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The Breadwinner  By  cover art

The Breadwinner

By: Deborah Ellis
Narrated by: Rita Wolf
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Publisher's summary

Imagine living in a country in which women and girls are not allowed to leave the house without a man. Imagine having to wear clothes that cover every part of your body, including your face, whenever you go out.

In this powerful and realistic tale, 11-year-old Parvana lives with her family in one room of a bombed-out apartment building in Kabul, Afghanistan's capital city during the Taliban rule. Parvana's father - a history teacher until his school was bombed and his health destroyed - works from a blanket on the ground in the marketplace, reading letters for people who cannot read or write. One day he is arrested for the crime of having a foreign education, and the family is left without someone who can earn money or even shop for food. As conditions in the family grow desperate, only one solution emerges.

Forbidden by the Taliban government to earn money as a girl, Parvana must transform herself into a boy and become the breadwinner.

©2001 Deborah Ellis (P)2008 Listening Library

What listeners say about The Breadwinner

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    5 out of 5 stars

A Great Read With Your Daughter

I enjoyed listening to this with my daughter - it allowed us the opportunity to learn about another country together and discuss our similarities (pesky siblings!) and differences (too many to list).

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5 people found this helpful

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Heartfelt Story

To begin with I really loved the reader Rita Wolf. Her distinct tone and style really brings the story to life. I realize now that this is the first book in a series and I feel compelled to continue with the subsequent books. Highly recommend this timely story of hope and hardship!

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5 people found this helpful

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Great book

The beginning of the book launches you into the rising action and next thing you know the climax has passed and you are filled with heartwarming thoughts about the ending.

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Really interesting book!!

This book is such a good book, I needed to read this book for an English essay. It has made it so much more easier listening to the audiobook then having to read all the book!!!😄
It also has such a good storyline and ending, so excited to hear the second book📗

Thank you for making this such a good and interesting book!!!
Abby👑

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Sad story! Had to get used to the British accent!

This is a good book we had to read for school. The reader's British accent took me a while to get used to, but, it was a good audio book.

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1 person found this helpful

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Amazing

Amazing Amazing Amazing Amazing Amazing So So So So so Amazing Amazing Amazing Amazing Amazing😄😄😄😄😄
I Love It So Much Historical

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I love the narrators voice

This is a beautiful story of courage and strength. Very inspiring - especially for young women trying to find their way in the world. 

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Sara's Thoughts

Great story and well done in the audio version. Liked by adults and children alike.

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School project

Any additional comments?

I needed to read this for my Global History class and then tie it in with a study of modern Afghanistan. Being able to listen to the book while reading it helped me to understand all the different points being made.

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1 person found this helpful

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Emotional read

This book gives us a glimpse of life in a country we tend to associate with many evils of this world. What a refreshing view to be reminded that the people of Afghanistan have lost so much in their own homeland and struggle with the day to day situations many of us take for granted.

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1 person found this helpful