC Choices 2015 © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2015. Used with permission.

From School Library Journal

February 1, 2022

K-Gr 2This first-person biography presents Pakistani activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai from the time she was a young girl to more recent times. In the chatty early pages, Malala describes her favorite color and foods, is shown arm-wrestling with her brother, and talks about games she plays with her friends. The narrative then abruptly changes to a street scene in which the unfair treatment of girls and women is briefly explained. Following pages depict Malala's education at her father's school-later shut down by the Taliban-the horrific attack that left her with a devastating facial wound; her subsequent recovery and determination fueled her message of empowerment for the world. Though the events in the book are presented in chronological order, there is a disjointed quality to the text which may prove confusing to younger readers. Several pages at the end, for example, are less biographical than a call to power: "The world doesn't change unless you speak up. Use your voice. Help those who need it." Despite the current appeal of graphic novels to young readers, the illustrations in this book seem oversimplified, with very limited facial expressions. Back matter includes a time line and photographs. VERDICT An additional purchase for libraries that don't already have one of the numerous excellent biographies on this Malala.-Sue Morgan

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From School Library Journal

January 1, 2015

Gr 6 Up-In this young readers edition of Yousafzai's best-selling memoir, the Nobel Peace Prize winner retells her experiences at home and at school and discusses the impact of the Taliban presence in Pakistan. Her strong voice and ideals come across on every page, emphasizing how her surroundings and supportive family helped her become the relevant figure she is today. Yousafzai highlights the importance of school and how it was the only space where she felt empowered. Although at times the transitions between personal accounts and historical background feel abrupt, Yousafzai effectively summarizes her story and her advocacy for girls' education, peace, and human rights. Above all, she stresses that she doesn't want to be known as the girl shot by the Taliban but rather as a young person who actively fought for education. A strong addition to social studies, history, and biography collections.-Sujei Lugo, Somerville Public Library, MA

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Horn Book

January 1, 2015
Young Readers Edition. Young education activist and Taliban victim Malala Yousafzai recounts her Pakistani childhood in this deftly adapted memoir. Domestic and academic tales illustrate her unusual maturity and resilience in the face of increasing Taliban threats. Yousafzai's moving narrative and engaging, sincere voice may provide an entryway to international awareness for middle-grade readers; a map and a thorough timeline provide additional political context. Glos.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

From Publisher's Weekly

Starred review from August 25, 2014
Adapted with McCormick (Never Fall Down) from the adult bestseller, this inspiring memoir by activist Yousafzai sketches her brave actions to champion education in Pakistan under the Taliban. Her father runs a school in the Swat Valley, where Malala proves an eager student; as the Taliban gains influence, she increasingly becomes an international spokesperson for girls' right to learn. The narrative begins with a prologue in which a Taliban gunman boards her school bus and asks, "Who is Malala?" The authors then offer insight into the cultural and political events leading up to the shooting that followed and Yousafzai's dramatic recovery. Yousafzai highlights the escalating tensions as the Taliban takes holdâ€Â"including the strictures against girls attending school, the obliteration of Western influence, violence, and the eventual warâ€Â"but also brings the universal to life as she quarrels with her brothers, treasures her best friend, and strives to earn top grades. A glossary, color photo inserts, and an extensive timeline help establish context. It's a searing and personal portrait of a young woman who dared to make a difference. Ages 10â€Â"up.

From Publisher's Weekly

January 27, 2014
Yousafzai, the Pakistani teen who captured worldwide attention and admiration after surviving a violent attack from militant forces opposed to female education in her region, introduces the audio edition of her memoir with the same enthusiastic oratorical style that characterized her appearance before the United Nations. Emmy-winner Panjabi (The Good Wife) reads with a balanced tone that manages to embody both Yousafzai's youthful zeal and the seasoned perspective of coauthor and foreign correspondent Lamb. Panjabi's narration effectively evokes the attachment of Yousafzai to her community, and her enunciation and pronunciation lends authenticity to the production. A helpful PDF with color photos, a glossary, and a timeline is also included. A Little, Brown hardcover.

From Library Journal

May 15, 2013

On October 9, 2012, the teenaged Yousafzai was very nearly assassinated by members of the Taliban who objected to her education and women's rights activism in Pakistan. Currently, she lives in England, under threat of execution by the Taliban if she returns home. Lamb, who has been reporting from Pakistan for 26 years and was named Foreign Correspondent of the Year five times, helps Yousafzai tell her hugely significant story.

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Kirkus

Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teen shot for her activism for girls' education, tells her story for a middle-grade audience.Although billed as a "young readers edition" of Yousafzai's 2013 book of the same name for adults, co-written with Christina Lamb, the designation does the book a disservice, as this is no simple redaction. With the capable assistance of co-author McCormick, the account has been effectively rewritten specifically for children. The story is straightforward, related chronologically and covering Yousafzai's growth in activism, her shooting and her recovery in England. Yousafzai's voice is appealingly youthful, though it often tells rather than shows and frequently goes over the top: In her school, she writes, "we flew on wings of knowledge." Still, young Western readers will come to understand the gulf that separates them from Yousafzai through carefully chosen anecdotes, helping them see what drives her to such lyrical extremes. Unfortunately, much is lost in the translation from the adult book, presumably sacrificed for brevity and directness; most lamentable is social and political context. Although readers will come away with a good understanding of Yousafzai's immediate experiences, the geopolitical forces that shape her culture go largely unmentioned except in a closing timeline that amounts to a dizzying list of regime changes. Though Yousafzai's memoir never transcends her story, that story is a powerful and inspiring one; supplemented by contextualizing information, it should pack quite a wallop. (glossary) (Memoir. 10-14) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.