When the Moon Is Low by Nadia Hashimi

When the Moon Is Low by Nadia Hashimi was published in 2015. The story begins in Kabul where we meet Fereiba who is in a Cinderella situation. Her marriage is arranged by her step-mother. Part of the novel is narrated in Fereiba's voice and part is narrated in her son Saleem's voice.

This story tells about the war in Afghanistan and Fereiba's and her children's' flight from that war zone. They become illegal immigrants. This story shows how they are preyed on by others and how sometimes people were kind and helpful.

I liked the story being told from each voice. At times they didn't know what was happening with each other, but the reader was told. Saleem had to grow up way too young, but he was a good son and a good brother. Fereiba made mistakes, but she loved her children.

I felt a bit detached from the characters until close to the end and then the emotion hit me. I wanted one more chapter at the end.

I love the cover of this book.

Read to a child today even if that child is you. 

Link to our NICU book registry if you'd like to donate books to babies in the newborn intensive care unit so their parents can read to them while they grow. You can also donate gently used books to our project by sending them to me or to Angie. Email me for a mailing address. We can use both English and Spanish books. If you have a graduate of the NICU, or if you have a baby whose life you would like to honor by donating books to this project, let me know, and I can make a book plate with their name for the books you donate.