Hosseini, K. (2003). The kite runner. New York, New York: The Berkley Publishing Group.
Summary: This is the first Afghan novel to be translated into English. The story revolves around a privileged Afghan boy, his father, and the servant’s son. It tells of friendship and betrayal, while the reader witnesses history up until almost present day. You will be horrified, saddened, and joyful at times during this novel. You will also be thankful for living in the United States.
Rationale for Selection: A friend of mine read this book for her book club, and a professor of mine was reading this novel last year. It was always on my list of books to read, but never found the time until now! I finally read it when one of my students lent it to me after his book conference. I also wanted to read it to get a perspective on the United States from another country.
Reader Response: When I first started reading this book I didn’t understand what the big fuss was about. It took some time to get into the meat of the story, but I am really glad I read it. As silly as it sounds, I feel smarter for reading it! It made me want to learn more about what was happening over there with the war and the Taliban. I am pretty ignorant about the issues in the Middle East, and now I have some motivation to learn more.
Genre and Themes: Realistic fiction. This novel touches upon male relationships, the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, friendship and betrayal, and the Taliban.
Teacher Thinking Notes: This book definitely could not be used as a read aloud. There are some very graphic scenes that would probably not go over well in a large setting. I think that social studies teachers could use this novel in conjunction with current events in the news. Even though the story is fictional, many of the cities and places mentioned in the book could be discussed and found on a map. The Taliban also plays a prominent role in this novel.
Grade or Reading Level: 10th grade – adult
Interest level: Very High
Quality Level: High
Summary: This is the first Afghan novel to be translated into English. The story revolves around a privileged Afghan boy, his father, and the servant’s son. It tells of friendship and betrayal, while the reader witnesses history up until almost present day. You will be horrified, saddened, and joyful at times during this novel. You will also be thankful for living in the United States.
Rationale for Selection: A friend of mine read this book for her book club, and a professor of mine was reading this novel last year. It was always on my list of books to read, but never found the time until now! I finally read it when one of my students lent it to me after his book conference. I also wanted to read it to get a perspective on the United States from another country.
Reader Response: When I first started reading this book I didn’t understand what the big fuss was about. It took some time to get into the meat of the story, but I am really glad I read it. As silly as it sounds, I feel smarter for reading it! It made me want to learn more about what was happening over there with the war and the Taliban. I am pretty ignorant about the issues in the Middle East, and now I have some motivation to learn more.
Genre and Themes: Realistic fiction. This novel touches upon male relationships, the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, friendship and betrayal, and the Taliban.
Teacher Thinking Notes: This book definitely could not be used as a read aloud. There are some very graphic scenes that would probably not go over well in a large setting. I think that social studies teachers could use this novel in conjunction with current events in the news. Even though the story is fictional, many of the cities and places mentioned in the book could be discussed and found on a map. The Taliban also plays a prominent role in this novel.
Grade or Reading Level: 10th grade – adult
Interest level: Very High
Quality Level: High
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