Shabanu

By Suzanne Fisher Staples

Part of the Shabanu Series series

A young girl must choose between family honor and her own dreams in the desert.

3.8/5 Goodreads · 7,330 ratings

288 pages· 56,683 words· Est. 6.5 hour read

$10.99Save 5%

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Bookroo's summary

In the windswept Cholistan Desert, young Shabanu enjoys rare freedoms for a girl in her culture. But when a powerful landowner disrupts her sister's marriage plans, Shabanu faces a heart-wrenching choice: sacrifice her dreams to uphold family honor or follow her own desires. As she navigates this perilous path, Shabanu's courage and spirit are tested. Will she find a way to balance tradition with her own aspirations, or will the weight of expectation crush her dreams? Discover the gripping journey of a girl torn between duty and self-discovery in a world where choices are never simple.

From the publisher

The Newbery Honor winner about a heroic Pakistani girl that The Boston Globe called “Remarkable . . . a riveting tour de force.” Life is both sweet and cruel to strong-willed young Shabanu, whose home is the windswept Cholistan Desert of Pakistan. The second daughter in a family with no sons, she’s been allowed freedoms forbidden to most Muslim girls. But when a tragic encounter with a wealthy and powerful landowner ruins the marriage plans of her older sister, Shabanu is called upon to sacrifice everything she’s dreamed of. Should she do what is necessary to uphold her family’s honor–or listen to the stirrings of her own heart? A New York Times Notable Book “Staples has accomplished a small miracle in her touching and powerful story.” –The New York Times