The Kite Runner

Author:Khaled Hosseini

ISBN:978-1594480003

Publication Information:Riverhead Trade

Plot Summary: Amir is the son of a rich merchant. His best friend Hassan, is the son of Amir's father's servant. They are best friends growing up in peaceful Afghanistan, but eventually pressures from the Afghani society to keep Hazara (lower class citizens) and the wealthy apart, along with a traumatic event, eventually strains their relationship. Eventually, as the Soviets begin to invade Afghanistan, Amir and his father move to America, where their economic situation is reduced from comfortable and wealthy to lower middle class. Througout Amir's tenure in America, he remembers his old friend Hassan, and feels guilt for not stopping the traumatic event that had happened many years earlier. Eventually, Amir is summoned to Pakistan, where he is told that his old friend's son is residing in an orphanage. To assuage his guilt, he must find Hassan's son, and save him from a fate worse than death.

Critical Evaluation: Hosseini has crafted a heartbreaking story of friendships and bonds that last decades, and hold strong across countries, continents and oceans. With peaceful 1970s Afghanistan as a backdrop, Hosseini creates a vibrant story of two boys growing up in a relatively idyllic childhood. When Hassan is assaulted, it is heartbreaking and intense without being overly graphic. He is able to perfectly capture the struggle that Amir feels between being a good friend to Hassan and being afraid to defend himself and his friend against bullies. The book does an excellent job of giving the readers an overview of Afghanistan's history from the 1970s on. This would be an excellent curriculum addition to World History or Political Science courses focusing on the Middle East.

Reader's Annotation: The Kite Runner is a story of the powerful bond of friendship between two boys living in Afghanistan.

Author Information: Khaled Hosseini was born in 1965 in Kabul, Afghanistan. He spent his childhood in Kabul until his family was relocated to Paris in 1976. After the Soviet invasion, his family realized they could not return to Afghanistan, and moved to the United States. He received an undergraduate degree from Santa Clara University in biology, and a medical degree from the University of California, San Diego. He previously practiced as an medical internist for many years, and now has a career as an activist, humanitarian and writer. He currently lives in Northern California (information taken from the author's website http://www.khaledhosseini.com/hosseini-bio.html).

Curricular Ties: World History

Genre: Issues

Book talking ideas:

• Why did Hassan admire Amir so much? Why was Baba Amir's idol?
• Discuss the bond between Ali and Amir.
• Why did General Taheri not approve of Amir and his relationship with Soraya?
  

Challenge issues: Rape, Violence

• Familiarize yourself with the book and its contents.
• Check the library for specific policies on challenged books.
• Check the ALA website for advice on how to respond and react when a book has been challenged. (http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials/index.cfm)
  
• Find positive reviews from reputable websites.
• Ask the challenger for their specific objections and try to address them using information from the above research.

Interest Age:Grades 10 and up

Why I selected this piece: This was a great read, and I was happy to see that this novel had been adopted into school curriculum, and has been placed in the teen section of the library.