Books like Words in the dust by Trent Reedy
Zulaikha, a thirteen‑year‑old girl living in Afghanistan, confronts a series of frightening yet exhilarating changes. She defies her father's authority, secretly meets an old woman who teaches her to read, watches her older sister marry, and ultimately accepts surgery from American troops to correct a disfiguring cleft palate.
"Words in the Dust" explores themes of family dynamics, gender roles, and the transformative power of literacy within a war‑torn setting.
First publish date: 2011
Genre: Children's Fiction/Children's Adventure
Authors: Trent Reedy
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