Freshta Tori Jan

Freshta Tori Jan's story of growing up in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover. Her family had to move and was frequented with death threats because they were visibly Hazara (an ethnic group that was frequently persecuted) and pursued education. An accessible read with large print, this book reads as if Freshta is telling her story. It wasn't always clear why the family was targeted with so many death threats. It seemed in the story (and in life?), Freshta's mom tried to protect the children by keeping that information from them.
I found this book to be eye opening about a group that I wasn't familiar with previously.… (meer)

This title is part of the I, Witness non-fiction series, which apparently features titles written through a social justice lens by people who were eyewitnesses to historic events. In this, author Jan describes growing up in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. She is also a member of the Hazara ethnic minority which has been historically persecuted and discriminated against by other Afghan groups. The trim size, compact length and large typeface make it look like a chapter book. But with vocabulary such as ideology, genocide and dynasty, plus descriptions of Taliban violence, the content is suited to older elementary and middle school. I imagine the design was intended to make it more accessible and appealing to all readers. Additional content includes discussion questions, background information and a brief history timeline.… (meer)