Rating: 
Summary: Not worth the Match I burned it with
Review: I had to read this book in English in eighth grade. I am an avid reader, and this is without a doubt the worst book I have ever come across. The character development is disgustingly bad, the events chosen to attempt character description are horrible (imagine pages and pages of the main character checking out her sister and watching camels mate) and the action is poorly described (I was actually bored at the killing scene). The entire book talks about Shabanu's "independent spirit" and "determination" but when the chips are down she sits down and cries until her father finds her, beats her and drags her home. This book tries to fool you with being an "eyeopening book about another culture that will broaden your horizons". Unfortunately the public education system fell for that line, I hope you are smart enough not to. You want a book that will actually correctly show you life from a point of view of hardship? Read the Diary of Anne Frank. The only redeeming value Shabanu had was to convince me that if this trash can get published, so could anything I write.
Rating: 
Summary: Shabanu
Review: Shabanu Daughter of the Winds is a great book to read. I wasn't interested in it but had to read it for a college class. After reading the first chapter I was hooked. Shabanu tells the story about her life as a young girl in Pakistan. Her family is making plans for her sister's wedding and she is almost at marrige age herself. Shabanu describes the wedding in detail and tells how this is an important custom in their family and heritage. She tells of her everyday life and how she makes it through it the best she can. I really enjoyed this book. After getting started I couldn't put it down. This is a good multi-cultural book for young adults to read and their are so many activites a teacher could do with it. The book is not only informationl but heart touching as well.
Rating:
Summary: Good book, helpful in understanding another culture
Review: This book is about a young girl in the Cholistan Desert of Pakistan. Shabanu was not raised as a normal Pakistani girl. She must begin to act like most Pakistani women now that she is a year away from marriage .
This book is appropriate for young people because it sheds light on the customs and beliefs of many of the Pakistani people. It is helpful in trying to understand people from an environment that is different from our own. Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind allows the reader to see how the decisions of Shabanu's parents affect her. The reader can also see the reasons for her parent's decisions.
Rating:
Summary: Eye-Opening
Review: Shabanu is an eleven year-old girl living in Pakistan's Cholistan Desert between the provinces of Baluchistan and the Punjab. She lives with her father, a camel-herd, her mother, thirteen year-old sister, Phulan, grandfather, and aunt, and two cousins. Shabanu is a girl who loves the peacefulness of the desert and the freedoms that she has in being the youngest in a family with two daughters. However, she knows that as she approaches a marriageable age, this freedom will be taken away and the emphasis on housework and obedience will increase. When plans for her older sister's wedding to a cousin in a local setting are ruined by a bloodthirsty feud with a powerful landlord, Shabanu is given as a peace-offering to his older brother to live on his wealthy estate. How can Shabanu give up everything that she cherishes and takes pride in, to be the youngest wife of a marry a man with three wives of higher social standing? Yet her only other course of option would be to flee her family and live as a recluse and outlaw, forever in fear of being hunted down.I thought this was a very informative book! Ms. Staples, the author, gives us a very generous taste of various aspects of Pakistani/Islamic culture. We see how Shabanu is treated by her parents, how visitors treat one another, and the various customs and hospitalities of the different social castes in Pakistan. We get to experience various rituals such as an Islamic wedding, a pilgrimage to a shrine for brides-to-be, and an authentic bazaar. Anecdotes and secondary encounters with characters (such as with the Bugti tribesmen who are hunting for one man's daughter who eloped) provide us with glimpses of how different people live, as well as making up the lore of desert tribesmen. The characters are well-developed and the plot is suspenseful and manipulates itself well around the culture of Pakistan, and the obstacles which tradition serves to one girl. This book was an eye-opener for me, and left me desperate for more. The sequel is ten times better!!
Rating:
Summary: shabanu tracy a
Review: THE BOOK SHABANU WAS A DIFFICULT BOOK FOR ME TO READ. THE BEGINNING WAS SLOW AND BORING. I HAD TO STOP SEVERAL TIMES TO LOOK UP OR FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS TALKING ABOUT (SUCH AS CHAPATIS, CHARD, AND TOBA). HOWEVER, THE MORE I READ THE MORE INTENSE IT BECAME AND IN THE LAST FIVE CHAPTERS I COULD NOT PUT THE BOOK DOWN. THIS BOOK HELPS YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE LIFE OF PAKESTAN GIRLS AND THEIR MUSLEUM BELIEFS AND SOME RITUALS. AS A WOMEN RAISED IN AMERICA IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO COMPREHEND THE BELIEFS OF PAKISTAN WOMEN. THERE WERE SEVERAL DISTURBING PARTS IN THE BOOK THAT MADE ME STOP AND THINK. AS AN ELEVEN YEAR OLD GIRL IN PAKESTAN, SHABANU HAS NO CONTROL OVER ANYTHING IN HER LIFE. SHE HAS TO MARRY WHOM HER PARENTS TELL HER TO. SHE IS TRYING TO DEAL WITH THIS EMOTIONALY WHEN OTHER THINGS HAPPEN TO SEND HER ON ANOTHER EMOTIONAL ROLL A COSTER. AS I READ THIS BOOK I FOUND MYSELF BEING VERY THANKRULL FOR LIVING IN AMERICA. I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GREAT BOOK FOR ADDELESCENTS ( ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY HAVE TO ANSWER TO MOM AND DAD) TO READ AS WELL AS HIGHSCHOOLERS AND ADULTS.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, Heartjabbing, Teaching and Learning Experience.
Review: Shabanu by Suzanne Fisher Staples is an elaborate portrayal of trials and tribulations of a Pakistan family. I was especially impressed with the strenght and courage of eleven year old Shabanu, although I felt her role was overexaggerated a little. Many lessons could be taught and integrated with book "Shabanu." Physical/Human Geography, History, and Sociology can be integrated into a lesson because the story has a strong emphasis on culture, location, place, environment, and society. Other lessons such as, Science and Math could be integrated by constructing models of underground water tanks in which math would be used for precise measurements. A writing lesson comparing and contrasting each student's environment, society and inequalities. Cooperative learning can be incorporated by allowing students to brainstorm in groups their thoughts and ideas of the book. Reading is already applied but can lead to follow-up stories such as "Haveli." "Shabanu" would be an overall teaching and learning guide with one exception. The book may not be appealing to young males in a classroom, therefore, stress integration of disciplines. I have bought "Haveli" and I am looking forward to reading the continuation of "Shabanu."
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, Heartjabbing, Teaching and Learning Experience.
Review: "Shabanu" by Suzanne Fisher Staples is an elaborate portrayl of trials and tribulations of a Pakistan family. I was especially impressed with the strenght and courage of eleven year old Shabanu, although I felt her role was overexaggerated a little. Many lessons could be taught and integrated with book "Shabanu." Physical/Human Geography, History, and Sociology can be integrated into a lesson because the story has a strong emphasis on culture, location, place, environment, and society. Other lessons such as, Science and Math could be integrated by constructing models of underground water tanks in which math would be used for precise measurements. A writing lesson comparing and contrasting each student's environment, society and inequalities. Cooperative learning can be incorporated by allowing students to brainstorm in groups their thoughts and ideas of the book. Reading is already applied but can lead to follow-up stories such as "Haveli." "Shabanu" would be an overall teaching and learning guide with one exception. The book may not be appealing to young males in a classroom, therefore, stress integration of disciplines. I have bought "Haveli" and I am looking forward to reading the continuation of "Shabanu." Was this review helpful to you?
Rating:
Summary: Shabanu, A very Powerful Book.
Review: When I was assigned to read this book for a college course, I figured it would be a "kids type book." But I was suprised by the powerful and touching story of this Pakistan girl. Shabanu is a young Pakistan girl who lives in the desert with her parents, sister, grandfather, aunt and cousins. This book told the story of her growing up with more privaliges than most girls her age in that country. Shabanu loves to take care of her camals and not to be tied down with housework. Her older sister is to be married but fate intervenes and Shabanu has to make the sacrifice for her family. This is a factual book about the lives and traditions of the Pakistan women. Young adults can understand the feelings Shabanu has and be able to relate them with their own lives.
Rating:
Summary: Shabanu
Review: Shabanu Daughter of the Wind is an excellent book. It would be great for high school students or adults to read. The book talks about the culture, society, and family of people in Pakistan. This book gives a good insight into many aspects of life in the Middle East which other people need to know.
Shabanu is the main character. She is a young girl who is very headstrong and loyal to her family. She wants things to be different for herself but is loyal to her family and makes due with her life as best she can. Through many trials and hardships she remains strong.
Many of the customs of Pakistan are able to be seen in this book. Shabanu and her sister are both to be married to cousins in the family. The preparations for the wedding are described and the festivities as well. This book offers so much more to the reader than just a good reading experience. No one could read this book and not be touched by the plight of women in Pakistan.
Rating:
Summary: A Book I Can Understand
Review: Shabaun is a Pakistani girl from Cholistan. She lives with her mother, father, older sister, aunt, and cousins. She spends her days watching and taking care of the families camels. She is a very independent person and is going to get married to her cousin soon just like her oler sister will before her. However, Shabanu isn't sure she want's a man telling her what to do always.
My favorite part in this book is when Shabanu gives birth to a baby camel who's mother is dieing. This part of the book is funny, groose, and sad at the same time, because the author discribes every little single detail. It's funny when she ruins her new dress that was just given to her and it's groose when she gives birh to the camel. Also it's sad when the author describes the the part when the mother is being killed by the vultures.
I happen to be looking for a book at the book store and picked this book up. When I looked at the back of the book and the glossary I knew a would like this book. First, because the forigen language that was used in the book was very similar to m my laguage Bangali. Second, I'm Muslim and I would relate to some of the traditions and rules that Shabunu had. I would definetly recommend this book to others.
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