I AM MALALA, YOUNG READERS EDITION How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World

In a work this personal and important, it’s vital to utilize a reader who engages the listener and renders an authentic interpretation of the writer, both physically and emotionally. Neela Vaswani does this admirably. She sounds like Westerners would imagine Malala Yousafzai, now slightly older than when we first heard of her, would sound. Malala is the Pakistani girl shot by the Taliban when she spoke out in favor of girls going to school. Vaswani’s Indian accent is far from overpowering, and her diction is crisp and easy on the ear. Her cadence also adds to the realism of the reading. While the book is aimed at young adults, adult listeners should find equal pleasure in this book. R.C.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2014]