Malala Yousafzai and Patricia McCormick (Hachette) 2014, 245pp, RRP $35.00 (Hardback) $19.99 (Paperback)
The release of this book coincides with its subject – Malala Yousafzai – being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work in campaigning for girls’ education. At 17, Malala is the youngest-ever recipient of the award but she has already chalked up many years working on her cause. 
In fact, Malala only ever wanted to be ‘just’ a schoolgirl: to study and be an innocent child but the chaos and destruction of warfare in her home country of Pakistan and the ban on female education led her on an extraordinary journey.
Malala chronicles how her father Ziauddin ran a school in their home region of Swat where girls would be secretly educated. Inspired by this, Malala took on the cause and soon became celebrated in Pakistan for her campaigns. Such fame led the Taliban to try to assassinate her… ironically, however, they only succeeded in shooting her to global attention.
Her brain injury forced her family to relocate to Birmingham, England, and we follow her progress as she tries to come to terms with a life totally different to the one back in Pakistan. But such is her determination and faith that she makes it a success.
She is unashamedly feisty and geeky and unapologetic in her ambition, by turns humble and proud. Her father is a kindly man, feminist in his own way, defiant and tolerant and loving, and we see from where Malala gets her fighting spirit.
The book is also an opportunity to explore a life in Pakistan, a feel for family life and community life and a reminder to not take out own educations for granted.
Jenny Thompson
This title is available through Hachette Australia. Click here to purchase your copy.
