Mud City

Reach for this book when your middle-schooler begins asking difficult questions about global poverty, the refugee crisis, or what it means to be truly independent. It is a vital resource for children who are developing a sense of social justice and need to see that courage looks different in every corner of the world. Mud City tells the story of Shauzia, a young Afghan girl who flees a refugee camp to seek a better life on the streets of Peshawar with her dog, Jasper. It explores intense themes of self-reliance, gender roles, and survival with a gritty realism that is rare in children's literature. While the subject matter is heavy, it provides a window into the lived experience of millions of displaced people, making it an essential pick for fostering empathy and global awareness in readers aged 10 to 14. It is a stark, honest look at the lengths a child will go to protect their own future.