Friday, September 19, 2008

The House of Djinn by Suzanne Fisher Staples - ADVISABLE


Staples, Suzanne Fisher The House of Djinn, 202 p. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2008.

MS - ADVISABLE

Shabanu has been in hiding from Nazir for ten years. Her daughter Mumatz has been raised in relative safety in the home of the tribal chief, Mumatz' grandfather. When Baba dies, however, Shabanu decides that it is time to be brave and to come out of hiding. Mumatz has challenges of her own. Her half-sister is trying to arrange an undesirable marriage for her, but Baba has already arranged for Mumatz to marry the new tribal chief, Jameel, her friend who has been raised in America. From the wandering desert nomads to the city-living Pakistanis, Staples has bridged the gap from an ancient lifestyle to the modern world.

Together, Shabanu, Haveli and The House of Djinn paint a vivid, very human, picture of the changes and challenges of the last 30 years for the country. I would love it if a class had all three books approved and had book groups read them and discuss the history and progression.

Cindy, Library-Teacher.

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