From the back cover:

Nujood Ali's childhood came to an abrupt end in 2008 when her father arranged for her to be married to a man three times her age. With harrowing directness, Nujood tells of abuse at her husband's hands and of her daring escape. With the helpof local advocates and the press, Nujood obtained her freedom--an extraordinary achievement in Yemen, where almost half of all girls are married under the legal age. Nujood's courageous defiance of both Yemeni customs and her own family has inspired other young girls in the Middle East to challenge their marriages. Hers in an unforgettable storyof tragedy, triumph, and courage.

Reserved for hyphen8 for the tag wishlist game.

mailed

This arrived yesterday but I didn't have a chance to journal it last night.

You sent it so quickly - I hope you had a chance to read it first?!

Thanks very much for sending this wishlist tag book!

Sadly, I'm not shocked at Nujood's fate. Upset, disturbed, outraged, angry...but not shocked because unfortunately too many other girls are in similar situations.

What makes this child bride special is that she successfully got out of her abusive marriage (as if marrying a ten-year-old is ever not abusive) - and that makes her exceptional.

I hope she goes on to do even more with her life, but apparently at least two other young Yemeni girls have followed in her footsteps and successfully gotten divorces, so no matter what happens from now on, Nujood has already made her mark in the world in a significant way. The cover photo is of Nujood. I wish her well in the future.

Important: see info about the latest incarnation of this ray here...

International bookray headed out for bookczuk's Darkness to Light Release Challenge. Darkness to Light (D2L) is a leading non-profit working to end child sexual abuse. If you'd like to help, please visit their website or find them on Facebook and Twitter (at @Darkness2Light).

Here are the instructions:

1. Make a quick journal entry when you receive the book so we know it got to you safely.

2. VOLUNTARY - let's see if anyone reads this part! ;) If you're willing, please PM hyphen8 for my address and send me a postcard with some interesting stamps on it for my mom the stamp collector, especially if you're not in the US.

3. Read and send on within 1 month - or make a journal entry to let us know how it's going if you need to keep the book longer. I realize that sometimes life gets in the way of BookCrossing, but please keep us posted on what's happening.

4. Make a journal entry when you've finished - tell us what you thought!

5. Check back here to make sure the mailing order hasn't changed, then PM the next person in line for an address. Even if you've mailed something to that person before, please double-check their mailing info and make sure they're still interested and able to participate.

6. Use whatever shipping method works best for you; (feel free to use surface mail if you have the option); if you're able to use delivery confirmation/tracking that's always nice but I'm not going to require it.

Current order (subject to change):
*PLEASE* check before sending to the next person!

hostile17 - Indiana, US (US only)
MaryZee - Maryland, US (US/Canada preferred) - sadly stopped here

Replacement copy generously provided by greenbadger to continue the ray.

Important: see info about the latest incarnation of this ray here...

Nujood and her story are off to see the world via a bookray inspired by bookczuk's Darkness to Light Release Challenge (see beginning of previous journal entry).

First stop: Indiana!

Received today and plan on diving in tonight after work.
Thanks for letting me join this. It was on my wishlist. :)

So sad that these things happen in the world we live in.
Thank God she found people to listen to her story and help her.
This book is ready to move on and have sent a message to the next person on the list.

Sending off to the next reader in the ray.

This bookray is up in the air at the moment due to the sudden passing of MaryZee - my condolences to her family.

It's too soon for anyone to know what will happen to her books, and I'm sure her family has bigger concerns at the moment than dealing with her mail. If I do get further news I'll add it here.

I'm sorry she never got a chance to read this book which was on her wishlist.

--

As of October 2012, greenbadger has generously offered another copy of this book to continue the ray.

MaryZee 's family located this among the things that were left over shortly after she passed. They brought it to me at the MaryZee Memorial Meet-up today.

Please send me a PM about what you think I should do with this copy.

MaryZee 's family located this among the things that were left over shortly after she passed. They brought it to me at the MaryZee Memorial Meet-up today.

Please send me a PM about what you think I should do with this copy.

"A book is a mysterious object, I said, and once it floats out into the world, anything can happen. All kinds of mischief can be caused, and there's not a damned thing you can do about it. For better or worse, it's completely out of your control." -- Paul Auster

This book is now on its way to Dove-i-libri in Florida, as part of the bookring it was intended to be. Hopefully it will be back on the road for a long time.

RESTARTED US/Canada bookray headed out for bookczuk's Darkness to Light Release Challenge. Darkness to Light (D2L) is a leading non-profit working to end child sexual abuse. If you'd like to help, please visit their website or find them on Facebook and Twitter (at @Darkness2Light).

This ray is dedicated to MaryZee, who didn't get a chance to read this book about Nujood...and to 6of8, for helping it get moving again.

Here are the instructions:

1. Make a quick journal entry when you receive the book so we know it got to you safely.

2. VOLUNTARY - let's see if anyone reads this part! ;) If you're willing, please PM hyphen8 for my address and send me a postcard with some interesting stamps on it for my mom the stamp collector, especially if you're not in the US.

3. Read and send on within 1 month - or make a journal entry to let us know how it's going if you need to keep the book longer. I realize that sometimes life gets in the way of BookCrossing, but please keep us posted on what's happening.

4. Make a journal entry when you've finished - tell us what you thought!

5. Check back here to make sure the mailing order hasn't changed, then PM the next person in line for an address. Even if you've mailed something to that person before, please double-check their mailing info and make sure they're still interested and able to participate.

6. Use whatever shipping method works best for you; (feel free to use surface mail if you have the option); if you're able to use delivery confirmation/tracking that's always nice but I'm not going to require it.

Current order (subject to change):
*PLEASE* check before sending to the next person!

• Dove-i-libri - Florida, US (US/Canada only)

[[ Dove-i-libri has kindly agreed to send this book to Canada - THANK YOU!!! ]]

• jumpingin - Vancouver, BC, Canada
• iwillrejoice - Florida, US
• BouncingFerret - New York, US
• Readertoo - Texas, US
• peacemonger84 - Alaska, US (international mailing ok)
• cheli-garza - Texas, US (US only) - here!

If you'd like to participate, post in the forum thread and send me a PM with your location and mailing preferences.

US States visited (8): AK • FL • GA • HI • IN • MD • NY • TX
Canadian Provinces visited (1): BC

Here it is! Sorry to have caused worry. It was hidden in a pile of mail that arrived while we were away and was put aside to open. I thought it was an HGG (Holiday Gift Giving) present. I will read it and send it along to Iwillrejoice. Hopefully I'll get to actually give it to her at a meet-up.

January 16, 2015: Started reading this book today so that I can send it off to the next reader, who will be 'Jumpingin' in Canada. Sent a PM to request their address, so it can travel as soon as I've finished reading it.

(Also, I actually DO read all the journal entries, but since I'm here in the USA, I really don't have much to offer Mom in terms of stamps.)

January 18, 2015: A quick read, but so much to think about. I received Jumpingin's address, and I'll be sending the book off next weekend!

A NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC article about child brides can be found at this link: CLICK HERE

February 12, 2015: I am only now just getting this book mailed. I'm so sorry for the delay. Postage $ had a bit to do with it after the holidays, but the main reason was that I didn't have a chance to print the customs form since I had been using my phone for BookCrossing for a while, as PC was down and out. Husband will be mailing this tomorrow, I PROMISE!

Dad-i-Libri sent this from the post office today to Jumpingin in BC, Canada ☺ Happy Traveling, Book! ☺

Arrived safely. Thank you so much for sending it to me in Canada!

What a courageous girl Nujood is! I hope that her experience continues to help other girls escape this fate.

This book is now travelling to iwillrejoice. Thanks so much for sharing!

It's here! Thanks for sending it. I'll read this as soon as I finish my current read.

That poor child!

Thanks for sharing. I read this, & a non-BookCrossing friend read it.

Now, on to BouncingFerret. PM'ing for an address now...

Released to BouncingFerret in New York. Happy travels, little book!

This book came in the mail today-- Thank you very much! Looking forward to starting it this week:):)

Eye opening read, tragic story of the horrors that children around the world are being subject to every day. Sickening that this still happens in this modern era.
Though, it seemed as if the author added too much of her own opinions or beliefs when it was in the first person, supposedly written by Nujood. It should have been written either fully by Nujood's account, or fully from an outside, adult perspective. Nevertheless, I am both saddened and inspired by her story and hope that everyone will know about these cases!

Sent to the next bookcrosser on our list this afternoon.:)

This book arrived in the mail yesterday. I am looking forward to reading it during the next few days. Thank you for including me in the book ring!

This is a heartbreaking story of a little girl who lost her childhood after being sold into marriage by her father to a much older man who beat and abused her. Her act of courage and bravery in escaping her cruel husband and asking the courts for a divorce shed light on this despicable practice. Ultimately it paved the way for other young girls to be granted divorces from their forced marriages and even brought about changes to the laws in Yemen so children younger than age 17 could not consent to be married. Thank you to Hyphen8 for sharing this in a book ray. As soon as I hear back from her of others who have requested to join the book ray I will send it off in the mail.

I just received the mailing address from peacemonger84 in Alaska so I will be sending this book off on Monday to continue it's journey.

Just wanted everyone to know I received the book this week and hopefully start it soon. Thank you.

Even though this book was a quick read; it was one of the most inspiring stories I have read in a while. Nujood's determination and courage are commendable. There are too many children that are put in these situations that are beaten down by society and what they're told and just accept it. I hope she meets her dream of being a lawyer. I know she will do great.

***released to cheli-garza as part of hyphen8's US Bookray***

I loved the book while hating the fact that it had to be written, that it was a true story. Thank you, brave little Nujood, for sharing your story.

This is a bookray... who wants to be next? :)

Left in the smoking area to the right of the main doors. Although, of course, the whole campus is nonsmoking. ;-)

Enjoy!!