Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy. Arthur A. Levine Books, 2011. Currently available.
Genre: Middle Grade Realistic Fiction. (The reading level of the book leans toward the middle grade category, but the content is more YA. I’m calling it Middle Grade because that’s where it was shelved at my local library.)
Face Value: This cover isn’t the most gripping that I have seen among middle grade novels this year, but I do appreciate it for its accuracy. We get a sense of place from the cover image (the isolated desert area where Zulaikha lives) and we see Zulaikha’s face before her surgery. I actually don’t mind the covered face because it reflects Zulaikha’s culture and her mannerisms before she had her cleft lip repaired. I’m not so much a fan of drawings as book covers, and at first I wished that they had photographed a model for this cover – but then I realized how dated that photograph could quickly become. This drawing captures the spirit of the character and will look good on a shelf for years.
Does it break the slate? Ultimately, Zulaikha is Slatebreaking character, buts Words in the Dust is only a slate-bending book. Author Trent Reedy is a U.S. American soldier who served in Afghanistan, and upon return from his tour of duty he felt compelled to tell the story of a young woman that he met there. In his author’s note, he describes the lasting impression left by this young woman:
“To me, she represented all the Afghan girls who are struggling to make better lives for themselves and for their families, and even though she lacked the ability and resources to tell the world her story, that did not mean that it did not deserve to be told. She looked back at me as she rode away, and although she could not hear me or understand my words, I promised her I would tell her story.”
From what Reedy writes of the real Zulaikha who inspired this story, there is true Slatebreaking spirit and intent behind this novel. Zulaikha is a girl who will quickly find a place in your heart. But there’s an issue that prevents me from calling this a completely Slatebreaking novel…more on that after the jump.
Who would we give it to? This is tough. It’s not a feel-good, pleasant book. Zulaikha experiences far too much tragedy than any young girl should have to deal with, and it has a high “Kleenex quotient” (there are scenes that will make you burst into tears). It’s not exactly something that you can blithely recommend as a fun read. Honestly, I think this would be a thought-provoking book to share with young people who have family and friends serving in the Middle East. It would certainly start a discussion about cultural difference.
Caution – spoilers ahead… Continue reading →
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