Scan barcode
edshara's review against another edition
4.0
This was a decent read. I think I expected it to be more of a tear-jerker than it was but overall, I really enjoyed the story.
It was a bit amazing to see a young boy(Fadi is 11) entrusted with such a big responsibility but when you look at everything they had to do it was really the only option for him(watching his younger sister). I guess it was one of those situations where either way it wouldn't have really been fair or easy for him. (This is a little vague, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone.)
I learned quite a bit from this book that I didn't know before and that, in addition, to the writing style and plot made this a 4 star read for me.
It was a bit amazing to see a young boy(Fadi is 11) entrusted with such a big responsibility but when you look at everything they had to do it was really the only option for him(watching his younger sister). I guess it was one of those situations where either way it wouldn't have really been fair or easy for him. (This is a little vague, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone.)
I learned quite a bit from this book that I didn't know before and that, in addition, to the writing style and plot made this a 4 star read for me.
shirleytupperfreeman's review against another edition
I really liked this middle-grade immigrant novel.Fadi is a 12 year old boy living in Afghanistan in the late 90s/early 2000s. He spent some time in the US when his father was getting his Phd at the University of Wisconsin. His idealistic father moved the family back to Afghanistan with the idea of helping his country flourish. As the Taliban grew stronger, it became clear that Fadi's family needed to leave. During the process of leaving the country, Fadi's 6 year old sister got left behind. Most of the story then describes fairly common immigrant experiences - father with a Phd has to drive a taxi to earn a living, bullies at school (especially after 9/11) make life challenging, good teachers and friends make life tolerable. The story's tension is built around the loss, and eventual recovery, of 6 year old Mariam. This would be a great book for classroom discussions and for anyone in the 8-14 year old cohort.
sarahanne8382's review against another edition
4.0
12-year-old Fadi's family leaves Afghanistan in early 2001 as the Taliban's threats to his Western-educated father steadily increase. In the process of leaving, however, Fadi's little sister Miriam is left behind and the whole family struggles to appreciate their escape to America because they all feel responsible for leaving Mariam behind.
But that's not all that's going on in this book. There are the usual immigrant struggles to fit in, plus when 9/11 takes place we see the reaction of mainstream Afghani Muslims to the extreme actions of the terrorists their country had been hosting. Fadi deals with bullying and trying to fit in at an American middle school after being home-schooled for years. His father deals with finding a lesser-paying job when none of the colleges he is qualified to teach at have openings. His mother is sick and then battles depression as Miriam continues to be missing. His older sister has her own struggles with adjusting to a new country. There are so many things going on, and yet the book doesn't feel rushed or bursting at the seams. Some of the resolutions are a little too neat, but if that allows Senzai to tell such a layered story, I'm okay with it. My favorite thing, though had to be seeing the immediate reaction to 9/11 from a completely different perspective than I experienced it myself.
This is a great book for showing kids a different culture and yet Fadi's close-knit family and the everyday struggles of a middle schooler keep the book relatable.
But that's not all that's going on in this book. There are the usual immigrant struggles to fit in, plus when 9/11 takes place we see the reaction of mainstream Afghani Muslims to the extreme actions of the terrorists their country had been hosting. Fadi deals with bullying and trying to fit in at an American middle school after being home-schooled for years. His father deals with finding a lesser-paying job when none of the colleges he is qualified to teach at have openings. His mother is sick and then battles depression as Miriam continues to be missing. His older sister has her own struggles with adjusting to a new country. There are so many things going on, and yet the book doesn't feel rushed or bursting at the seams. Some of the resolutions are a little too neat, but if that allows Senzai to tell such a layered story, I'm okay with it. My favorite thing, though had to be seeing the immediate reaction to 9/11 from a completely different perspective than I experienced it myself.
This is a great book for showing kids a different culture and yet Fadi's close-knit family and the everyday struggles of a middle schooler keep the book relatable.
julie_ann_harper_1633's review against another edition
4.0
What do you do when tragedy strikes? And what do you do when you believe it is your own fault? This book shows how important family is and yet again shows the reader how important it is to share your thoughts with your family. One event can change how you look at the world. Find your passion and your life can change instantaneously.
paperbacksandpines's review against another edition
3.0
I really liked this story within a story. When Fadi's parents illegally flee Afghanistan, Fadi's little sister Mariam accidentally gets left behind in the rush to flee the Taliban. Fadi's family is devastated as they try to search for Mariam from their new home base in the U.S. Every family member faces the private guilt of feeling like they failed Mariam.
Meanwhile, the events of 9/11 occur as Fadi has been newly installed at his school and he and others like him (ie non whites) face bullying, racism, and hatred. Shooting Kabul is a story about the power of love and what can happen if a person has enough determination and persistence to let their love for a person drive them.
Meanwhile, the events of 9/11 occur as Fadi has been newly installed at his school and he and others like him (ie non whites) face bullying, racism, and hatred. Shooting Kabul is a story about the power of love and what can happen if a person has enough determination and persistence to let their love for a person drive them.
hamckeon's review against another edition
4.0
This is a great young adult novel that deals with 9/11 and what it was like to be an Arabic kid in the US at that time. It has a great message of tolerance and hope.
lmfm's review against another edition
4.0
Even though I'm a grownup, I still like reading YA fiction, and I really liked this book. I learned about this from NPR's "backseat book club" and would definitely recommend it. It is about adapting to a new culture, overcoming prejudices, growing up and finding one's own passions/interests, and a wrenching story about the love of family.
sarank's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
lorayne's review against another edition
4.0
This is a great book to pair with The Breadwinner because it is about a family who escapes Afghanistan during Taliban rule and moves to the Bay Area. It also has themes that relate to being the new kid, standing up to bullies, and how families deal with incredible pain and hardship. I highly recommend this one!