Bound To Stay Bound

Bulletin for the Center... - 09/01/2016 Obayda’s father was in the Kabul marketplace when a bomb exploded and destroyed his leg, thereby costing him his good job on the police force. Since then the family has moved into a rural village and lives under the care of an uncle. Obayda, as the youngest of four sisters, is cautiously willing to follow Afghani tradition to have her hair cut, dress in pants, and go out into the world as a boy, in the superstitious hope that the family’s fortune will change, a son will be born, and her depressed father will regain an interest in life. As a bacha posh Obayda-now Obayd-is unexpectedly taken under the wing of another girl in disguise, and, through her mentoring, learns how to move and claim rights as a boy. When Obayd learns that her freedom will evaporate at puberty, when the bacha posh is expected to revert to female identity and inevitable marriage, she makes a defiant stand to assure that her sisters get at least a glimpse of life beyond their house and school before custom closes in on them all. The girl-in-boy’s-disguise plot will have obvious attraction for children who enjoy Deborah Ellis’s Breadwinner trilogy, but it is clear that Obayda’s situation is not just a response to her family’s need for income but is deeply rooted in tradition that is only now becoming understood by Western culture. Consideration of gender roles, identity, and discrimination unfold organically, and although Hashimi clearly decries the curtailment of girls’ rights in Afghanistan, she wisely makes no suggestion of what the future may hold for Obayda herself. EB - Copyright 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

School Library Journal - 08/01/2016 Gr 4–8—After Obayda's policeman father loses a leg in a car bombing in Kabul, her family moves to a rural village to be near their extended relatives. When her father retreats from life because of his injury, an aunt suggests that the girl be allowed to be a bacha posh and live as a boy. Obayda would have a better education and more opportunities, and the presence of a boy would bring luck, and perhaps a baby brother, to the family. "Obayd" struggles at first, but once she makes friends with Rahima (another bacha posh), she gains confidence and enjoys her new life. Their joy is short-lived. When Rahima is married off to a local warlord at the age of 13, Obayda makes a desperate attempt to keep her freedom. Told in clear, vivid prose that combines detailed descriptions of daily life with a good dose of adventure, this story has more information about bacha posh than Deborah Ellis's The Breadwinner and is a welcome addition to books about Afghanistan such as Trent Reedy's Words in the Dust and Andrew Clements's Extra Credit. The depiction of a country and family in turmoil is realistically handled, and Obayda's father does recuperate from his injuries with her help. VERDICT This is an excellent title that will offer students a window into life in Afghanistan and open interesting, age-appropriate conversations about gender expectations and roles in different countries.—Karen Yingling, Blendon Middle School, Westerville, OH - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 09/01/2016 After an explosion leaves her father permanently handicapped, Obayda and her family move from Kabul back to her father’s childhood village to be closer to her father’s brothers. Obayda’s father falls into a deep depression; with four daughters, there is no son to grow up and work to help the family. Obayda’s aunt plants the idea to turn Obayda into a bacha posh, a girl dressed as a boy. At first terrified, Obayda soon meets Rahim, previously Rahima, an older girl who helps her feel more comfortable in her new identity of Obayd. She and Rahim know their identities won’t last forever. They will have to return to being girls eventually. But Rahim seems almost desperate to find a way to make the change permanent. While the realistic ending provides hope for Obayda and her family, Hashimi doesn’t hide the fact that others are not so lucky. With beautiful language, rich characters, and a perspective not often seen in children’s literature, this heartbreaking story will leave a lasting mark. - Copyright 2016 Booklist.