On October 9, 2012, Malala Yousafzai was on her way home from school in Swat Valley, Pakistan, when she was shot in the head by members of the Taliban. Though she was only fifteen years old, the Taliban targeted her because she wrote blog posts and appeared on television defending girls' right to education in Pakistan. Malala survived the attack and went on to write a book, earn a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize, and meet President Barack Obama. She has become the face of the campaign for universal education and has inspired students worldwide to value their right to go to school. Malala was well known before the attack due to her outspoken support of education, but her near death catapulted her to international recognition. Now Malala lives in the United Kingdom, gives interviews, and attends school. She also continues to receive threats from the Taliban. Read more about Malala's childhood, what she has done after surviving the Taliban attack, and why she thinks education should be available for all children everywhere.
Author
Matt Doeden was born in southern Minnesota and lived parts of his childhood in Golden Valley, Minnesota, and Madison, Minnesota. He studied journalism at Mankato State University, where he worked at the college newspaper for three years. In his senior year, he served as the paper's Sports Editor, which put him in charge of the entire sports section, the sports writers, and the photographers. He covered mostly college sports, but also the Minnesota Vikings, who held training camp at MSU. His work allowed him to meet and interview people like Dennis Green, Cris Carter, Robert Smith, and more. Matt went on to work as a sports writer for the Mankato paper, and then he got a job as an editor with a small children's publisher called Capstone Press, and in 2003 he decided to start his own business as a freelance writer and editor. Since then, Matt has written and edited hundreds of books. Lots of them are on high-interest topics like cars, sports, and airplanes. He also writes and edits on geography, science, and even math.
