One Half from the East by Nadia Hashimi

Obayda's family, who live in Afghanistan, have fallen on hard times. Obayda's father has been badly maimed in a car bomb explosion and he has lost his leg, his job and his will to live.

The family are forced to move from Kabul to a small village. It is decided that one way to change their family fortune or luck will be through the birth of a son. There is a belief that having a "boy" in the family will make this happen to Obayda, a young girl aged 9, becomes Obayd. Her hair is cut, her clothes are changed and she experiences freedom for the first time.

As Obayd she can run, go outside, play wild games, climb trees, shout, avoid all family chores, eat better food than her sisters and more. But what will happen when all of this is over and she has to become a girl again?

Read an extract here.

Well-told through appealing characters, this tale sheds light from a unique cultural perspective on the link between vastly different, rigidly enforced roles for boys and girls and gender-identity issues. Kirkus

This is an excellent title that will offer students a window into life in Afghanistan and open interesting, age-appropriate conversations about gender expectations and roles in different countries. School Library Journal

Read about the author Nadia Hashimi. Here is an audio sample from pages 3-7 and set of discussion questions to use with a book group.  I held my breath right through 256 pages of this book which I read in one sitting. I was so worried this book might repeat the horrible (but important) scenes of another book I have read also set in Afghanistan which involves a girl pretending to be a boy - Parvana by Deborah Ellis which also has the title The Breadwinner.

One Half from the East is aimed at a younger audience and so the are no hints of the scenes with the Taliban or the dreadful fear Parvana has of discovery especially when she has to perform important bathing rituals in front of men and boys. Those are the scenes from Parvana that linger with me years later. 

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NBC News; Jan 16 2022

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