Razia's Ray of Hope: One Girl's Dream of an Education (CitizenKid)

Very inspiration book about an amazing woman. She shows how one person can make a difference, even when going against a culture that opposes her idea of educating girls. I look forward to reading it with my nephews.

Was going to give as a gift But it was a sad story. Donated to the local library.

Amazing story!

Razia's Ray of Hope is a beautifully written and inspirational cultural story that highlights struggles girls encounter in Afghanistan even today. Through her book, author Liz Suneby takes us into an unfamiliar world and shares a story of how education can make a difference. The powerful and vivid illustrations bring the moving story to life. Written for children, Razia's Ray of Hope is just as compelling for adults. Razia Jan, the woman who founded the school for girls in rural Afghanistan, about which author Liz Suneby writes, is a force of nature. Razia Jan was named one of CNN's Heroes in 2012 for the incredible work she is doing to change the lives of girls in Afghanistan. Razia Jan was quoted as saying, "these girls need to get educated. Knowledge is something that nobody can steal from them". By buying and reading Razia's Ray of Hope, you too are supporting Razia Jan's important mission. Author Liz Suneby is very skilled at writing stories that empower young women. She is also the author of the award winning, See What You Can Be, showcasing over 50 career possibilities for young girls.

This book is stunning and inspirational. For a younger readership than I am Malala, this is a portrait of an afghani girl who wants an education. Her family is honestly and,lovingly portrayed, and the real Razia shows wisdom and restraint in convincing her brother that education is a gift for them all. The gentle story with the rich paintings gives a child a vivid look at life in a small poor village, and the questions at the back of the book provide great discussion points at home or in the classoom. I met Razia when she worked in Massachusetts, and her vision and bravery is a wonderful example of making a difference in others' lives.

Razia's Ray of Hope is a fictionalized account of the building of the Zabuli Education Center, a school for girls, in the Afghan village of Deh'Subz. Told through the eyes of a young girl who dreams of an education for herself, it is a slice of life story beginning with the laying of the first stones of the school and ending with Razia's enrollment. Although Razia has the support of her baba gi (grandfather), her father and brothers refuse at first to give her permission to attend the new school. Limited by their own upbringing, their concern about losing Razia's contribution to the family's income and their fear for her safety, they initially say "no" after a family council meeting. It isn't until a visit from Razia Jan (the founder of the school) and an assurance of safety that they begin to understand that allowing Razia (the young protagonist shares the name of the real life founder) to attend is good for the family, the village and the country. Razia Jan says, "I ask for your tolerance, if not support...If men are the backbone of Afghanistan, then women are the eyes...without an education, we will all be blind." This story is beautifully and honestly written. As part of the Kids Can Press "Citizen Kid" series ("a collection of books that inform children about the world and inspire them to be better global citizens"), it serves as a powerful introduction to the lives of women and children in Afghanistan and the power of education to change those lives. It is an accessible story for children young and old. Enhanced by multi-media illustrations that capture both the beauty and harsh realities of the small village, this book truly does provide a ray of hope.

Razia's Ray of Hope: One Girl's Dream of an Education by Elizabeth Suneby, illustrated by Suana Verelst Citizen Kid (Kids Can Press), 2013 Multicultural Literature/Realistic Fiction 32 pages Recommended for grades 3-5 A story of a young Afghanistan girl desperately wanting the chance at an education of her own. This isn't the first story I've read this year about a child's dream of an education, but this one is nice for younger readers, while retaining the option of stretching upwards into older grade levels. The illustrations are lovely, part photograph collage and part drawing. Included in this text are some excellent teaching resources and activities.

An extraordinary window into the challenge of educating girls in Afghanistan, this story is told with a sensitivity to the multiple cultural barriers to education and to how change is achieved one girl, one family and one school at a time. The extraordinary illustrations bring texture and vibrancy, adding yet another dimension to an already rich cultural narrative. Razia's Ray of Hope is ideal for opening a dialog with children about challenges girls face in the world and specific efforts being taken to impart change. Further, it opens the conversation on the value of education for all, something often taken for granted elsewhere. As such, Razia's Ray of Hope provides a great launch point for discussions within families, classrooms, or scout troops.

This is a very attractive and informative book for primary/Year 7/8 schoolchildren that brings into focus the lives of children denied an education by virtue of their gender. Amazon have categorised this with adult books, and I ordered this thinking I was going to read a biography of Razia. This is a children's book, however. What this is, is a beautifully illustrated children's story that tells how, as a child, educationalist Razia Jan was initially denied an education by her father and brother. It tells of how she overcame their objections with the help of her grandfather and the female teacher of the new girls' school opening in her neighbourhood. Swatches of vividly patterned, coloured and textured clothing incorporated in to the illustrations make this a visually interesting book. There is plenty here for children to think about and discuss, a vocabulary which introduces new words from the Pashto/Dari cultures, and helpful teaching notes to enable teachers and home educators to get the most out of the book. At the end of the book is a short biography of the 'real Razia Jan', a wholly inspirational and remarkable woman. A useful cross-cultural classroom resource, a thought-provoking and inspiring story.

Razia's Ray of Hope: One Girl's Dream of an Education === OVERALL === This book is in a high quality large hardback format with an unusual and beautiful style with original illustrations throughout making it highly attractive. The book aims to teach children to value their education by putting them in the shoes of another child who has to fight for it and contains an engaging story about a little girl in Afghanistan who wants to go to school, and it succeeds to some extent. However, I was sorely disappointed because, for a book aiming to educate children, there is a lack of educational material. The story launches straight in with no background or context and there is no educational information at the back of the book from which children or teachers can draw. If you have a good factual source of information about what life is like for children in Afghanistan, patriarchal societies and misogyny then this book could make a really lovely adjunct to teaching children the value of education. Otherwise, it does leave a giant hole in its usefulness. === THINGS I LIKE ABOUT THIS BOOK === * Big format hardback book that's perfect for balancing on the knees when reading a child a bedtime story or having an older child read to you * Colourful, attractive and unusual design with lovely illustrations * Engaging story about a little girl who wants to go to school * Beautiful quality book === NIGGLES === * Assumes an awful lot of knowledge about life in Afghanistan without providing any source of information or pointing readers/teachers towards any sources. The book would've been vastly improved by including some background information at the back together with sources of reference for further reading. Since the aim of this book is to educate, its absence from the book is a serious flaw. * The book launches straight into the story without any introduction or background - nothing at all. For a book aiming to educate children about the value of education this again is a serious flaw. * It's not till you get to the back of the book that you come across the list of Dari words used in the book - why not have the list at the front so children know where they are and can quickly refer to them as they read the book? For sale at the time of writing this review £12.99.

This is a book to be read often and treasured. It's a large hard-backed book with beautiful illustrations, telling the story of a girl from Afghanistan who desperately wants to go to school. It's based on a true story of a girl who convinced the men in her family that she should have an education. I love this book because it introduces young readers in the west to issues happening around the world - and lets them see how lucky they are to have the right to an education. My 8 year old daughter really absorbed the message of this book and it made her think about what it means when she complains about getting up early to go to school or having to do homework. This is an important book and a wonderful one to share with young girls and boys.

This is a lovely book, telling the story of a girl in Afghanistan who was desperate to go to school, and in the end she does get that chance. The story is told very simply, so that it's accessible for young children, and with beautiful illustrations on every page. This book is a simple and effective way to bring up topic of education with children, and that not everyone has such easy access to schooling as we do in the UK - especially for girls. The book is based on a true story too, and has some facts at the back of the book.

Razia's Ray of Hope written by Elizabeth Suneby is a beautiful book filled with a beautiful story as it tells of one girl's love and hope for an education. The book is well written and I know our 11 year old absolutely loved it, and she thought it fascinating how this girl would do anything for the chance to go to school, while she says she would do anything for a day off from school! I liked this book as it told a story of bravery and hope for this young girl who simply wanted an education. Personally, this is going to be a book which will be treasured through the years and brought out to tell the story of one girl called Razia as she simply tells how much she wanted to learn. I would recommend this book to all, the message it holds is strong and personally, I loved not only the excellent writing, it also had the added advantage of being beautifully illustrated throughout.