(3) K-3 The inspiring story of the young Pakistani girls'-education activist is told simply yet with some lyricism. Maslo's stylized acrylic and ink illustrations--in a strong, limited palette of blue, red, black, and gray--show realistic details but portray Malala's assassination attempt by the Taliban as an abstract painting without text (afterward the incident is described in words). Includes an excellent author's note. Reading list, timeline, websites.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Aurélie Fronty. Of the many picture-book biographies of Malala Yousafzai, this French import departs a bit as it frames her life more directly in the politics of Pakistan. Frier tells Malala's inspiring story with conviction; Fronty's illustrations employ a striking folk style with bold colors. Extensive back matter includes Malala quotations and notes (with photos) on Pakistan, schooling, and religion. Reading list, timeline, websites.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(3) 4-6 True Stories, Real People series. Each short, inspiring biography is divided into four or five chapters written in an objective, unpretentious manner. Quotation sources are fastidiously footnoted and listed in the back matter. Navigation is easy thanks to clean layouts and a simple color scheme (orange photo captions, navy call-out boxes). Great for school assignments and engaging enough for pleasure reading. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following True Stories, Real People titles: Alia Muhammad Baker, Aron Ralston, Malala Yousafzai, Abby Sunderland, and Bethany Hamilton.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(4) K-3 Zoom In on Great Women series. The lives of six diverse, inspirational women--three of whom (Goodall, Yousafzai, and Winfrey) are still living--are summarized in this series, which aligns to Common Core Standards. Though only broadly chronicling their challenges and/or accomplishments, these offerings may spur interest in further study. The archival photographs included are noteworthy, and lists of quick stats and key dates are appended. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Zoom In on Great Women titles: Anne Frank, Jane Goodall, Malala Yousafzai, Mother Teresa, Oprah Winfrey, and Rosa Parks.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(4) K-3 Encounter series. Illustrated by Janna Bock. Although there are several biographies of the young Pakistani girls'-rights activist for third and fourth graders, this volume's large-picture-book format works well for such primary-grade readers. Sticking to the facts and with direct quotes noted in the back matter, the narrative is accompanied by digital illustrations that vary in quality, from moving images to cartoony pictures of doe-eyed girls. "More About Malala's Story" appended. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) 4-6 Against the Odds Biographies series. These biographies are generously filled with photos illustrating the lives of people who, "against the odds," survived life-threatening disability or injury. In chapters titled as questions "young people want answered," the texts focus on various prejudicial obstacles Hawking and Yousafzai each overcame to achieve amazing and heroic accomplishments. The brightly colored pages are distracting, but the stories will inspire middle-grade researchers. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Against the Odds Biographies titles: Stephen Hawking and Malala Yousafzai.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) 4-6 Newsmakers series. This accessibly written series is notable for its clean layout, including color photographs, sidebars, and charts. The mostly complimentary narratives are solid overviews of their subjects' early lives, successes, and failures. A "Stop and Think" feature offers discussion questions that can be used for assignments. For the living subjects, the content will soon become outdated. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Newsmakers titles: Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Vladimir Putin, Malala Yousafzai, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Nelson Mandela, and Pope Francis.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) 4-6 Out in Front series. This biography of the Pakistani girl who survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban provides geographical, historical, and sociopolitical context for Yousafzai's dedication to education activism. Captioned color photographs pair well with the concise and factual text. Important quotes are printed in red, which is difficult to read on some backgrounds. Significant terms are defined in the text. Websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer:

(4) 4-6 Gateway Biographies series. Two well-known international human rights activists are profiled in these slim biographies. Mandela's political life is chronicled closely and chronologically, with too many dates and events encumbering the relatively brief text; Yousafzai's biography is clearer but covers the same ground as her recent memoir. These easy-to-navigate resources are most suitable for younger report writers seeking basic biographical information. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review includes these Gateway Biographies titles: Malala Yousafzai and Nelson Mandela

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(3) K-3 With Plan International. Young girls and women from around the world speak out vigorously for the right to education in an inspiring letter addressed to the youngest Nobel Prize–winning activist, Malala Yousafzai. The powerful photos come from countries including Niger, Nepal, and Paraguay (each identified in small type). Malala's UN speech, websites for charities (including Plan International), and relevant participatory projects are included.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(2) K-3 This picture book introduces two Pakistani children who fought for peace and justice and suffered violence: one side is Malala Yousafzai's story; flip it for Iqbal Masih's. Iqbal was killed in 1995; Malala was shot by the Taliban (but survived) in 2012 "for speaking out for the right of girls to attend school." A great place to begin a young activist's education.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2014

(3) 4-6 With Patricia McCormick. Young Readers Edition. Young education activist and Taliban victim Malala Yousafzai recounts her Pakistani childhood in this deftly adapted memoir. Domestic and academic tales illustrate her unusual maturity and resilience in the face of increasing Taliban threats. Yousafzai's moving narrative and engaging, sincere voice may provide an entryway to international awareness for middle-grade readers; a map and a thorough timeline provide additional political context. Glos.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(4) YA Essential Lives series. Though sometimes repetitive (Estée) or awkwardly written (Malcolm X), these standard-issue biographies, illustrated with stock photographs, do offer balanced portraits of their subjects and will be useful for report writers. With fewer years to cover, Malala includes chapters on Pakistan, Islam, and the Taliban. The many sidebars are informative if somewhat distracting. Reading list, timelime. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Essential Lives titles: Estée Lauder, Jonas Salk, Malcolm X, and Malala Yousafzai.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander