Book Talk by Mrs. Weintraub

Title: I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced Author: Nujood Ali Genre: Memoir

A collection of memories that occurred in the author’s life. It discusses a select part of the author’s life. A memoir is told from the first person point of view.

Setting: The village of Khardji in Yemen, 2008.

Main Characters: Nujood—10 year old girl who is forced to

marry a man nearly thirty years her senior. Omma—Nujood’s mother. Aba—Nujood’s father. Sixteen brothers and sisters. Abdel Wahed—judge who helps Nujood with

obtaining a divorce. Faez Ali Thamer—older man who wanted to

marry Nujood. Shada—lawyer who helps Nujood obtain her

freedom.

External: Nujood’s father had difficulty finding a job after he was laid off from working as a street-sweeper. Family nearly lost their home and had to beg for money.

Internal: Should Nujood stay with Faez or run away, thus bringing shame to her family?

Theme: Stand up for yourself

Nujood, a 10 year old girl living in Yemen, married Faez Ali Thamer in an arranged ceremony. She had to leave behind her family and move to her husband’s village. Nujood was treated poorly and abused by Faez. She had an important decision to make—to stay or seek help to get away from her husband. Since her parents would not help, Nujood went to the courthouse to ask for a divorce. Her divorce was granted and Nujood was able to return home and resume her childhood.

Page 96—Nujood begs her parents to return home after her marriage, but they refuse.

Page 162—Nujood’s hopes for the future.

Yes, I would recommend this memoir. It is an inspiring story about a young girl who overcame the odds and was granted her freedom. I learned how girls were treated in Yemen and that Nujood’s tale inspired other girls to come forward to speak about their arranged marriages.