Wednesdays Worthwhile Reads.

I'm much later in posting this than I had hoped, but the day just got away from me. Worthwhile reads is a weekly feature here that showcases some past favourites. Sometimes we get so caught up in new releases that we forget to talk about the books that we've loved in the past.

To participate, please link to your post below. Rules are simple: The book must be published before 2009. Please include a cover image, summary and your thoughts on the book (doesn't need to be a full review)

This weeks selection:

Jackal in the Garden by Deborah Ellis
Published in 2007 by Watson-Guptil Publications
176 Pages

Summary from Goodreads:

Little is known about the fifteenth-century Persian painter Bizhad--we only know that he worked in what is now Afghanistan and Iran. Jackal in the Garden imagines him as a gifted dreamer contrasted by a strong female protagonist. Anubus, a girl born disfigured in the harem of her vicious father. She must fight for survival-and her struggle leads her to an artists colony. Bizhad is the leader, and they find common ground yet their different attitudes offer a sharp commentary on life, survival and art that will resonate with young adult readers trying to find their place in the world.

I found this story deeply moving. Anubus is born with a disfigured face and her father instructs the servants to leave her in the desert to die, to be "eaten" by the jackals. The servants take pity on her and hide and raise her as their own in secret. When Anubus becomes a young adult they cast her out for fear of being discovered. As Anubus moves through the world, her strength and resilience in what she faces is inspiring. A story that reminds us of our potential, and the true meaning of love, friendship and sacrifice. Definitely worth reading.