Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Words in the Dust
    Words in the Dust
    Words in the Dust
    Audiobook8 hours

    Words in the Dust

    Written by Trent Reedy

    Narrated by Ariana Delawari

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Zulaikha hopes. She hopes for peace, now that the Taliban have been driven from Afghanistan; a good relationship with her hard stepmother; and one day even to go to school, or to have her cleft palate fixed. Zulaikha knows all will be provided for her—"Inshallah," God willing.

    Then she meets Meena, who offers to teach her the Afghan poetry she taught her late mother. And the Americans come to her village, promising not just new opportunities and dangers, but surgery to fix her face. These changes could mean a whole new life for Zulaikha—but can she dare to hope they'll come true?

    Introduction by Katherine Paterson

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherScholastic
    Release dateJul 1, 2012
    ISBN9780545477239
    Words in the Dust

    More audiobooks from Trent Reedy

    Related to Words in the Dust

    Related audiobooks

    Children's For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      ‘His Only Wife’ Turns Fairytale Tropes Upside Down

      Nov 10, 2020

      When a poor young woman is offered the hand of a rich young man, the marriage seems like it should solve her problems. What happens when it doesn’t?

      3 min read

    • Article

      TALKING WITH the TALIBAN

      Feb 13, 2022

      TALKING WITH the TALIBAN
      9 min read

    • Article

      Giving Up Paradise: Lies, high heels, and piety.

      Jun 13, 2013

      For millions of refugees, life is nothing if not uncertain. They come to a new world with two purposes: escaping one set of realities, and building a new set. This story is about a family who fled Somalia during the Civil War of the 1990s. They settl

      13 min read

    • Article

      Secret Schools Defy Taliban To Offer Afghan Girls Light And Hope

      Jun 5, 2023

      The first time she stepped into the secret school for girls, Maryam felt a rush of hope, as if rediscovering light after more than a year of darkness. That was how long she had been confined to her home by the strict rules governing women’s behavior

      4 min read

    • Article

      Historical Fiction...

      Jun 10, 2021

      By Melody Razak 24 June, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, £14.99 It’s 1946 in Delhi and Ma and Bappu – both liberal lecturers at the local university – are preparing to marry off their 14-year-old daughter, Alma. Independence from Britain is looming on the ho

      1 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Aug 21, 2023

      Books
      6 min read

    • Article

      Books Of The Month

      Mar 31, 2023

      By Farhana Islam, illustrated by Nabila Adani When Noor asks the women in her family why they wear hijabs, no one will tell her – until her ammu gives her the answers. Lively and full of fun, this picture book is steeped in love and pride. By Kate Re

      2 min read

    • Article

      An Act of Love

      Dec 30, 2020

      An Act of Love
      5 min read

    • Article

      3 Wonderful Middle-grade Novels For Fall

      Nov 5, 2018

      Intriguing protagonists, lively cultural mixes, and sensitive writing make these books winners.

      3 min read

    • Article

      A Night To Remember

      May 26, 2023

      A Night To Remember
      2 min read

    • Article

      A Life Unconquered By Taliban Rule In ‘Dancing In The Mosque’

      Dec 15, 2020

      As a girl, Homeira Qaderi watched the Taliban take over her home city in Afghanistan. As a young woman, she took a dangerous stand.

      3 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Words in the Dust

    4/5

    100 ratings14 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      A rich, vivid story that transports readers to Afghanistan and its culture. Zulaikha's life is not easy especially with her cleft palate that makes her the subject of scorn and pity. But there's a dignity to her spirit as she copes with daily challenges such as her father's demanding second wife Mahlekah, beloved sister Zeynab's pending wedding, and a desire to learn to read and write like her late mother. Librarian note: A scene refers to Zeynab's blood-stained wedding cloth without elaboration other than "It is finished. Your sister is married."
    • 3/5
      This is the story of a young Afghani girl name Zulaikha, who is born with a split lip, and is constantly teased, and taunted because of it. She lives with her father, step-mom, brothers and sister, in Afghanistan, after the brutal reign of the Taliban.When the Americans stationed in Afghanistan, give Zulaikha the chance to have surgery on her mouth, her father agrees, and her life slowly changes. But Zulaikha doesn't want to be just a future wife, she also wants to go to school. Hence follows the story of a young girl, who secretly takes lessons from a former teacher, and suddenly the whole world opens before her.The one thing that made this story so real for me, was Zulaikha's bravery, and how she fought for what she believed in. She enjoyed helping others, but she also wanted more for herself too.
    • 4/5
      It gets a 4 because it is gets very heavy hearted at times. But it is a beautiful story otherwise that paints us a story of Afghanistan that is unknown to most Westerners.
    • 5/5
      This book was amazing. I got to see a side of the world that I, myself have never experienced. The main character Zulaikha, seemed to reach out to me and show me her world through her eyes. I have read A Thousand Splendid Sun, and this book help me understand it. The different customs between both cultures were interesting to see unfold. Also the way that some people view Americans, in the way that we are "horrible, bad. etc" but still want our help was interesting to read about. This book also made me think about what I should do with my life, I have more opportunities, I should take advantage of them.
    • 4/5
      This book opened my eyes to several things. Much of it is based on actual people and occurrences. The story is told from the point of view of an Afghani girl with a cleft palate and a desire to attend school. Some parts are interesting looks into a culture different from mine. Other parts are heart breaking. It definitely made me appreciate being born in my country. Words in the Dust should be on your reading list.
    • 5/5
      I will not cry, I will not cry, I will not cry!I cried...This is an exceptionally heart-felt story, ripe with emotion, authentic character growth, and genuine perceptions. I liked that Americans were characterized as both heroes and villains, saviors and destroyers. The author does a wonderful job of not portraying the Afghani culture as "backwards," but it does not glorify it, unduly. He accepts it as it is, without casting any judgements. The main character is free to question Afghani traditions, but she does not rebel outside of reason, and she is critical of American culture as well while acknowledging Americans are capable of both good and bad. In all, this book is a complex look at society. I was so entranced I actually stuck around for the end where the author talks about his influences (something I never care to do).
    • 5/5
      For a juvenile fiction book, "Words in the Dust" touches on many difficult and complex topics. The book centers around Zulaikha, a young Afghani girl with a cleft lip. Throughout the book many life altering events happen to her, from meeting an older woman that offers to educate her, to her sister getting married suddenly at a much younger age that expected, to receiving the news that the American soldiers are willing to operate and fix her cleft lip for her. This story is written at an excellent pace that keeps the reader involved from beginning to end. One aspect of the book that I really liked was how believable the characters were; all of the characters were extremely human and had their good and bad sides, as well as their faults, exposed. I think that the main message of this story was to stay true to yourself and to find your strength from within.
    • 4/5
      This is a very real story about growing up Muslim. The main character not only is living in Afghanistan after the Taliban were just overrun, but she also has a cleft lip, which leads her to be mercilessly taunted. She is struggling to find her place in her family, and the world. This was a very interesting book, that was not trying to sugar-coat this culture, and a book that I think is well worth the read.
    • 5/5
      Zulaikha is growing up with two strikes against her - not only is she a female in Afghanistan (and therefore a second class citizen), but she was also born with a cleft lip. This deformity has defined her for her whole life...until one day the American soldiers come through town and offer to fix her smile. Around the same time, her sister is betrothed to a wealthy man. It seems as though the sisters' dreams have all finally come true. As their dreams take shape, both girls realize that life is not fair and your dreams may not give you what you wish them to. This is a beautiful look at Afghan culture -- I really like how this is a story about Afghanistan but it was more about the people than the war. Good lessons for American readers to see that not everyone thinks our ideas are as great as we do. A few parts are quite graphic in the description so definitely for more mature readers. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. *
    • 5/5
      A beautifully written debut novel about a young Afghan girl courageously coping with heartbreaking loss and boldly embracing an uncertain future.
    • 4/5
      I won this ARC copy of Words in the Dust from the Goodreads Firstreads giveaway program. Zulaikha lives in modern Afghanistan, when the Taliban have been brought down and the Americans are still making progress in her country. She lives with her Baba (father), her Madar (mother…but not her birth mother), brothers and sister. Her father and older brother are welders and work hard to provide for the family. Zulaikha would live a very normal life…except for one thing. Her mouth. Her ugly, cleft lip, her twisted teeth, and her disfigured nose. But then the Americans show up, offering a free surgery to fix Zulaikha’s mouth. And her sister, Zeynab, might be married to a man of wealth and prestige. Could Zulaikha get the happy ending she and Zeynab had always dreamed about since their Madar-jan died? ______________________________________ I fell in love with this book from the opening words. Literally. ”I traced the letters in the dust with my finger, spelling out my name: Zulaikha“ But after that, the story blossoms into a whole world, the world of life in Afghanistan in the aftermath of a war, the world of an every-day-life Afghanistan family. The culture in this is so rich, the characters so well-developed, that you cannot help but believe that it is real. This is Trent Reedy’s first novel, and he did a most excellent job. Telling from Zulaikha’s perspective could have been hard, but Reedy was talented enough to pull it off with incredibly smooth writing, characters that grow, a setting that is so different, and hardships that almost everyone can relate to. Favorite character: It’s a tie between the sisters, Zulaikha and Zeynab. I loved Meena for her part in Zulaikha’s life; and even though I hated her guts, I thought the girls step-mother had a very important role. Favorite aspects: The way Zulaikha interacts with her family…she is truly an amazing girl. And the way the reader watches Zulaikha grow is just beautiful… I honestly felt like I was growing with her, every step of the way. The poems were so beautiful and so was the way Zulaikha related to the characters in the poems. One word to sum this book up: I would have to say a few words: sweet, heartbreaking, and lovely. Trent Reedy really has pulled off something amazing here and I can’t wait to see whose story he tells next! (This story was based off a girl named Zulaikha who the writer met while serving in Afghanistan who had a cleft lip. The Americans fixed it and he swore to her that he would tell her story… If that isn’t a touching story, I don’t know what is.) Recommended to ages 12 and up.
    • 5/5
      An excellent Young Adult book on the subject of Afghanistan.I really enjoyed this book, even though I'm far from a Young Adult! It was tastefully written and the fact that the author was a soldier there made me feel gratified that people with such humanity are fighting the Afghan cause.Zulaikha is a young Afghani girl, marked for life with a hair-lip and crooked teeth that earn her the cruel name of 'Donkeyface'.She lives with her older sister, Zeynab, her 19 year old brother, Najib, and two younger brothers. Her own mother was killed by the Taliban and her father's second wife, Malehkah, now rules the household with a firm hand.The Taliban era is behind them and newly arrived American soldiers are promising to build a school in the area.The arrival of the soldiers brings very varied reactions from the members of the village, the young lads idolise them, young girls are warned away, and some of the villagers stand to gain financially from the future building work.Amidst this framework, life goes on for Zulaikha's family as her sister prepares for her wedding.This was well written, perfectly pitched for the target audience, and I would highly recommend it for all ages.
    • 5/5
      A vivid depiction of the lives and struggles of Afghani women. The author has based much of this tale on his true experiences as a soldier in Afghanistan in 2005. Although thirteen-year-old Zulaika's story is fictional, the character and her surroundings are founded on real-life encounters.I was totally riveted to this book. Definitely a recommended read. Note that there is some mature content that may be disturbing to preteen readers.
    • 4/5
      Words in the Dust is the story of a young girl in Afghanistan who was born with a disfiguring cleft palate. Zulaikha's life is not easy. She is teased by the local village boys due to her appearance and dreams of looking normal like her pretty, older sister. She struggles to come to terms with her path in life. One day she meets an older woman, who begins to teach her to read and write and dream about a brighter future. When some American soldiers spot Zalaikha in the bazaar and say they can fix her lip for her, she really begins to believe in hope.The author, Trent Reedy was inspired by a girl he met during his tour of duty in Afghanistan, and Zulaikha's character is based loosely on her experiences. This is a wonderful YA novel that is appropriate for grades 5 and up. I thought the writing was beautiful, the story was full of hope and possibilities. I found the story realistic and was also pleased that the ending was not a fairy tale one. It made it that much more believable. I found myself really liking the character of Zulaikha and wondering how the "real" Zulaikha is faring.