Amal Unbound

by Aisha Seed

Publisher: Nancy Paulson Books

Audience: 9-11 years old

Reading Level: Grades 5-9

This is the story of a twelve-year-old Pakistani girl named Amal, whose dreams of becoming a teacher are shattered when she is forced into indentured servitude as a consequence of her family's debt. Throughout her journey, Amal confronts the harsh realities of societal injustice and oppression, but she also discovers inner strength and resilience. With the support of newfound friendships and her unwavering determination, Amal finds the courage to challenge the status quo and fight for her freedom and education. The novel explores themes of courage, resilience, and the power of education to transform lives.

Key Words

Vocabulary Words

Oppression: Prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control; the state of being subject to oppressive treatment.

Subjugation: The action of bringing someone or something under domination or control, especially by conquest.

Resilience: The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.

Indomitable: Impossible to subdue or defeat.

Empowerment: The process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one's life and claiming one's rights.

Advocacy: The act of speaking or writing in support of a cause or person.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.3: Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.

This standard encourages students to analyze the development of the plot in a narrative, including how events unfold in a series of episodes and how characters respond or change over the course of the story. In the case of "Amal Unbound," students could examine how the plot progresses through various episodes or events, as well as how the characters react and evolve as the story moves towards its resolution, particularly focusing on Amal's character development and her responses to the challenges she faces.

Reading Strategies

Before reading: Before starting to read "Amal Unbound" by Aisha Saeed, 6th graders can benefit from a pre-reading strategy that activates their prior knowledge, builds anticipation for the book, and introduces them to key themes and concepts

Amal UnBound KWL Chart

During reading: Have students create visual character relationship maps to explore the connections between different characters in the book. They can analyze how these relationships evolve and impact the story.

Character Relationship Maps

After Reading: Have students create a podcast where they interview one of the characters from the book. They can prepare questions about the character's experiences, motivations, and growth throughout the story.

Character Interview Podcast