If you want to raise a kid who understands that education is a hard-won right, not just a place they have to go on Monday morning, this book is the move. It’s a poignant, beautifully illustrated true story that tackles the reality of the Taliban’s history in Afghanistan without being unnecessarily graphic.

It’s a heavy read, but a hopeful one. It doesn't shy away from the fact that Nasreen's parents are gone, but it focuses on her grandmother’s bravery and the way literacy can literally save a life. It’s the kind of book that stays with a kid long after the last page.