Deborah Ellis is a Canadian novelist, philanthropist, and activist.
Primarily writing in the genres of young-adult and children's literature, Ellis bases many of her books on the experiences of children facing adversity in Third World countries and impoverished areas of the First World.
Ellis has received the Governor General's Award, has been named to the Order of Ontario in 2006, and was later named a Member of the Order of Canada. As a philanthropist, Ellis donates a considerable amount of her royalties to organizations such as UNICEF and Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan, which has led to threats from the Taliban.
Set in Taliban-controlled Kabul, Afghanistan, Deborah Ellis's The Breadwinner follows the story of an eleven-year-old girl who, following her father's sudden arrest, disguises herself as a boy so she may leave the house and make money to support...
