Maria Sophia Cabatan
HUMSS 12-2
I Am Malala: Book Review
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban,
written by Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb, is a powerful memoir of courage,
resillience, and unwavering belief in the right to education. Malala narrates her journey
from a peaceful valley in Pakistan to the global stage, where she becomes the youngest
recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. At its heart, the book is not just about surviving a bullet ̶ it
is about standing up when the world expects you to stay silent. I Am Malala is a brave and
deeply memoir that invites readers to reflect on voice, rights, and the revolutionary power
of education.
The book undolds in five parts, starting with Malala’s childhood in the Swat Valley of
Pakistan. She was born into a family that valued knowledge, especially her father Ziauddin,
who founded the Khushal School and fought hard for gitls’ right to learn. As the Taliban’s
power grew in their region, girls’ education came under threat, and Malala, even at a young
age, began speaking out. Her early activism, including writing a blog under the pseudonym
Gul Makai, caught international attention.
The most harrowing event occurs in Chapter 20, “Who is Malala?”, where a Taliban
gunman boards Malala’s school bus and shoots her in the head. The scene is terrifying not
because it is dramatic, but because it is real. When the gunman demanded, “Who is
Malala?”, she was simply a fifteen-year-old girl with a school bag on her lap, not expecting
violence for her beliefs. The book continues to detail her miraculous recovery in England,
the love and pain of leaving home behind, and her transformation into a global advocate for
education.
One of the most emotionally moving chapters for me was Chapter 13, “The Dial of Gul
Makai”. Through her anonymous writings for the BBC, Malala chronicled the fear and
pressure that swallowed girls’ lives as the Taliban banned them from attending school. She
writes with heartbreaking simplicity about the changes in her daily life: her uniform hidden,
books tucked away, the constant fear that “the Taliban have never come for a small girl.”
That line made me reflect on the quiet ways we lose our freedoms̶ until someone finally
notices.
The memoir reads more like a novel than a political commentary. Chritina Lamb’s
journalistic experience brings structure and historical depth, while Malala’s voice remains
vibrant, youthful, and emotionally raw. The tone shifts̶ from innocent and playful in her
childhood stories to serious and reflective as her world begins to collapse under the
Taliban’s rule. The use of flashbacks and sensory descriptions makes the story immersive.
When Malala descibes the Swat Valley as “the most beautiful place in all the world”, you
don’t just imagine it̶ you feel her longing.
The use of Juxtaposition is also used powerfully. Malala describes how she once lived
with “hot water from the tap” and “packets of food ready-cooked” in Birmingham while
dreaming of her old room in Swat. Her nostalgia for her chaotic but warm life back home
makes the loss deeper. The narrative also contrasts her internal wolrd with the political
Maria Sophia Cabatan
HUMSS 12-2
chaos around her, highlighting how ordinary girls are the ones who bear the weight of
extraordinary violence.
Malala’s story also reflects a deep emotional resonance. She does not present herself
as a saint or a superhero. She writes about sibling fights, obession with Twilight, and arguing
with her bestfriend Moniba. These details ground her heroism in the reality of being a
teenage girl. Her ability to hold onto joy despite terror is one of the book’s most inspiring
qualities.
Reading I Am Malala felt like holding a mirror to myself̶ not because I’ve faced
anything like Malala has, but because it made me question what I’m doing with the freedom
I already have. As a student, I often complain about eraly classes or difficult exams. But here
was a girl, barely older than me, willing to risk her life just to be in a classroom.
Chapter 23, “The Girl Shot in the Head, Birmingham”, deeply affected me. When
Malala wakes up from her coma and cannot speak, she writes, “Thank God I’m not dead”.
What astounded me was that even in the face of death, her thoughts returned to school.
She didn’t ask about revenge, she asked about her books, that kind of clarity moved me. Her
determination reminded me that passion has the power to overcome pain.
What also struck me was her empathy. She writes, “We realize the importance of our
voices only when we are silenced”. That quote has stayed with me. It reminded me how
often I hold back my thoughts or water down my opinions just to avoid conflicts. Malala’s
story challenges that instinct. She should have chose to speak, even knowing the risks.
One of the most powerful statements in the book, in my opinion, is when she wrires:
“They cannot stop me. I will get my education if it is in home, school, or any place”. That line
is filled with grit. Education for her was not a classroom; it was a right, a promise, a weapon
against ignorance. I felt deeply challenged by that. We often treat school like a burden, but
for her, learning was freedom.
Her bond with her father was another inspiring aspect. She recounts how he used to
call her “Jani”, meaning soulmate, and that “my father said that some day I would make him
proud. And today I am proud of him”. That mutual admiration made me think about my own
relationship with my parents. I realized that empowerment often starts at home̶ with
someone who believes in you before the world even knows your name.
Finally, what stayed with me the most was the simplicity of her mission. “One child,
one teacher, one book, one pen can change the wolrd.” It’s a quote I’ve seen on posters, but
after reading the full story, I unerstood it differently. It’s not just about education. It’s about
hope. About starting where you are, with what you have, and never unerstimating the
impact of your own voice.
I Am Malala is not just a memoir, it is a movement. It is an invatation to all of us to
speak louder, stand firmer, and dream bigger. Malala’s courage is not loud or dramatic, it is
quiet, steady, and unbreakable. The book reminds us that the world changes not only
through revolutions and wars but also through a girl who refuses to stop going to school.
Maria Sophia Cabatan
HUMSS 12-2
Its greatest strength is Malala’s unwavering voice̶ honest, youthful, and brave. If there
is any weakness, it may be in the heavier political parts that could be unfamiliar to some
readers. But even these sections are necessary, they show us the larger system that tried to
silence her and the significance of her defiance.
Malala didn’t want to be famous. She only wanted a school. In telling her story, she
gives us all a reason to value what we often take for granted. More importantly, she teaches
us that true change begins when someone dares to ask a question, write a diary, stand up in
a classroom, or speak truth in the face of fear.
And it the world asks again, “Who is Malala?”, we now know the answer. She is the girl
who stood up, and in doing so, helped the rest of us find our voices too.
I wholeheartedly recommend I Am Malala to a wide range of readers. For stuents, it is
a reminder that education is aprivilege worth fighting for. For teachers and educators, it is a
call to nurture not just grades but dreams. For parents, it reveals the power of belief and
support in a child’s life. For leaders and policy-makers, it shows how the lack of education
feeds extremism and inequality.
This book should be required reading in high schools and universities, not just for its
content, but for its impact. It opens conversations on gender, power, educations, and
justice. It also bridges cultural divides by humanizing a place most people only know from
headlines. Swat is no longer just a region in conflict̶ it’s where Malala grew up, argued with
her brothers, drank tea with her mother, and studied hard to stay at the top of her class.
If you’re someone who believes that one person can’t make a difference, read this
book. It will change your mind.
