--- product_id: 17158410 title: "The Breadwinner (Breadwinner Series, 1)" price: "£8.69" currency: GBP in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/17158410-the-breadwinner-breadwinner-series-1 store_origin: GB region: United Kingdom --- # The Breadwinner (Breadwinner Series, 1) **Price:** £8.69 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Breadwinner (Breadwinner Series, 1) - **How much does it cost?** £8.69 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.uk](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/17158410-the-breadwinner-breadwinner-series-1) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description The Breadwinner (Breadwinner Series, 1) [Ellis, Deborah] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Breadwinner (Breadwinner Series, 1) Review: A Strong Heroine! - Eleven-year-old Parvana lives in Kabul, Afghanistan, under the Taliban, and this multicultural middle school book shows us what life is like when they're in power. She and her sisters can't go to school. They're not even supposed to go outside, and neither is their mother, unless accompanied by a man. Women and teenage girls must wear a burqa, which covers their entire body and face, except for the eyes. Parvana and her family used to live in a big house, but the daily bombing, which has gone on for years, has destroyed almost everything they owned. Now they live in one room. Her father supports them by reading and writing letters for uneducated people. Even this existence is threatened when the Taliban break in and arrest her father for the crime of having gone to school in England. "Afghanistan doesn't need your foreign ideas," they tell him as they drag him off to prison. Soon the family runs out of money and food, a desperate situation since Parvana, her mother, and her sisters can't be outside unless they're with a man. A neighbor woman comes up with an idea: Parvana can dress as a boy, because boys can come and go freely. She agrees, and wears the clothing of an older brother who died. Since she knows how to read, she earns money the same way her father did and becomes the family breadwinner. Then the family gets exciting news--Parvana's older sister receives a proposal of marriage from the son of old family friends. They live in north Afghanistan, where there are no Taliban. A journey is quickly planned, but Parvana can't go because the friends know she is a girl. Her family can't let her secret get back to Kabul. Parvana stays with the neighbor woman, but then bad news arrives: the Taliban have invaded the very city where Parvana's family went for the wedding. Now what will she do? This book was a fast and absorbing read. The writing style is simple but the story is so powerful I could hardly put it down, and the spirit and resilience of Parvana and her family were inspirational. Author Deborah Ellis visited Afghan refugee camps and talked with many girls like Parvana. She is donating the royalties from this book to Women for Women in Afghanistan, dedicated to improving the lives of women there. Read about current conditions in Afghanistan in this article. Reading level: 10 and up. Parvana, her mother, and her father receive beatings, but the description is minimal. The girl witnesses a public punishment where men convicted as thieves each have one hand chopped off. No gory details, but it is a shocking moment. Review: Awe-Inspiring Story About Women in Afganistan - Thoughts: I honestly can't walk two feet without being stopped and having this book recommended to me. This went on for about three years before I finally had enough of this and purchased the Breadwinner. And boy, am I glad I did. No one is more up for female rights than I am (I've probably written about a thousand female empowerment stories), and so this book instantly appealed to me. I loved I Am Malala, so hearing that this was in the same vein was immensely exciting. The Breadwinner is the kind of book that really anyone can read. Your age doesn't necessarily matter, since this book is written in a way that can transcend from eight to sixty year olds. But the writing wasn't what made this book impressive; the sheer character of Parvana herself, and the story she takes us along, is completely mindblowing. Sometimes, I had to stop myself and reread a section because it thrust me into disbelief. The things women had to go through under the rule of the Taliban - and STILL have to go through -.... it's just heartbreaking. This book serves not only to make us, as kids, aware of this difficult topic, but also spurs us to want to get involved. I was completely gripped the entire time while reading this book, and by the end of it, I was speechless. While, at some points, this is not the most engaging book per se, it is still a fascinating story that kids of all ages will enjoy. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | ASIN | 1554987652 | | Best Sellers Rank | #23,545 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #4 in Children's Middle East Books #189 in Children's Books on Girls' & Women's Issues #230 in Children's Self-Esteem Books | | Book 1 of 5 | Breadwinner | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (2,767) | | Dimensions | 5.24 x 0.51 x 7.99 inches | | Edition | Fifteenth Anniversary edition | | Grade level | 5 - 9 | | ISBN-10 | 9781554987658 | | ISBN-13 | 978-1554987658 | | Item Weight | 10.5 ounces | | Language | English | | Print length | 160 pages | | Publication date | May 1, 2015 | | Publisher | Groundwood Books | | Reading age | 9 - 12 years, from customers | ## Images ![The Breadwinner (Breadwinner Series, 1) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/719cTCBHW1L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Strong Heroine! *by W***W on October 1, 2010* Eleven-year-old Parvana lives in Kabul, Afghanistan, under the Taliban, and this multicultural middle school book shows us what life is like when they're in power. She and her sisters can't go to school. They're not even supposed to go outside, and neither is their mother, unless accompanied by a man. Women and teenage girls must wear a burqa, which covers their entire body and face, except for the eyes. Parvana and her family used to live in a big house, but the daily bombing, which has gone on for years, has destroyed almost everything they owned. Now they live in one room. Her father supports them by reading and writing letters for uneducated people. Even this existence is threatened when the Taliban break in and arrest her father for the crime of having gone to school in England. "Afghanistan doesn't need your foreign ideas," they tell him as they drag him off to prison. Soon the family runs out of money and food, a desperate situation since Parvana, her mother, and her sisters can't be outside unless they're with a man. A neighbor woman comes up with an idea: Parvana can dress as a boy, because boys can come and go freely. She agrees, and wears the clothing of an older brother who died. Since she knows how to read, she earns money the same way her father did and becomes the family breadwinner. Then the family gets exciting news--Parvana's older sister receives a proposal of marriage from the son of old family friends. They live in north Afghanistan, where there are no Taliban. A journey is quickly planned, but Parvana can't go because the friends know she is a girl. Her family can't let her secret get back to Kabul. Parvana stays with the neighbor woman, but then bad news arrives: the Taliban have invaded the very city where Parvana's family went for the wedding. Now what will she do? This book was a fast and absorbing read. The writing style is simple but the story is so powerful I could hardly put it down, and the spirit and resilience of Parvana and her family were inspirational. Author Deborah Ellis visited Afghan refugee camps and talked with many girls like Parvana. She is donating the royalties from this book to Women for Women in Afghanistan, dedicated to improving the lives of women there. Read about current conditions in Afghanistan in this article. Reading level: 10 and up. Parvana, her mother, and her father receive beatings, but the description is minimal. The girl witnesses a public punishment where men convicted as thieves each have one hand chopped off. No gory details, but it is a shocking moment. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Awe-Inspiring Story About Women in Afganistan *by P***S on August 28, 2016* Thoughts: I honestly can't walk two feet without being stopped and having this book recommended to me. This went on for about three years before I finally had enough of this and purchased the Breadwinner. And boy, am I glad I did. No one is more up for female rights than I am (I've probably written about a thousand female empowerment stories), and so this book instantly appealed to me. I loved I Am Malala, so hearing that this was in the same vein was immensely exciting. The Breadwinner is the kind of book that really anyone can read. Your age doesn't necessarily matter, since this book is written in a way that can transcend from eight to sixty year olds. But the writing wasn't what made this book impressive; the sheer character of Parvana herself, and the story she takes us along, is completely mindblowing. Sometimes, I had to stop myself and reread a section because it thrust me into disbelief. The things women had to go through under the rule of the Taliban - and STILL have to go through -.... it's just heartbreaking. This book serves not only to make us, as kids, aware of this difficult topic, but also spurs us to want to get involved. I was completely gripped the entire time while reading this book, and by the end of it, I was speechless. While, at some points, this is not the most engaging book per se, it is still a fascinating story that kids of all ages will enjoy. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ a great book for the classroom *by K***. on November 9, 2025* My excelerated students are reading this so of course I wanted to read it. A very tragic story of what life is like for women in Afghanistan. Quick read. ## Frequently Bought Together - The Breadwinner (Breadwinner Series, 1) - Parvana’s Journey (Breadwinner Series, 2) - Mud City (Breadwinner Series, 3) --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/17158410-the-breadwinner-breadwinner-series-1](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/17158410-the-breadwinner-breadwinner-series-1) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Kingdom* *Store origin: GB* *Last updated: 2026-05-20*