Malala's Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai
Written by: Malala Yousafzai
Illustrated by: Kerascoët
Originally Published in: 2017
This story follows the life of Malala Yousafzai as she grows up in Pakistan. It starts off with Malala watching a television show about a boy with a magic pencil that can create anything. She thinks about all the things she would create if she had the same magic pencil. Each day, she woke up in hopes of finding that magic pencil, to no avail. Malala began to realize all the injustices that happened to girls, as more girls ceased going to school, under pressure from the Taliban. As she grew older, she began speaking out about the injustices brought upon girls in her country. Men from the Taliban tried to take her life, but they failed and Malala continued to speak out. Malala is now a well-known female education activist.
This book is probably targeted towards grades kindergarten-3rd grade. This would be a great book to open up the discussion to education rights in different countries, as many students surely don't know that children still have to fight to go to school, something that we take for granted. The information in the book is presented in a simple enough way that even young children would be able to understand its concepts, as it's very easy to understand. It emphasizes the importance of standing up for what's right, even when others try to silence you. This book and the struggles Malala faced may be something children of Middle Eastern heritage can relate to. Our students' parents, or maybe even themselves, may have endured similar struggles. For those who cannot relate, it will open up that discussion as to why they don't have those same struggles and will highlight how lucky we are compared to others. Although we know there are struggles people face in our country, others do face worse.
Other information:
Malala's Magic Pencil is a Children's Picture & Nonfiction book.
Yousafzai, M., & Kerascoët. (2017). Malala's Magic Pencil. Boston: Little, Brown and Company.
https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/malala-yousafzai/malalas-magic-pencil/9780316319836/
Read Aloud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqRmBG_FNv4
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