About the Author

A longtime human rights advocate, Deborah Ellis has achieved international acclaim with her courageous and dramatic books that give Westerners a glimpse into the plights of people in developing countries. She has won many awards for her writing, including the Governor General's Literary Award, the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award, and the Jane Addams Children's Book Award, to name a few. Ellis is best known for her Breadwinner trilogy, which has been published in 17 languages. More than half a million dollars in royalties from the sale of the Breadwinner books has been donated to Street Kids International and Women for Women International, organizations dedicated to improving the lives of people around the world through education and self-empowerment.

Discussion Questions

1. Why would the Taliban restrict women and girls from working, going to school, and even going outside? What do you think your life would be like if you and your family had these restrictions?
2. Do girls or boys have an easier time in Parvana's country? What about in your country? Could you fool people into thinking you were the opposite gender? Why or why not?
3. Why does Parvana's mother say, "You can't be truly Afghan if you don't know someone who's been in prison"? What would you do if one of your parents were taken away to jail?
4. Why does Parvana hold her breath when her mother shows the photograph of her father?
5. Why does Mrs. Weera want to visit Parvana's mother?
6. Why does Parvana agree to go to the market and do her father's job?
7. One of the hardest things Parvana ever had to do was sit for the first hour in the market waiting for customers. Why was it so hard for her? What is the hardest thing you have ever had to do?
8. In what other ways, besides earning money, does Parvana's disguise as a boy help her family?
9. The Taliban are like bullies to the Afghans, always ready to beat or arrest anyone breaking the rules. How are thieves punished by the Taliban? Why do they do this with a crowd watching?
10. Why does Mrs. Weera move in with Parvana's family? How does this help Parvana's family? How does it help Mrs. Weera?
11. How would you make contact with the outside world if you had no phone and could not go out? Would you risk doing this if getting caught meant you would be punished severely? Why do you think the woman near Parvana's work place keeps throwing small objects?
12. "These are unusual times. They call for ordinary people to do unusual things, just to get by," says Mrs. Weera. Does your family or anyone you know have stories about having to do anything unusual just to get by?
13. Parvana and Shauzia both say that they are not satisfied with anything anymore, even though their lives are better than they used to be. Do you know anyone who is truly satisfied with his or her life? Do you know anyone who is never satisfied? What about you?
14. Shauzia says, "Maybe someone should drop a big bomb on the country and start again." Does Parvana think this is a good idea? Do you think it is a good idea? Why or why not?
15. Why does Shauzia think her life will be over if she gets married? Why does her grandfather think that getting her married is a good idea?
16. Parvana, her father, Homa, Mrs. Weera, and her granddaughter have formed a new sort of family near the end of The Breadwinner. Do you think that they show us the importance of family, even though they are not a "real" family? Why or why not?
17. Is Shauzia right to want to leave Afghanistan and her family, or is Mrs. Weera right that Shauzia should not "desert the team just because the game is rough"?