The Breadwinner Genre

Young Adult; Historical Fiction; Family Drama

We know this book is in the young adult literature genre because it features a young adult and is written for young adult readers—and that's about as YA as a book comes. The language and plot are accessible to young people on pretty much every level. And since this story is based on all kinds of facts—the descriptions of Kabul, both in appearance and law, are factual, and Ellis interviewed Afghan refugees to learn about their experiences living under Taliban rule—it's definitely historical fiction, too.

Lastly, though the biggest drama in this book is caused by the Taliban's terror-filled reign, there's still plenty of drama within Parvana's family for this book to fall under the family drama genre too. Whether she's bickering with Nooria, refusing to join Mother on her journey to Pakistan, or demanding the return of her father, the trials and tribulations of Parvana's family are a big part of the plot in this book.