Nasreen's Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan

Gr 2-4 This story begins with an author's note that succinctly explains the drastic changes that occurred when the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan in 1996. The focus is primarily on the regime's impact on women, who were no longer allowed to attend school or leave home without a male chaperone, and had to cover their heads and bodies with a "burqa". After Nasreen's parents disappeared, the child neither spoke nor smiled. Her grandmother, the story's narrator, took her to a secret school, where she slowly discovered a world of art, literature, and history obscured by the harsh prohibitions of the Taliban. As she did in "The Librarian of Basra" (Harcourt, 2005), Winter manages to achieve that delicate balance that is respectful of the seriousness of the experience, yet presents it in a way that is appropriate for young children. Winter's acrylic paintings make effective use of color, with dramatic purples and grays, with clouds and shadows dominating the scenes in which the Taliban are featured, and light, hopeful pinks both framing and featured in the scenes at school. This is an important book that makes events in a faraway place immediate and real. It is a true testament to the remarkable, inspiring courage of individuals when placed in such dire circumstances.

"Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ" Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Winters ("The Librarian of Basra") understated but powerful story is set in modern Afghanistan under the Taliban when girls were forbidden to attend school. Offering an adults perspective on the changes the country has seen, Nasreens grandmother serves as storyteller, her narrative obliquely noting that since the soldiers arrived in Herat, The art and music and learning are gone. Dark clouds hang over the city. After soldiers take Nasreens father away with no explanation, her mother defies the law by leaving home alone to look for him, never returning. Nasreen refuses to smile or talk, and her worried grandmother sneaks her into a secret school in a private home, where Nasreen eventually speaks again, makes friends and learns about Afghanistans brighter past. Though the childs parents are still missing, her grandmother takes comfort in her realization that the soldiers can never close the windows that the school has opened for Nasreen. Framed by bright, striped borders, Winters handsome acrylic folk art effectively imparts the ominous omnipresence of Taliban soldiers, Nasreens social and intellectual transformation and the books hopeful final note. Ages 6-9. "(Oct.)" Copyright 2009 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

"Winter celebrates the importance of education, and the reminder to Western children that it is a privilege worth fighting for is a powerful one."—The Horn Book Magazine