Thunder Over Kandahar

McKay, Sharon. Thunder Over Kandahar. Annick Press: 2010. ISBN: 9781554512669.

Summary:
Fourteen-year-old Yasmine and her parents have moved from a comfortable life in Oxford, England to Herat, Afghanistan. Mother and father are happy to be back in their homeland and hope to make a difference in the tumultuous country. Yasmine is extremely homesick for her room, her grandfather and the life she is accustomed. Now whenever Yasmine and her mother go outdoors their heads must be covered with a hijab and they mustn't look any males in the face, but keep their eyes averted. A big difference from England! While out for a casual walk, mother is attacked by men in masks who accuse her of being a 'daughter of America' and not respecting the rule that women should not be seen in public without a man. Desperate and afraid, Yasmine is unaware that this is the first of many circumstances where she will have to show courage and bravery.

Evaluation:
This book is a work of fiction, but much of the information presented is right out of the news headlines. Author Sharon McKay does a wonderful job of bringing this faraway place up close and personal. Careful not to support one particular agenda, the author shows the complexities of the region in a fair-handed manner. Yasmine, her mother and Tamanna are great role models for girls of any nationality. The intense love of one's country is something many teens don't understand. Not patriotism or nationalism, but true, heartfelt love for a place. Adding to the connection, each chapter has a black and white photograph of something related to Afghanistan.

Reader's Annotation:
There is something to the clique, "Home is where the heart is."

Bibliotherapeutic Uses:
War is ugly. It takes a toll on everyone, soldier and civilian. This book shows the effects of war on a macro level and a micro level. Fortunately, pain and suffering do end and the sun will come out to shine.

Genre:
Realistic Fiction

Why I Read This Book:
I have an interest in reading about the effects of war on normal people. I want to understand more of what I read about the daily news headlines.