For the Right to Learn

November 15, 2015
Grades 2-4 Each book in the Encounter: Narrative Nonfiction Picture Books series follows the life and work of a notable woman in history, framing her story in a way that young readers can understand. For the Right to Learn tells the story of Pakistani Malala Yousafzai, now 18, and her ongoing fight for girls' right to an education, even when threatened by the Taliban. Though careful not to take too many liberties with a historical text, these read like fiction and will spark the interest of many young readers. Each installment has a different illustrator, giving them all a unique flavor, and all have some sort of back matter that recaps the facts gleaned from the story. They vary somewhat in audience ranges but this is an interesting concept with an effective, highly visual approach.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2016
Although there are several biographies of the young Pakistani girls'-rights activist for third and fourth graders, this volume's large-picture-book format works well for such primary-grade readers. Sticking to the facts and with direct quotes noted in the back matter, the narrative is accompanied by digital illustrations that vary in quality, from moving images to cartoony pictures of doe-eyed girls. "More About Malala's Story" appended. Glos., ind.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)