The Middle East Book Award winner and Governor General’s
Literary Award finalist inspired by Kabul, Afghanistan’s first library bus is
now in paperback!It is still
dark in Kabul, Afghanistan when the library bus rumbles out of the city. There
are no bus seats—instead there are chairs and tables and shelves of books. And
there are no passengers—instead there is Pari, who is nervously starting her
first day as Mama’s library helper. Pari stands tall to hand out notebooks and
pencils at the villages and the refugee camp, but she feels intimidated. The
girls they visit are learning to write English from Mama. Pari can’t even read
or write in Farsi yet. But next year she will go to school and learn all there
is to know. And she is so lucky. Not long ago, Mama tells her, girls were not
allowed to read at all.
Author Bahram
Rahman grew up in Afghanistan during years of civil war and the restrictive
Taliban regime of 1996–2001. He wrote The Library Bus to tell new
generations about the struggles of women who, like his own sisters,
were forbidden to learn. Brought to life by the pensive and captivating art of
award-winning illustrator Gabrielle Grimard, The Library Bus is a
celebration of literacy, ingenuity, and the strength of women and girls
demanding a future for themselves.Don’t miss A Sky-Blue Bench, also by Bahram RahmanALA Schneider Family Book Award Honor Winner
“A timely, eye-opening portrait of resilience, community, and
hope.”—Kirkus Reviews ★ Starred Review
