79 pages 2 hours read

Deborah Ellis

Parvana's Journey

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2002

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Reading Questions & Paired Texts

Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Chapters 1-2

Reading Check

1. Why does the young girl tell Parvana she must leave?

2. What was Parvana’s father’s job?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why are there only men at Parvana’s father’s funeral? How does Parvana deal with this situation?

2. What is Parvana’s dilemma with finding her family? What does she decide to do in the days after her father’s funeral?

3. Who does Parvana encounter as she begins her journey? Describe the outcome of this encounter.

Paired Resource

Who Is an Internally Displaced Person?

  • This is a UNHCR teaching resource with information about internally displaced persons (IDPs).
  • This resource connects to the theme of The Senseless Nature of War.
  • How are IDPs different from refugees? What category would Parvana fall under?

Chapters 3-6

Reading Check

1. According to Parvana, what did many soldiers do after bombing a village?

2. What language does Parvana speak?

3. Why does Parvana suddenly leave the village with Hassan?

4. What makes Hassan stop crying?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.