Parents' Guide to

I Am Malala Yousafzai: Ordinary People Change the World

By Mary Eisenhart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Engaging bio of teen education activist/Nobel prize winner.

Book Brad Meltzer Biography 2022
Book cover: I Am Malala Yousafzai

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

See all
age 7+

Based on 1 parent review

Cynthia C.
Cynthia C. Parent of 5-year-old
February 2, 2023
age 7+

Obviously some violence, make sure your kid is ready

I have bought several books in this series for my now five year old. We started reading some of them to him when he was four, but that might have been too early in retrospect. This one is probably better for a 6 or 7 year old. Since I’m the one reading it i can censor it as i see fit. I love how the books gently introduce important historical figures with just the right amount of seriousness but mostly focused on the good things they did, how they work hard and never give up, etc. The books usually gloss over the more violent or scary things that happened to each historical figure which I think is appropriate for the young kid audience.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

I AM MALALA YOUSAFZAI begins in the narrator's hometown in Pakistan, where unlike most men, her father is a teacher and a strong advocate for educating girls -- all the more so as his own wife was never taught to read because only boys went to school. Young Malala grows up with a strong love of learning and a deep respect for the opportunities that come with education -- especially when she encounters poor kids who can't go to school and face a bleak future. When the Taliban take over her town and shut down her father's school, preteen Malala fights back with an account of her experiences that's soon the talk of the BBC (British radio). As she and her message become more visible and popular around the world, the Taliban are determined to silence her. At 15, she's riding the bus home from school with friends when an assassin shoots her in the face at point-blank range. She comes back even stronger, addressing the United Nations General Assembly about the importance of education at 16, receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for her work at 17, and founding the Malala Fund to help kids worldwide -- especially refugees and girls who lack resources where they are -- to get an education.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

This stellar addition to the Ordinary People Change the World series features the youthful activist whose advocacy for girls' education made her a target of the Taliban and Nobel Prize winner at 17. I Am Malala Yousafzai finds its narrator as a little kid successfully arm-wrestling her brothers and soaking up all the learning she could get in her father's school. As she comes to fight for her own education, she also becomes a voice for those who often miss out to get the same opportunity. Surviving an assassination attempt is just the beginning, and readers will cheer her unbeatable spirit along the way.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how I Am Malala Yousafzai shows someone standing up for herself and others, even though powerful forces see her as a threat and try to silence her. Do you know anyone like this, or have you heard about them in stories? What cause is so important to them that they put themselves in danger for it? How does it turn out?

  • Do you like school? Is there something special you really like learning about?

  • Have you ever been kept from something you wanted to do because somebody else didn't think you were good enough to be allowed to do it? If this happened to you, did you figure out a way to solve the problem?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended book lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate