Youth Novel ‘Shooting Kabul’ Hits the Mark

I’ve spent the last week toting around an advance copy of N.H. Senzai’s young adult novel, ‘Shooting Kabul’. I read it on the subway during my long commute to work; I read it lounging on the futon on lazy Sundays. For a book written for 12-year-olds, this 23-year-old couldn’t get enough of this tale of family unity, perseverance, and cultural pride.

The book follows young Fadi and his family as they make a harrowing escape from Taliban-ruled Afghanistan to the safety of California. But before they make it to safety, Fadi’s six-year-old sister, Mariam is accidentally left behind. The rest of the family makes it to California heartbroken, each of them blaming themselves for Mariam’s loss. On top of all that, they have to deal with the cultural confusion and isolation of being Muslim Afghans in America, especially when 9/11 hits.

As an adult who often bemoans the state of Arab American fiction today, I was pleasantly surprised by this debut novel. Senzai tells an exciting and heartwarming story that will keep many young people reading until the end.

It is clear that Senzai is also trying to educate children who may not know much about Afghans in America. The book is sneakily informative by weaving in facts about Afghanistan’s history and Muslim traditions into the natural progression of the plot. On top of that, I think young people of all backgrounds, especially those from immigrant families, will relate to Fadi’s confused yet loyal character.

But as much as I enjoyed the book, the ultimate test comes from Hanna and Haba, the ten-year-old twin girls who attend the literacy club I lead at my job. We read the first chapter of the book together, getting up to the point just before Mariam gets left behind. The girls were beside themselves with curiosity: “What happens to Fadi and his family?! Do they make it to America?” Then they wrote letters to the characters, asking them questions and commiserating with their struggles. I promised them we would read the next chapter the following week and they’ve been asking me about it ever since.

A new author couldn’t ask for better praise than a glowing review from Hanna and Haba.

Contact the author:

email: aisha.gawad@gmail.com

twitter: http://twitter.com/ArabRaptor