Amal Unbound

by Aisha Saeed

2018

Status

Available

Call number

Saeed

Genres

Children's Books

All Topics

Fiction

Collection

Realistic Fiction

Publication

Nancy Paulsen Books (2018), 240 pages

Description

Juvenile Fiction. Juvenile Literature. HTML:"Saeed's timely and stirring middle-grade debut is a celebration of resistance and justice."�??Kirkus Reviews, starred review The compelling story of a girl's fight to regain her life and dreams after being forced into indentured servitude. Life is quiet and ordinary in Amal's Pakistani village, but she had no complaints, and besides, she's busy pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher one day. Her dreams are temporarily dashed when�??as the eldest daughter�??she must stay home from school to take care of her siblings. Amal is upset, but she doesn't lose hope and finds ways to continue learning. Then the unimaginable happens�??after an accidental run-in with the son of her village's corrupt landlord, Amal must work as his family's servant to pay off her own family's debt. Life at the opulent Khan estate is full of heartbreak and struggle for Amal�??especially when she inadvertently makes an enemy of a girl named Nabila. Most troubling, though, is Amal's growing awareness of the Khans' nefarious dealings. When it becomes clear just how far they will go to protect their interests, Amal realizes she will have to find a way to work with others if they are ever to exact change in a cruel status quo, and if Amal is ever to achi… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member tartanlibrary

Amal's ordinary life in Pakistan is turned upside down when she is forced into servitude.

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LibraryThing member StephLamb

Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed is a beautiful story about the hardships faced by those who are indebted to others. The seemingly unending and unchecked power of those who have the financial means and the loss of power of those who don’t.

Set in a Pakistani village, Amal Unbound is the story of Amal,

a twelve year old girl with her future in her mind’s eye. She loves school and longs to go to college, rooming with her best friend Hafsa, and become a teacher. She has an incredible thirst for knowledge and wants to know the how’s and why’s of everything. She is also fiercely loyal to her family, picking up the role of caregiver after her mother plunges into a postpartum depression. While out one day buying the family groceries, she runs into the wrong person, Jawad Khan, son of the powerful Khan Sahib, known for his lack of mercy and terrible temper. As a result of her actions, Amal is forced into indentured servitude in the Khan household, serving as a personal maid to Nasreen Baji, matriarch of the family.

Amal Unbound is a powerful story, highlighting the hardships faced by those in servitude. Even in Amal’s home, there was a servant, who was treated like family, but a servant nonetheless. An amazing mirror book for your students from the middle east, to see themselves and the struggles that may be all too familiar for them, reflected in the books available to them. To have such a strong female character like Amal at the forefront of a story such as this and have her triumph over immeasurable odds is so important for our children. Amal is strong, determined, brave, and has a strong sense of justice. There is an interesting dichotomy in Amal Unbound as it is made clear the choices of some and the choice that many of us would believe to be right, is not necessarily the best choice for all. There are many talking points and points for debate in this story that will keep children thinking and talking long after they are finished reading.

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LibraryThing member acargile

This novel is part of the Global Read Aloud for this school year, which is why I listened to it. I enjoyed learning about another part of the world; I also always support the value of females in all countries.

Amal loves learning and is able to attend school. Many children, particularly girls, in

Pakistan are required to work. They are too unimportant to be educated in this feudal system. Her parents are unusual; they have all girls and encourage them to attend school--to an extent. When Amal’s mother delivers another girl in a society that values males, Amal must stay at home to help take care of the younger siblings and the baby because her mother always experiences postpartum depression. Her father doesn’t understand why she’s upset--she knows how to read. She can stay home as the eldest to do her duty. Amal has always dreamed of going to college and, perhaps, becoming a teacher herself. Needless to say, she is discouraged by the circumstances.

We often cast blame, but who really is to blame? One day Amal is hit by a car; the owner of the car is the landlord for the town and area. Amal talks back; now she has to “work off the debt” by working at the Khan home. Unknown to her, Amal’s father had taken a loan out. When Amal disrespected him, Khan insists on her living in his household as a servant. Should Amal have stayed silent? Should her father pay his own debts? Shouldn’t the landlord, Khan, apologize for hitting her? It doesn’t matter who is to blame because one truth is evident: life isn’t fair. Debts can never be paid off because they are charged for living there and their work supposedly goes against their debt but money is never subtracted. Once she arrives at the Khan home, she learns how corrupt the system truly is and wonders if she needs to forget her dreams and realize her future is as a servant to a cruel man.

This is not a long novel; if you listen to it, it has only four parts--so, pick the medium you’d prefer. I definitely recommend this novel as a way to learn about Parkistan, which is the country Mulala is from. If you don’t know who Mulala is, read her biography--we have it!

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LibraryThing member karilibrary

The compelling story of a girl's fight to regain her life and dreams after being forced into indentured servitude.

Life is quiet and ordinary in Amal's Pakistani village, but she had no complaints, and besides, she's busy pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher one day. Her dreams are temporarily

dashed when--as the eldest daughter--she must stay home from school to take care of her siblings. Amal is upset, but she doesn't lose hope and finds ways to continue learning. Then the unimaginable happens--after an accidental run-in with the son of her village's corrupt landlord, Amal must work as his family's servant to pay off her own family's debt.

Life at the opulent Khan estate is full of heartbreak and struggle for Amal--especially when she inadvertently makes an enemy of a girl named Nabila. Most troubling, though, is Amal's growing awareness of the Khans' nefarious dealings. When it becomes clear just how far they will go to protect their interests, Amal realizes she will have to find a way to work with others if they are ever to exact change in a cruel status quo, and if Amal is ever to achieve her dreams.

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LibraryThing member wrightja2000

This was a good starter book for middle grade readers about modern slavery/indentured servitude. The authors note hints that much, much worse things happen to girls like Amal. But for Amal there is a happy ending, no violence except for a slap, she is fed and sheltered and has friends. Still, you

feel her frustration at loosing her chance for an education and fear for her safety as she discovers secrets.
Content warning for parents: one murder happens and others are implied but there is no description, just a mention of a body being buried.

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LibraryThing member felix820

-One sentence theme: Brave Pakistani teen stands up for injustices in her village showing it is possible for one person to elicit change for the better.

-Plot summary: Amal is the oldest girl in her family and adores books and going to school. Amal goes to the market one day and has an unfortunate

and life-changing encounter with the son of the village’s evil landlord. This results in her having to endure indentured servitude at their palace to pay off her family’s debt. Amal must give up much of her former life—including her family, her school and friends, and simple comforts of home. However, she is able to bravely stand up for what is right several times throughout the book.
-Personal response: I purchased this book a year prior to reading it because of the beautiful cover art as well as its being selected as a Global Read Aloud. I felt this was an important novel for us to read because of its authenticity in portraying life as a Pakistani teen. This book was a window into another culture, showing differences in class, treatment of girls, and education in Pakistan compared to the US. I connected with Amal also in her love of books, learning, and teaching others.
-Curricular connections:Real-world themes of classism, sexism, and the importance of education are touched upon in this novel. Students will be able to have rich discussions comparing and contrasting their lives with Amal's. The novel was inspired by the true story of Malala Yousafzai; further studies of this story could tie in as well.

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LibraryThing member ewyatt

Amal is a strong-willed, curious girl who aspires to be a teacher. When her mom suffers from postpartum depression, she must leave school to take care of her sisters. A chance encounter with the dangerous young landlord who rules the village causes a confrontation for Amal's family and the demand

that they immediately repay their debts. They can't and instead Amal is taken into the landlord's home as a servant to work it off. She becomes the attendant to the lady of the house, struggles to adjust, and wants to do something about the injustice of it all.

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LibraryThing member lispylibrarian

Amal is the eldest daughter in her family, this responsibility means that when her mother falls ill after the birth of her fifth daughter, Amal has to stay home from school to take care of the younger children and take over all of the daily chores. One day, Amal goes to the market and is hit by a

car, not knowing who she is addressing, she gets after the man who hit her. This mistake causes the man (who is the landlord for Amal’s village) to take her from her family as an indentured servant, saying that once her family has paid off their debt to him, Amal can return home. Amal is devastated when she has to leave her family, but remains strong in hopes of seeing her family again. Amal Unbound is a great story of strength, hope, and bravery.

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LibraryThing member deslivres5

Amal's life in Pakistan as the oldest daughter in her family takes drastic turns in a short period of time. She goes from her being a model student to staying home to help out after her mother suffers from postpartum depression. Then an unfortunate event results in her becoming a servant. Female

education, literacy and standing up for yourself are major themes in this juvenile fiction novel.

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LibraryThing member EllenH

Again Juvenile fiction earns its place in the world! A great way to put oneself in another country and culture with the gentleness, and hopeful ending that books written for this age can give. It explores a young girls indentured servitude, economic class and resistance in Pakistan.

LibraryThing member Sarah220

Gives an up close and personal look at girl's life in Pakistan when she is forced into indentured servitude.

LibraryThing member reader1009

children's diverse middlegrade fiction (indentured servitude in modern Pakistan; incidentally, Amal's family is Muslim)
This is a story that starts out quietly, but Amal's story (inspired in part by Malala's courage and strength) is one that has its own power. This could be a great read-aloud for

older grades, 4th/5th and up.

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LibraryThing member rgruberexcel

RGG: Well-told middle grade story of theworldwide crisis of childhood indentured servitude. Pakistani Amal's love of learning mirrors the story of Malala Yousafzai, who was an inspiration for this novel. Reading Interest: 10-13.

LibraryThing member jennybeast

Powerful book on the subject of indentured servitude, and the children and families that fall victim to it. Also strongly about literacy, education, agency, and the power of standing up for what you believe in even when the possible outcomes are terrifying. Strong brew for young readers, but

inspiring and a reasonably accessible read. There is a murder and physical abuse (hitting), but no sexual content.

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LibraryThing member electrascaife

Amal struggles with her desire to stay in school and fulfill her dream to become a teacher against her need to stay at home to help with her ill mother and the new baby. When it seems that her father is against her ever going back to school at all, Amal escapes the house for an afternoon to browse

the market on her own and rue her seemingly unhopeful future. So when a fancy black car bumps her to the ground on her way home, she doesn't hold back her feelings when arguing with the driver, who turns out to be the arrogant son of the village landlord. The price she pays for her courage in standing up to this bully will change her live - and the lives of others - forever.

Malala meets Beauty and the Beast = an excellent middle grade novel. It's a great story that nicely brings awareness of how women and girls are treated in Pakistan to the foreground, and it would be a great way to get kiddos talking about these issues.

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