Summary

Chapter 11: “The Clever Class”

Malala says that while her world is turning “dark,” she lives for school. She and her classmates want to be known for their intelligence, so they ask many questions of their teachers. They draw calculus and chemical formulas on their hands with henna when they are dressing up for holidays and weddings, ignoring the traditional butterflies and flowers. Malala continues to be competitive and is sometimes accused of being favored with good grades because her father owns the school. Malala is often afraid while she’s on the streets, imagining that every man she meets is a member of the Taliban. The girls stop wearing their school uniforms and hide their books as they travel to and from school.

Then, a nearby school is bombed during a prayer service for a fallen police officer. Malala and her...