Malala Yousafzai

By Claire Throp

This series will tell the amazing story of inspiring people who have made a difference and changed the world, despite the odds stacked against them. The books will detail the characters' humble origins, the obstacles standing in their way that had to be overcome, and discuss the successes and achievements for which they are lauded today. This book tells the story of Malala Yousafzai, who has campaigned for education for all children across the world despite being shot by the Taliban for her belief that everyone, including girls, has the right to education.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
• Release date: Dec 21, 2015
• ISBN: 9781484635438

Claire Throp

Claire Throp has worked in publishing for over 20 years. She has written children's nonfiction books on a range of subjects, including sport, history, and wildlife.

Book preview

Contents

Who Is Malala Yousafzai?

What Is Pakistan Like?

What Was Malala Yousafzai’s Early Childhood Like?

When Did Malala Yousafzai First Begin to Speak out About Education?

What Happened to Malala Yousafzai in October 2012?

What Happened After Malala Yousafzai Left the Hospital?

How Has Malala Yousafzai’s Life Changed?

Is Malala Yousafzai Still Making News?

Malala Yousafzai’s New Life

Timeline

Glossary

Find Out More

Index

Some words are shown in bold, like this. You can find out what they mean by looking in the glossary.

Who Is Malala Yousafzai?

Malala Yousafzai is the girl who spoke out about the difficulties girls face getting an education in Pakistan, the country where she was born and where she lived at the time. She put her life in danger for this. Her efforts were so heroic that she is now a Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Taliban rules

Life was difficult for many women in the Swat District, where Malala Yousafzai was born. They had very little freedom, with rules about where they could go and with whom, and even what they should wear. A Muslim fundamentalist group called the Taliban (see pages 8–9) was powerful in the area and enforced these rules. In January 2009, it said that girls should not be allowed to go to school.

"I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to live in peace. Their right to be treated with dignity. Their right to equality of opportunity. Their right to be educated."

Malala Yousafzai, speaking at the United Nations in New York City, July 12, 2013

THE PASHTUN PEOPLE

Malala Yousafzai and her family are Pashtuns. Pashtuns are a group of people who live in northwest Pakistan and southeast Afghanistan. They speak their own language, called Pashto. More Pashtun people live in Pakistan than Afghanistan. It is thought that Pashtuns moved to Pakistan between the 13th and 16th centuries.

Becoming a target

Malala Yousafzai wasn’t afraid to speak out. As a result of the attention that she gained, she became a target for the Taliban. When her family received threats from the Taliban, Malala Yousafzai started traveling to school by bus instead of walking. On October 9, 2012, she was shot in the