afghanistan

A passionate musician growing up in the war-torn streets of Kabul takes her forbidden talents abroad in this triumphant memoir from debut author Zarifa Adiba. As an Afghan girl, Zarifa Adiba has big, unfathomable dreams. Her family is poor, her country mired in conflict. But Zarifa perseveres, nurturing her passion for music despite its "sinful" nature under Taliban law. At sixteen she gains admission to the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, and at eighteen she becomes the lead violist, co-conductor, and spokesperson for Zohra, the first all-female orchestra in the Muslim world. Many of the girls in Zohra are forced to marry, but Zarifa yearns to study, travel, and explore her independence. Her so-called "bad girl" identity puts her at odds with her culture and her family.

The true story of a rescue in the chaotic final hours of the U.S. evacuation of Afghanistan and how an Afghan writer and mother engineered an escape with the help of an American officer.

"Using a trauma-informed approach to gathering stories, this . . . collection of 19 stories illuminates the range of challenges and successes met by the latest generation of displaced peoples from Afghanistan"--Provided by publishers.

"Continuing this . . . middle grade nonfiction series, a young woman once persecuted by the Taliban shares her journey to becoming a community activist. As a girl and as part of an ethnic minority in Afghanistan, Freshta Tori Jan was persecuted relentlessly. Her family faced kidnappings and daily murder attempts on the bus, on the way to school, in the workplace, and beyond. Freshta's school was shut down by the Taliban, and many of her friends were murdered and shot. Her journey through poverty, terrorism, and other forms of injustice has enabled her to be a voice for those unable to share their stories and those unable to receive the opportunities she has sought. She believes in empowering youth in order to bring about change and be the leaders of today and tomorrow"--Provided by publisher.

Razia, a girl in Afghanistan, wants to attend Razia Jan's girls' school the Zabuli Education Center for Girls, but first she must get her father and brother's permission.

"In 2010 Sergeant Craig Grossi was doing intelligence work for Marine Recon in a remote part of Afghanistan. While on patrol, he spotted a young stray dog 'with a big goofy head and little legs.' Fred not only stole Craig's heart; he won over the Recon fighters, who helped smuggle the dog into Camp Leatherneck. Fred eventually made it to Craig's family in Virginia, where months later, it was Fred's turn to save Craig's life"--OCLC.

"Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss, and by fate. As they endure the ever-escalating dangers around them--in their home, as well as in the streets of Kabul--they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation"--Back cover.

"Brandon is visiting his dad on the 107th floor of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 when the attack comes; Reshmina is a girl in Afghanistan who has grown up in the aftermath of that attack but dreams of peace, becoming a teacher and escaping her village and the narrow role that the Taliban believes is appropriate for women--both are struggling to survive, both changed forever by the events of 9/11"--OCLC.

"It's 2021, and the Taliban have regained power in Afghanistan. Parvana and Shauzia, the brave protagonists of The Breadwinner, must now flee to escape new dangers from an old enemy. In Kabul, 15-year-old Damsa runs away to avoid being forced into marriage by her family. She is found by a police officer named Shauzia, who takes her to Green Valley, a shelter and school for women and girls run by Parvana. It has been 20 years since Parvana and Shauzia had to disguise themselves as boys to support themselves and their families. But when the Taliban were defeated in 2001, it looked as if Afghans could finally rebuild their country. Many things have changed for Parvana since then. She has married Asif, who she met in the desert as she searched for her family when she was a child. She runs a school for girls. She has a son, Rafi, who is about to fly to New York, where he will train to become a dancer. But Shauzia is still Parvana's best friend. And Parvana is still headstrong, bringing her in conflict with her spoiled sister Maryam. While Asif tries to get Maryam and Rafi on one of the last flights out of Kabul, the Taliban come to the school, and Parvana must lead the girls out of Green Valley and into the mountains"-- Provided by publisher.

A Sufi teaching tale from Afghanistan about an old woman who insists that an eagle must really be a pigeon.