Parvana's Journey

Parvana’s Journey

• Genre: Fiction; middle-grade realistic
• Originally Published: 2002
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 700L; grades 4-7
• Structure/Length: 21 chapters; approx. 200 pages; approx. 3 hours, 48 minutes on audio
• Protagonist and Central Conflict: After the death of her father, Parvana must journey alone across Afghanistan in search of her mother and siblings. Along the way, she connects with people who become like family members, and together they face the dangers and horrors of war.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: War violence; deaths of family members and children; life in a refugee camp; physical maiming; desperation of poverty; and housing/food insecurity

Deborah Ellis, Author

• Bio: Born in 1960 in Ontario, Canada; began writing around age 11; is a feminist and a peace activist who donates most of her royalties to organizations that help women and children; based the four books in her Breadwinner series (including Parvana’s Journey) on a trip she made to Afghanistan in 1997; named to the Order of Ontario in 2006 and the Order of Canada in 2016
• Other Works: Looking for X (1999); The Breadwinner (2001); The Heaven Shop (2004); Moon at Nine (2014); Sit (2017)
• Awards: ALA Best Books for Young Adults (2003); Ruth Schwartz Children’s Book Award (2003); Jane Addams Children’s Book Award (2003)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:

• The Effects of War on Children
• The Senseless Nature of War
• Women in Afghanistan

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:

• Develop an understanding of the historical and political contexts regarding Taliban rule in Afghanistan that incite Parvana’s journey.
• Analyze paired texts and other brief resources to make connections via the text’s themes of The Effects of War on Children, The Senseless Nature of War, and Women in Afghanistan.
• Research and share a presentation that demonstrates an understanding of the changing nature of women’s rights and freedoms in 20th and 21st century Afghanistan.