Words in the Dust - Tapa dura

"I love this story -- it leaves no doubt that hope and love speak the same language everywhere." -- Suzanne Fisher Staples, author of Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind
"Both heart-wrenching and timely." -- Kirkus Reviews
"A beautifully written novel that introduces young readers to a fascinating culture." -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Readers will readily find themselves rooting for Zulaikha in this simply told yet thoughtful story." -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Zulaikha hopes. She hopes for peace, now that the Taliban have been driven from Afghanistan; a good relationship with her hard stepmother; and one day even to go to school, or to have her cleft palate fixed. Zulaikha knows all will be provided for her--"Inshallah," God willing.
Then she meets Meena, who offers to teach her the Afghan poetry she taught her late mother. And the Americans come to her village, promising not just new opportunities and dangers, but surgery to fix her face. These changes could mean a whole new life for Zulaikha--but can she dare to hope they'll come true?