Set in Kabul, Afghanistan, during the Taliban regime, the story follows eleven-year-old Parvana. When her father is arrested, her family is left without a male relative to provide for them or even buy food, as women are forbidden from leaving home alone. To save her family from starvation, Parvana must cut her hair and disguise herself as a boy to work in the market. The book is a powerful tale of courage and survival, showing the harsh reality of life under oppression through the eyes of a young girl.