Malala the Brave LEVELED BOOK • X

Malala the Brave

A Reading A–Z Level X Leveled Book
Word Count: 1,387

Written by
Terri Patterson

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Malala the Brave
Photo Credits:
Front cover: © Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA/Landov; back cover: © Bas
Czerwinski/EPA/Landov; title page: © REUTERS/Fayaz Aziz; page 4: © REUTERS;
page 5: © Antonio Olmos; page 7: © REUTERS/Abdul Rehman; page 10: © Bilawal
Arbab/EPA/Landov; page 11: © REUTERS/Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham;
page 13: © Rehan Khan/EPA/Landov; page 14 (main): © REUTERS/Brendan
McDermid; page 14 (inset): © epa european pressphoto agency b.v./Alamy;
page 15: © Pete Souza/White House/EPA/Landov

Back cover: Malala Yousafzai raises her International Children’s Peace Prize
above her head in the Hague, Netherlands, on September 6, 2013.

Title page: Members of the Peshawar Civil Society hold a banner in support
of girls’ education on Malala Day in Pakistan, November 10, 2012. The United
Nations declared the holiday one month after Malala was injured by a Taliban
gunman for supporting the same cause.

Written by Terri Patterson

Malala the Brave

Level X Leveled Book Correlation
© Learning A–Z LEVEL X
Written by Terri Patterson
Fountas & Pinnell S
All rights reserved. Reading Recovery 40
www.readinga-z.com www.readinga-z.com
DRA 40
 Pakistan and the Swat Valley
Tajikistan China

Swat Valley

Afghanistan
Peshawar
Islamabad

Pakistan
India

ASIA
Malala studies in Pakistan before the events that made her famous.

ARABIAN Karachi ARABIAN

SEA Introduction
SEA
Can you imagine living in a country where
Table of Contents some children aren’t allowed to attend school?
Where a child’s highest hope is to be able to get
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
an education, and that hope is denied? This is the
Malala’s World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 world in which a brave girl named Malala grew up.
Malala’s Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Malala’s Name
The Attack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Malala was named for a courageous poet and warrior
woman who lived in Afghanistan long ago. She led Afghan
A Global Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 fighters to victory in a battle against invading British
soldiers in 1880.
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Malala the Brave • Level X 3 4

 Malala’s mother, Tor Pekai, is a homemaker
who follows Muslim traditions by living a private
life out of view of others. Malala says that she
admires her mother but knows that her own path
in life is different.

The Swat District is an area of northern

Pakistan with high mountains and lush green
valleys. Many people consider the region beautiful,
Malala stands with her parents and brothers, Khushal (left) and Atal. and it used to attract tourists. However, not many
people visit the area anymore because of the
Malala’s World Taliban, a political group based in Pakistan and
Malala Yousafzai (YOO-suf-zy) was born on Afghanistan. The Taliban follow an extreme and
July 12, 1997, in Mingora, a city in Pakistan’s Swat fundamentalist version of the Islamic religion
Valley. Her family includes two younger brothers. that is very different from the version followed by
most Muslims. As part of their beliefs, the Taliban
Malala’s father, Ziauddin (zee-OW-deen), is a
severely limit the rights of women.
champion of human rights, which are basic rights
that everyone in the world should have. Malala’s Most residents of areas controlled by the
father worked to make sure every child in Taliban are forced to follow strict religious rules.
Pakistan could receive an education. Since 1994, For example, music, movies, and television are
he has helped to open many schools in Pakistan’s not allowed. The rules for women and girls are
Swat District that now teach over one thousand especially strict. Women and girls may not work
students. For many years, Malala attended one outside the home, attend school, or wear makeup
of the schools founded by her father. or bright clothing. They are not permitted to
laugh out loud. After a certain age, girls cannot
Malala’s father has always encouraged her to
be outside the home without a male relative. The
ask questions and think for herself since she was
Taliban use violence, including acts of terrorism,
very young. He taught her to speak up for human
to enforce their laws.
rights, equality, and education.

Malala the Brave • Level X 5 6

 Malala’s family is deeply religious—but their Throughout this period, Malala’s father kept
religious practices didn’t align with the Taliban’s. his schools open, even though it was dangerous.
When asked about her religion, Malala is quick to Over half of Malala’s classmates were pulled out
point out that the Islamic religion does not oppose of school because their parents feared the Taliban.
education for girls. In her words, “Islam says Malala stopped wearing her school uniform to
that it is not only each child’s right to get [an] avoid being targeted.
education, rather it is their duty and responsibility.”

The Taliban started trying to take control of Why Is Education Important?

Education is much more than learning how to read and
the Swat Valley in 2007. Pakistan’s government
write. Education provides people with the tools they need
and army were unable to stop them. The Taliban to care for themselves and their families and to be active in
attacked police officers and blew up religious and their communities. Think about the following questions:
government buildings. Their many acts of violence • How can education affect the kind of job a person
included destroying girls’ schools in the area. might have?
• How might an education help people care for their
By the end of 2008, the Taliban had blown families better? Consider things like food, medical care,
up roughly 400 schools in Swat and over 1,500 educational opportunities for children, and other goods
schools in total. The Taliban announced that as of and services.
January 15, 2009, girls would no longer be allowed • How might education and the prevention of child labor
to attend school in the areas under their control. be connected?
• How does education help make a community healthier?
• How might education about certain issues affect the
Local people choices that people make when they vote?
gather outside
the rubble of • How does education promote peace in communities and
a girls’ high countries?
school in the
Swat Valley
• How might science education affect people’s attitudes
that was about the environment?
destroyed by • How else does education make a difference in people’s
the Taliban
in 2009.
lives?

Malala the Brave • Level X 7 8

 Malala’s Work As Malala continued to speak out about
Malala’s father encouraged his students education as a basic human right, her fame grew.
to speak out against losing their right to an She gave many interviews on television and in
education. Malala and several friends gave an print. In 2010, the New York Times made a movie
interview on a TV show in Pakistan in 2008. about her life. In 2011, Desmond Tutu, a world-
Malala then volunteered to famous activist and religious leader from South
“One child, one Africa, nominated Malala for the International
appear on a talk show. She
teacher, one pen, and Children’s Peace
was nervous, but she knew
one book can change Prize. That same
she had to speak her mind.
the world. Education
While on the talk show, year, Pakistan’s
is the only solution.”
she asked, “How dare the prime minister
—Malala awarded her
Taliban take away my basic
right to education?” Malala’s courage in speaking Pakistan’s
out against the Taliban impressed many people. National Youth
Peace Prize. In
Malala started blogging on the Internet for the her own country
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in 2009 at and around the
age eleven. She blogged about her dreams for her world, she was a
life and about what it was like to live under the voice of hope and
Malala’s courageous stand for the rights
rule of the Taliban. She used a pseudonym, or fake of girls made her famous around the world. empowerment.
name, to hide her identity and keep from being
targeted for her writing. After her blog was As Malala spoke out more and more, she
translated into English, people around the world and her father were both seen as threats to the
read it. They were shocked about the situation Taliban’s goals. When she was fourteen, her
in Swat and the Taliban’s efforts to prevent girls family learned that the Taliban had called for
from attending school. Although Malala hoped her to die. Malala was afraid for her father’s safety
to keep her identity private, her secret got out in since he was an anti-Taliban activist. However,
December 2009. neither she nor her family thought at first that she
was in danger because she was a child.

Malala the Brave • Level X 9 10

 Malala nearly died after the attack. She was
flown to a military hospital in a city a few hours
away, where she received life-saving treatment.
Malala was then transferred to a hospital in
Birmingham, England. Many people made sure
she received the best possible care. Malala was
fortunate to recover from most of her wounds,
although she will have some challenges for the
rest of her life.
“When someone
The Taliban took credit
takes away your pens,
for the attack. They said
you realize quite how
that other girls should pay
important education is.”
attention to what happens
Malala suffered terrible wounds as a result of being attacked by the Taliban —Malala
in 2012. She recovered from the attack in a hospital in England. when a girl speaks out.

The Attack While Malala was in the hospital, she received

cards, gifts, and flowers from thousands of people,
Malala paid careful attention to her family’s
including world leaders and movie stars. People
safety as well as her own. She locked doors and
around the world held candlelight gatherings to
avoided walking home from school. Instead, she
show their support.
took the bus. On October 9, 2012, she rode the bus
home from school with several friends. A man got After she was far along in her recovery,
on the bus and asked which girl was Malala. Even Malala started attending school in Birmingham
though no one answered with words, her friends in March 2013. She and her family stayed in
looked at her, so the man knew. He pulled out the United States, and she graduated from high
a gun and fired three shots, one of which struck school in 2017. Malala wasn’t happy to be away
Malala and injured her very badly. Two other from the Swat Valley or her friends. In 2018,
girls were hit, too, though neither one had serious she visited Pakistan for the first time since
injuries. the attack.

Malala the Brave • Level X 11 12

 Malala is introduced at the United Nations headquarters
in New York City on July 12, 2013, before making her
first speech following her attack. (Left) Malala’s book

A Global Voice
In July 2013, Malala gave a speech at the
Students, parents, and teachers in Karachi, Pakistan, show their support
United Nations, less than one year after the attack.
for Malala one month after she was attacked. She called for children around the world to be
permitted to get an education. Later that year,
MALALA TIME LINE
2011: Nominated for International
Malala received Europe’s top human rights award
Children’s Peace Prize; won Pakistan’s for her dedication to freedom of thought and
National Youth Peace Prize, which
was renamed in her honor
human rights. She has met with President Obama,
Queen Elizabeth II, and other world figures.
2008: Malala’s first 2014: Became the youngest
public appearance, on person ever awarded the Nobel
a talk show in Peshawar Peace Prize Focus on Girls’ Education
2009: Malala’s 2012: Shot by Taliban;
In 2012, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
1997: Born first BBC blog post runner-up for 2012 TIME asked governments, organizations, businesses, religious
in Mingora, is published; the Person of the Year leaders, and other people and groups around the globe
Pakistan Taliban order all to support education for girls. That same year, the United
girls’ schools closed
Nations and Pakistan established the Malala Fund for Girls’
Education. President Zardari of Pakistan donated the first
$10 million.
1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

Malala the Brave • Level X 13 14

 In October 2014, Malala was chosen to receive Glossary
the Nobel Peace Prize. At age seventeen, she was activist (n.) a person who works to bring about social
the youngest person ever given that honor. Malala or political change (p. 10)
said the award made her feel “more powerful and blogging (v.) writing about one’s thoughts, opinions,
courageous.” She dedicated her award to “all those or experiences on a website meant to be
children who are voiceless,” saying, “My message read by others (p. 9)
to children around the world is [to] stand up for dedication (n.) commitment to a cause or activity, often
your rights.” involving hard work or loyalty (p. 14)
empowerment the act of helping someone gain power
The Taliban tried to silence Malala, but instead
(n.) over his or her situation (p. 10)
they made her voice carry even more loudly.
She continues to support every child’s right to fundamentalist marked by a strict following of a set of
(adj.) beliefs, often relating to religion (p. 6)
an education and refuses to be silenced by fear.
human rights the rights that are considered by most
Malala’s goal is to someday be Pakistan’s prime (n.) societies to belong automatically to all
minister. Her father became a Special Advisor on people, including the rights to justice,
Global Education for the United Nations. Malala freedom, and equality (p. 5)
and her father continue to work together, guided Muslim (adj.) of or relating to people who follow the
by their vision of a peaceful world and an religion of Islam (p. 6)
education for every child. nominated (v.) named someone for a job, award,
or position (p. 10)
prime minister the leader of a government in most
(n.) countries that have a parliament (p. 10)
Taliban (n.) a fundamentalist Islamic group based
in Afghanistan and Pakistan (p. 6)
terrorism (n.) the use or threat of violence to try to
change a government or system (p. 6)
United Nations an international organization that works
Malala meets U.S. President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama,
and Malia Obama at the White House on October 11, 2013. (n.) to promote peace (p. 14)

Malala the Brave • Level X 15 16