Born Under a Million Shadows

Born Under a Million ShadowsA moving tale of the triumph of the human spirit amidst heartbreaking tragedy, told through the eyes of a charming, impish, and wickedly observant Afghan boy The Taliban have withdrawn from Kabul's streets, but the long shadows of their regime remain. In his short life, eleven year old Fawad has known more grief than most: his father and brother have been killed, his sister has been abducted, and Fawad and his mother, Mariya, must rely on the charity

A moving tale of the triumph of the human spirit amidst heartbreaking tragedy, told through the eyes of a charming, impish, and wickedly observant Afghan boy

The Taliban have withdrawn from Kabul's streets, but the long shadows of their regime remain. In his short life, eleven-year-old Fawad has known more grief than most: his father and brother have been killed, his sister has been abducted, and Fawad and his mother, Mariya, must rely on the charity of parsimonious relatives to eke out a hand-to-mouth existence.
Ever the optimist, Fawad hopes for a better life, and his dream is realized when Mariya finds a position as a housekeeper for a charismatic Western woman, Georgie, and her two foreign friends. The world of aid workers and journalists is a new one for Fawad, and living with the trio offers endless curiosities--including Georgie's destructive relationship with the powerful Afghan warlord Haji Khan, whose exploits are legendary. Fawad grows resentful and worried, until he comes to learn that love can move a man to act in surprisingly good ways. But life, especially in Kabul, is never without peril, and the next calamity Fawad must face is so devastating that it threatens to destroy the one thing he thought he could never lose: his love for his country.

A big-hearted novel infused with crackling wit, Andrea Busfield's brilliant debut captures the hope and humanity of the Afghan people and the foreigners who live among them.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: St. Martins Press-3PL
Published: 02/02/2010
ISBN: 9780805090611
Pages: 292
Weight: 0.57lbs
Size: 7.98h x 5.34w x 0.85d

Review Citations: Kirkus Reviews 12/01/2009
Library Journal 01/15/2010 pg. 86
School Library Journal 02/01/2010 pg. 136
Booklist 02/01/2010 pg. 28
Booklist Ed Choice Adu Bk YA's 01/01/2011 pg. 10

Accelerated Reader Quiz #/Name: 136615 / Born Under a Million Shadows
Reading Level: 5.9 / Interest Level: Upper Grade / Point Value: 13