When eleven-year old Shabanu, the daughter of a nomad in present-day Pakistan, is pledged in marriage to an older man whose money will bring prestige to the family, she must either accept the decision, as is the custom. 3rd grade ( )

Shabanu is faced with many opposing forces. She wants to be free, but she must fulfill the role that she is given as a woman. She loves her life in the desert, but she knows that when she is married she will have to move to an easier life of plenty away from the freedom she loves. This story offers a fascinating look at the world of Islam in Pakistan and the choices she must make as a young girl facing womanhood. ( )

Shabanu grows up in the Cholistan Desert of Pakistan. Headstrong and occasionally difficult to manage, she is nonetheless hard-working, devoted to her family, and loved by them in return. The descriptions of daily life among the desert people, the raising of camels and the constant worry about water, as well as the social customs of Muslims still attached to their ancient traditions make for fascinating reading. The difficulties Shabanu faces in a challenging and sometimes dangerous world add plenty of tension to the story, and her struggles as she reaches puberty and faces an arranged marriage will be of special interest to young adult women readers. ( )

Life for a Bedoun girl is limited to marriage and a day to day existence in the desert but a Western woman shows Shabanu a glimpse of another life- but can she take it? ( )

Shabanu is a free spirited Muslim desert girl who loves spending time with her family's camels and must learn the importance of following her elders and the gender roles assigned to her. Shabanu, her sister, her father and her favorite camels have personalities that allow the reader to connect to each character and become more deeply involved in the story. The story flows up and down with cliff hanger chapters that keep the reader wanting more until the end. The setting of the Pakistan desert is described well so that readers with very little knowledge of that area can put themselves in the story. This is a great book as evident by the number of awards that it has won and should be in a public library. ( )