In this book, the MC, Amal, is punished by the son of her village's reigning lord, when she insults the man's pride, by refusing to give him a pomegranate they both reached for at the market.
Forced into a life of near-slavery at his house, Amal sees her dream of becoming a teacher evaporate, and there appears to be nothing she or anyone else in her family can do about it.
Then the man commits a murder, and she overhears where the body is hidden. Suddenly, Amal has something she has never had before -- power over the powerful -- and her dreams shimmer into existence.
NOTE: For very young readers of MG, some parental guidance is needed while reading this book. There's a fair amount of injustice, and even some older middle school readers may need a historical and political primer of Pakistan before / while reading.
The publisher, Penguin Books, also offers a "taste" of this book in a video, Penguin's Paperback Book Tasting, along with four other books. It's a reading of the first five chapters, and three comprehension questions.
This story features the conflict between China and Tibet, specifically Chinese oppression of the Dalai Lama's followers. After their parents are taken away by Chinese forces, two children find themselves on a mad dash, with their two yaks, across the mountains to try to save their parents and figure out a mysterious code that needs to be delivered to the rebellion.
Note to Parents: The inciting incident comes when a Buddhist sets himself on fire, known as self-immolation. Students in 8th grade and beyond may have already been exposed to this form of protest, as it was used by Buddhists monks to protest the war in Vietnam, as well, and may be mentioned in the curriculum. If your student has not studied this in school, however, or been exposed to it in any other way, this is an excellent teaching moment, and probably warrants a dual-read -- mom or dad on the couch with your kiddo -- to explain and explore while or immediately after reading.
