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112th out of 301 books
—
1,972 voters
Shooting Kabul
by
N.H. Senzai (Goodreads Author)
In the summer of 2001, twelve year old Fadi’s parents make the difficult decision to illegally leave Afghanistan and move the family to the United States. When their underground transport arrives at the rendezvous point, chaos ensues, and Fadi is left dragging his younger sister Mariam through the crush of people. But Mariam accidentally lets go of his hand and becomes los...more
Hardcover, 272 pages
Published
June 22nd 2010
by Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
(first published May 28th 2010)
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As posted on Outside of a Dog:
There are some books that carry so much weight, it’s miraculous they get off the ground at all. It can be story weight or character weight, or outside weight from press or advertising. Mockingbird was a very weighty book. Katherine Erskine had to juggle Asperger’s Syndrome, a dead sibling and a community recovering from a school shooting, and I think that the weight of it all put together caused the book to drag its feet on the ground, unable to hold it all in. Shoo...more
There are some books that carry so much weight, it’s miraculous they get off the ground at all. It can be story weight or character weight, or outside weight from press or advertising. Mockingbird was a very weighty book. Katherine Erskine had to juggle Asperger’s Syndrome, a dead sibling and a community recovering from a school shooting, and I think that the weight of it all put together caused the book to drag its feet on the ground, unable to hold it all in. Shoo...more
After reading multicultural titles Bamboo People, by Mitali Perkins; The Red Umbrella by Christina Gonzalez; and Inside Out and Back Again, by Thanhha Lai, I started to become critical of the books I made available to my students. I took stock of my classroom library--several hundred titles--it was lacking in variety. Where were the multicultural books? Where were the books that appeal to boy readers? Where were the books that could challenge my best readers? For each category I could think of,...more
Shooting Kabul is a riveting novel about hope, perseverence, and how the bond between siblings can change for the better during a tragedy. I loved this book because it told a heartfelt story through a child's perspective, someone I can relate to. Even though I personally haven't had the same experiences, I can relate to Fadi because he is my age and Mariam is my sister's age. Anybody who loves realistic fiction or a heartwarming story should read this book.
This story grips you from the first moment when Fadi and family lose six year old Mariam as they are trying to escape from war-torn Afghanistan. Not only a great lesson on the challenges faced by immigrant families, but a truly heartwarming and emotional story.Could be classified as realistic fiction as it portrays life in America shortly before, during, and after 9/11. Though not always a fan of historical fiction, I really enjoyed this and would highly recommend it to my students.
As a middle school English teacher, I found this book so impressive, especially for the audience for which it is written. The book covers issues of racism, classism, bullying, guilt, and loss (to name a few.) The story was incredible and while this is a short read for an adult I loved every moment of it and can't wait to share it with my high-readers!
Shooting Kabul is the story of a boy’s attempt to make things right after his family’s escape from Afghanistan goes awry. It’s written for younger readers but can be appreciated by anyone who can enjoy the adventures of a thoughtful and engaging young hero.
My Kid/Teen Critics say to read this one.
I really loved this book. It was about a boy and his family escaping from Afghanistan before 9/11. Everything is going well, until his little sister gets lost in the scramble to get on a bus out. Once they get to America, the boy tries to figure out a way to get his sister back, while suffering teasing at school. I highly recommend it to anyone older than ten.
Reviewed by: Anne Age:13
I really loved this book. It was about a boy and his family escaping from Afghanistan before 9/11. Everything is going well, until his little sister gets lost in the scramble to get on a bus out. Once they get to America, the boy tries to figure out a way to get his sister back, while suffering teasing at school. I highly recommend it to anyone older than ten.
Reviewed by: Anne Age:13
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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An excellent book for the young adult market. I love books with happy endings that happen to make me cry. I suppose because I'm "still" one these snively "sensitive" guys, or more likely, perhaps, I just let my "shell" down long enough now and then for a little sand to get in & create a pearl. I'm still a little unsure how I met the author, perhaps it was through a bookmark left behind at a job search club in the silicon valley, perhaps I happened to have been in a class with her at the same...more
253 pages
Realistic Fiction
By N.H. Senzai
Shooting Kabul first takes place in the capital of Afganistan, Kabul. Terriozed by terriosts Fadi and his family want to escape to the United States. This is no easy task though. While escaping they loose Mariam the youngest of the family. Throughout the story Fadi has to find a away to get back the beloved sister he lost. To make things even tougher the events of September 11 make it almost impossible. Will Fadi find a way to get his sister back or will s...more
Realistic Fiction
By N.H. Senzai
Shooting Kabul first takes place in the capital of Afganistan, Kabul. Terriozed by terriosts Fadi and his family want to escape to the United States. This is no easy task though. While escaping they loose Mariam the youngest of the family. Throughout the story Fadi has to find a away to get back the beloved sister he lost. To make things even tougher the events of September 11 make it almost impossible. Will Fadi find a way to get his sister back or will s...more
In the summer of 2001, twelve year old Fadi’s parents make the difficult decision to illegally leave Afghanistan and move the family to the United States. When their underground transport arrives at the rendezvous point, chaos ensues, and Fadi is left dragging his younger sister Mariam through the crush of people. But Mariam accidentally lets go of his hand and becomes lost in the crowd, just as Fadi is snatched up into the truck. With Taliban soldiers closing in, the truck speeds away, leaving...more
I was totally submersed in this cultural experience! You will gain insightful understanding of the Afghan people and the tradigies they faced and are still facing - not only in their own country but also abroad after the events of September 11th. It is a factionalized story based on real life experience of the authors husbands family. Leaving a country that is your home and trying to make a new country a place where you can now call home is difficult enough but when you know that your little sis...more
Book type: Historical fiction
Intended audience: Ages 8 and up/Grades 5-8
Senzai is a debut novelist, and so might not be on all the award lists, but this is worth a read. This is based in part on her husband's experience fleeing Soviet controlled Afghanistan in the 1970s. An eleven-year-old Fadi and his family escape from Afghanistan, but are forced to leave their six year old daughter behind. This is not the best writer in the world, and the explication of cultural differences can be a little he...more
Intended audience: Ages 8 and up/Grades 5-8
Senzai is a debut novelist, and so might not be on all the award lists, but this is worth a read. This is based in part on her husband's experience fleeing Soviet controlled Afghanistan in the 1970s. An eleven-year-old Fadi and his family escape from Afghanistan, but are forced to leave their six year old daughter behind. This is not the best writer in the world, and the explication of cultural differences can be a little he...more
I had never heard of this book until the NPR review of it that juxtaposed its themes with 100 Dresses by Eleanor Estes. I haven't read 100 Dresses since childhood, but the reviewer focused on the themes of bullying, especially of those who are different and, of those, especially of immigrants. This topic is so myuch a part of our daily news that I rushed out to get the book.
Elements of the pl;ot are pretty common - a family is escaping dire circumstances, fugitives in the night. One gets separat...more
Elements of the pl;ot are pretty common - a family is escaping dire circumstances, fugitives in the night. One gets separat...more
2013 Rebecca Caudill nominee. Well written, slightly larger print, good for 4th or 5th grade and up, especially if they have some knowledge of 9/11, Afghanistan, or refugees.
Fadi and his family, minus one younger sister, are refugees from Afghanistan living in California. His dad used to be a college professor in Wisconsin before they moved back to Afghanistan where he also taught college but he drives a taxi in California since there are no teaching positions open. Their tiny apartment is no co...more
Fadi and his family, minus one younger sister, are refugees from Afghanistan living in California. His dad used to be a college professor in Wisconsin before they moved back to Afghanistan where he also taught college but he drives a taxi in California since there are no teaching positions open. Their tiny apartment is no co...more
School Library Journal (June 1, 2010)
Gr 5-8-In July 2001, as 11-year-old Fadi and his family hastily board a truck to begin their escape from Afghanistan, six-year-old Mariam lets go of her brother's hand and is tragically left behind. Their arrival in San Francisco is bittersweet as they are all too concerned about Mariam to appreciate their newfound safety and freedom. Fadi struggles with integrating himself into American middle school culture, eventually finding solace in the photography club...more
Gr 5-8-In July 2001, as 11-year-old Fadi and his family hastily board a truck to begin their escape from Afghanistan, six-year-old Mariam lets go of her brother's hand and is tragically left behind. Their arrival in San Francisco is bittersweet as they are all too concerned about Mariam to appreciate their newfound safety and freedom. Fadi struggles with integrating himself into American middle school culture, eventually finding solace in the photography club...more
Somehow this review has been lost by me FOUR TIMES! Getting frustrated.
This book was written by NH Senzai and is good for students 10-14.
Fadi flees Afghanistan for California and they lose his young sister along the way. It is very unsafe to go and find her. 9-11 complicates things. They devise a scheme to win a photography contest with a prize of a trip to India.
This is a good book to study bullying and racism.
Author website:
http://www.nhsenzai.com/
From the author website:
School Visits
I visit...more
This book was written by NH Senzai and is good for students 10-14.
Fadi flees Afghanistan for California and they lose his young sister along the way. It is very unsafe to go and find her. 9-11 complicates things. They devise a scheme to win a photography contest with a prize of a trip to India.
This is a good book to study bullying and racism.
Author website:
http://www.nhsenzai.com/
From the author website:
School Visits
I visit...more
This was a truly lovely book, one which I think my students will really enjoy.
It opens in Afghanistan with Fadi, a 12 year old. Fadi's father has, through a series of events, become an enemy of the Taliban and Fadi, his parents, his older sister and younger sister must flee. Luckily, Fadi's father studied in the USA, and they have friends and family there (differentiating this book from other Afghanistan stories like Boy Overboard, Mahtab's Story or Parvana). The only problem is actually leaving...more
It opens in Afghanistan with Fadi, a 12 year old. Fadi's father has, through a series of events, become an enemy of the Taliban and Fadi, his parents, his older sister and younger sister must flee. Luckily, Fadi's father studied in the USA, and they have friends and family there (differentiating this book from other Afghanistan stories like Boy Overboard, Mahtab's Story or Parvana). The only problem is actually leaving...more
At the start of Shooting Kabul, Fadi is living in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2000. The Taliban is in power and his American educated parents are becoming targets of the regime. So they arrange to leave, hiring smugglers to get them across the border to Pakistan. When the truck arrives to take them and the other refugees who have arranged passage, a truck full of Taliban fighters are closing in fast. In the hurry and the rush to get aboard the truck, Fadi loses his grip on the hand of his 6 year old s...more
I sooo loved this book! A great book for middle/jr high as well as high school for its depiction of a Muslim family fleeing the Taliban in Afghanistan after 9-11. Fadi and his family have tried to stay in their beloved country but the war has driven them from their home. Fadi's father, Habib, has paid the last of their money to flee their homeland. Fadi's family is close-knit, loving, and care deeply for each other. Fadi's mother, Zafoona, is ill and his sister, Noor, is helping her escape and F...more
The book Shooting Kabul was a nicely written book. In my opinion even thought it was nice, I would not have it on my “Need to Read Again” list. Even though I read it in 9 days I just wasn’t interested. I would have liked to have Fadi’s sister Mariam tell the story about her experience when she got back with her family, but it was not told to us. I still wonder if Felix and Ike ever got nice or if Fadi got a new camera. The thing I liked about this book is that when Fadi is not with his family, w...more
11-year-old Fadi's father earned a doctoral degree in agriculture from a Wisconsin university, and returned with his family to help the war-torn nation of Afghanistan recover after the Taliban took over. The Taliban government, at first open to scholars like Habib, became more and more repressive and restrictive. In the summer of 2001, Fadi and his family pay smugglers to make a desperate midnight escape from Afghanistan into Pakistan. In the chaos of trying to get everyone on the truck in the c...more
The summer of 2001. The story begins in Afghanistan and we see an Afghan family leaving everything behind and escaping over the Pakistan border, fleeing in safety for their lives. The fear the Taliban that is coming into power. Unfortunately, in the chaos of the midnight escape, the youngest daughter is caught up in the crowds and left behind. Fadi, the 11-year-old son feels it is his fault that his sister is lost, but each family member carries some guilt.
The family makes it to the U.S. and se...more
The family makes it to the U.S. and se...more
A strong multicultural story about an Afghani family coming to the United States seeking asylum. The younger daughter, Mariam, is accidentally left behind and each family member blames themselves. Fadi blames himself the most because he was lost his grip on her hand when they were trying to jump into the truck. Fadi deals with prejudices against him particularly after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. He joins the photography club in the hopes of winning-the grand prize is an airline ticket...more
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Any book that teaches us about another culture is good in my opinion, but this one fell short in a few ways. Senzai starts off with a chilling hook -- Fadi and his family must flee Afghanistan in the middle of the night because the Taliban want his father to work for them, and he refuses. A refusal is an offense punishable by death. So they sell all their possessions and take a wild ride in the middle of the night to meet up with human smugglers who are supposed to take them across the border in...more
Okay, get your box of tissues ready. From the minute I opened this book I could not put it down. The opening situation was such I had to read to find out how it ended. Usually I will skip to the ending then go back and fill in the details. This one I read straight through. I could not imagine what this family went through trying to escape the Taliban. My heart broke for Fadi when he realized he had messed up and lost the one thing he was responsible for, his six year old sister Mariam, how scare...more
The title of the book is Shooting Kabul. It is written by N.H. Senzai. This book is about a boy named Fadi. He lived in Afghanistan but had to move to america. During their attempt to escape a family member gets lost through all of the commotion from people trying to leave too. It is Fadi’s mission to find her. I think people should read this.
The message of the book is to never give up. I think it is never give up because even though Fadi really only had two plans to get back to Afghanistan to g...more
The message of the book is to never give up. I think it is never give up because even though Fadi really only had two plans to get back to Afghanistan to g...more
This text is a good introduction to some of the political history and current climate in Afghanistan. Senzai also teaches students compassion and respect for diversity. The book is clever and well-written, so that those lessons don't overrule the power of the narrative. I really enjoyed it and think it is a great book for 5th graders and up.
I feel like I am going to be especially hard on this book, but oh well.
This was the story of Fadi, an Afghan boy who escapes from his home country in fear of the Taliban. When they escape into Pakistan, his little sister is left behind accidentally. The story continues in San Francisco, where Fadi's family has settled.
This could have been a great book. The author had a lot of good ideas - talk about 9/11 from the perspective of a child from Afghanistan, explore discrimination experienced by chil...more
This was the story of Fadi, an Afghan boy who escapes from his home country in fear of the Taliban. When they escape into Pakistan, his little sister is left behind accidentally. The story continues in San Francisco, where Fadi's family has settled.
This could have been a great book. The author had a lot of good ideas - talk about 9/11 from the perspective of a child from Afghanistan, explore discrimination experienced by chil...more
I think that every young adult should read this book.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| The Equity Book G...: Shooting Kabul | 3 | 6 | Mar 22, 2012 12:28am |
I grew up speaking two languages, balancing life lived on the edge of two cultures, and, happily, two cuisines—tandoori chicken and hot dogs, grilled side by side on the 4th of July. I got on a plane for the first time at two months, in Chicago, IL, where I was born, and have been travelling ever since. I grew up in San Francisco, Jubail, Saudi Arabia, and attended boarding school in London, Engla...more
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Mar 18, 2013 01:19pm