Rating: 
Summary: Shabanu, Daughter of the Wind
Review: "'Oh, Shabanu,' she whispers, her breath perfumed with fennel, "your future husband is wonderful!" 'He's used to buying what he wants,' I say. Phulan's eyes widen and her lips part. 'I wonder if he casts off what he buys after he doesn't want it.' 'Shabanu!' she says, shocked. 'A man who takes four wives-even though the Koran allows it-must be greedy!' 'How can you say that?' I clamp my mouth shut, but I am not ashamed of what I think. I decide not to say more for fear Phulan will tell Dadi." This is just one of the enticing lines in this book, a beautiful book that I happened to pick out while walking through a small book store downtown. I don't know what caused me to pick it out of the piles of books around me, but I'm glad I did. It's about a girl named Shabanu and her family. Shabanu lives in the Cholistan Desert of Pakistan in a time where marriages are arranged by the parents, and women must obey men, no matter what. The story is, Shabanu is allowed more freedoms than most normal Muslim girls are, and her parents worry that she is becoming too independent, that she should pay more mind to "woman's work." Shabanu has feared her betrothed marriage as long as she can remember, and when the time finally comes for her to be married she must choose between her family's honor and her own dreams. What a clear and believable voice this book has, and such strong characters. Through a detailed plot Suzanne Staples takes you through a rich and different culture that will keep your attention all the way. I loved the book; it amazed me how even though this culture was so far away from mine I could still relate to its emotions.
Rating: 
Summary: Not for just any kid.
Review: This is a beautifully done tale from inside a culture from the past. The Cholistani are clearly portrayed as a scattered people clinging to old ways in the desert.This is the tale of one Cholistani girl, rebelling against her fate as a woman, while loving and deeply appreciating the way of life of her people. It is very convincingly told, and beautifully written. This story is not for the average teen or pre-teen, but for a thoughtful and intelligent young girl, it is an eye-opening and provocative experience. I bought this book for my daughter, and we both loved it.
Rating:
Summary: My All Time Favorite Book!
Review: This is the kind of book that you read in one day and then feverently await the sequel. Fortunately for me the sequel had already been published. Although I have read both books, I still crave a third book, maybe a fourth because if they're anything like Shabanu I will read them a hundred times and still not be satisfied. Some people say that they didn't like this book and that it isn't for children. I would agree in that it's not for children, but more mature adults/teenagers-people who can handle the more heavy issues. As for the fact that they didn't like the book, that is just pure blindness. They may not be ready to hear the truth, which is precisely what this book is. Don't make the mistake to think that all Muslim girls are like this, just as you wouldn't think every person in the US lives the same. I would probably recommend this book more strongly to girls as they might understand and appreciate it more. I still think about how strong Shabanu is and I still cry for her. Make sure not to miss the sequel for it goes deeper into her lifestyle, not only through her grief, but her joy.
Rating:
Summary: This book was without a doubt the Greatest
Review: Shabanu is a wonderful book that tells about a muslim girl and her life in the dessert. I strongly recomend people read it. HOWEVER do not use it as a reference book. It is about one girls life not all muslim girls. If you are willing to handle the truth you should read it right away.
Rating:
Summary: To "Murad" and other skeptical ones- BEST BOOK IN WORLD!
Review: "This book deals with nasty subjects that kids shouldn't have to deal with," you say. I've got some news for you: kids DO have to deal with it. It is the way of the world. It isn't something you can avoid! It's better that kids learn about it now rather than being surprised by it all of a sudden. This is a great literature book, but it wasn't written to describe all modern Muslim lifestyles. If a kid who read it was interested in the culture, they would research it in a magical place called the LIBRARY. Kids DO have other resources. This book is fiction, and it is not the only book ever written about a Muslim lifestyle. This is one of the BEST books I have ever read or been exposed to and it makes me sick to think about others who stereotype it because it tells the truth.
Rating:
Summary: This is a great book with a bad reputation.
Review: I have heard that a lot of people don't like this book because it tells the truth. I go to Blach school and we read this in english class. I can say that maybe some of the boys in the class got a little "overstimulated" by the book, but it makes a great book for girls. Some people may not like this book because they are not used to such advanced literature and crave simple themes and stories, without the description. I thought this was a fine book, and the next place I am going on this website is to order the sequel, "Haveli".
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful, but not perfect.
Review: I read a few of the reviews for this book and I feel compelled to do a review of my own, because, I am sorry to say, they totally misrepresented it. In a culture where girls are brought up to be sold in marriage and their individuality and freedom is often repressed, Shabanu has a spirit that cannot be quenched by the stick striking across her ribs, or the rules of tradition followed by countless generations of women. Her elder sister, Phulan, is beautiful, but "beauty is only skin deep", especially in her case. This is the first book I've read from the point of view of a Muslim girl, and it's really opened my eyes about how life can be for them. I look forward to reading more of Suzanne Fisher Staples's work.
Rating:
Summary: It was great!
Review: That was a great book. It describes what it's like to go through puberty only through a different type of customs. It is not Staples best work but it was very good. I recommend this book to girls only!
Rating: 
Summary: A Pretty Good Book but Not the Best
Review: JGMSP2S24 The book Shabanu is not the best book that I have ever read. The book is about a girl who lives in the desert. Most of the book is about her daily life and her customs. I don't really recommend this book but if you are interested in young desert girl's daily lives, I think that you should read this book if that is your interest. But young readers, I do not recommend this book for you.
Rating: 
Summary: A great book to read.
Review: JGMSP3S1 The book starts out in Pakistan.The characters are Phulan, Shabanu, the mother, Grandpa, the father, and Shabanu's aunt and her son. Minor characters are Mulan, his brother, the landlord, and someother people. I suggest this book to anyone who is mature enough to read it. It offers a lot of new foriegn vocabulary, with their meanings in the back of the book. The book explains how people of different sexes dress, and what their daily chores are. The way the author ellaborates on certain subjects makes it sound as if he were actually there, and knows how everything works. I am not going to give away the plot, because then that would give away the story, and you wouldn't want to read it.
|
