The Breadwinner~ Deborah Ellis

This novel is a perfect text for students who want to read historical fiction and are interested in the Taliban or Afghanistan, but may not have the reading stamina or ability to read some of the other, longer and more challenging YA novels on this topic. I taught this book to a whole class of seventh graders for a historical fiction unit, and I have recommended it to many students to read independently. This fabulous story about Parvana, a young girl who must disguise herself as a man to support her family when it is torn apart under Taliban rule, is informative and compelling.  Readers who enjoy history and strong female characters will love this book. Teachers, however, should be aware that student can get stuck on certain vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to them when reading independently. 

Buy the book here!

Maturity: 2/4

The majority of this novel is appropriate for all ages. However, because of the setting of this novel, there is some violence. Two scenes, in particular, are graphic.  

Pages: 166

Lexile: 710L

Lexile is a score that helps educators and parents match students with an appropriate text. A Lexile score is a measure of both a child’s reading ability and a text difficulty. However, Lexile does not take into account the content of a novel. So, pairing readers with a text is a complex process, and knowledge of a novel’s themes and plot is necessary to make a high-quality recommendation.If you are curious about the grade-level equivalent to Lexile scores, check out the conversion chart here!

Book Talk It!

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Grab my book talk slideshow! It includes everything you need to captivate your students.  I use these book talks in my classroom every week, and they are the #1 way I engage my students in reading! Check us out on Instagram! #rileyreadsya Happy Reading!xo~ Kara & Riley