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The Breadwinner

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About this listen

 Imagine living in a country in which women and girls are not allowed to leave the house without a man. Imagine having to wear clothes that cover every part of your body, including your face, whenever you go out.

In this powerful and realistic tale, eleven-year-old Parvana lives with her family in one room of a bombed-out apartment building in Kabul, Afghanistan's capital city during the Taliban rule. Parvana's father- a history teacher until his school was bombed and his health destroyed- works from a blanket on the ground in the marketplace, reading letters for people who cannot read or write. One day he is arrested for the crime of having a foreign education, and the family is left without someone who can earn money or even shop for food. As conditions in the family grow desperate, only one solution emerges. Forbidden by the Taliban government to earn money as a girl, Parvana must transform herself into a boy and become the breadwinner.©2001 Deborah Ellis; (P)2008 Listening Library Fiction Geography & Cultures Growing Up Growing Up & Facts of Life Literature & Fiction Friendship Money
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My daughter (age 11 -so the same age as the main character) was reading this at school. She was very engaged and found it amazing that this is true to life. Personally, I found some of it quite disturbing for a children’s book but I guess that is the reality of war. A good book to teach your older children about the realities of life in some parts of the world and how lucky they actually are. We are now reading the rest of this trilogy.

Great read for older children

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I loved this book it was amazing I recommend listening to it. If I had to rate this book I would rate it 20/20 it
Is grate

Breadwinner

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well read, fantastic information about the lives of these precious children and wheat they had to go through under the Taliban regime. so much courage and with is seen in Parvana's character.

one of my favourite stories from my childhood.

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In my opinion, the best word to describe this book is boring. I found my child had a lack of interest in the book and did not want to listen to this book at all. She found it extremely difficult to keep focus and couldn’t wait to finish it. She found the story line was extremely dull and simply did not put much interest into this book at all. I do NOT recommend this book to anyone unless they have an extremely full personality. I also think the subject of war is simply not appropriate for children and it’s taking this fictional story to far. My child has been scared by this book and if you care about your child do not read this to them

My opinion on the breadwinner

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Feels self indulgent as a eurocentric account of noneurooean people. Ironically.... these same non european people who were oppressed by anglosaxons not so long ago. So it seems this fact is ommitted along with its consequence of far right groups like the taliban.

eurocentric account

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