SIXTEEN-year-old Malala Yousafzai gained worldwide fame when, in 2012, she was shot by a Taliban militant on the bus home from school in the Swat Valley.

For years, Malala had spoken out as the Taliban took over Swat, in Pakistan, imposing their strict moral code, destroying girls’ schools and murdering those who stood in their way.

Malala’s story is gripping, tragic and, at times, horrifying, and yet ultimately it is full of hope. Faced with religious fundamentalism, suicide bombers and death threats, her courage, stoicism and wisdom shine through at every turn. The bond she shares with her father is also very movingly described.

Review: Katie Wright