I Am Malala Lesson Plan

Why does Malala start the book with an account of her shooting?

If students know one thing about Malala Yousafzai before reading this book, it's likely the story of her shooting. However, they may not be familiar with the circumstances surrounding that shooting, both in terms of her own life and the political climate that allowed such a thing to happen.

Opening with an account of the shooting removes the tension of waiting to read about it later. Malala gives her audience the story they're looking for right at the outset, which removes any impatience readers might have. Now that the she has gotten this story out of the way, Malala can continue to tell us about the many...