One woman’s extraordinary journey from child bride to global changemaker
At just 10 years old, Sonita Alizada was nearly sold into marriage. By the time she turned 16, her price was set at $9,000 – a sum meant to buy her future for someone else’s benefit. In a world where nearly 15 million girls are forced into marriage each year, Sonita’s story is a heartbreaking but all-too-common reality. Yet, she refused to let her fate be sealed.
In her eponymous memoir, Sonita shares her powerful journey from the streets of Afghanistan to international stages as a rap artist and activist. Breaking through oppressive traditions and laws, she escaped her destiny as a child bride and transformed her pain into music that resonated across the globe.
This book is not just her story, it’s a call to action. Sonita’s message is clear: Dreams have the power to change lives. Weaving together her family’s harrowing escape from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, her rise as a human rights advocate, and her belief in the transformative power of hope, Sonita’s story will leave readers galvanised to fight for a world where every girl’s voice is heard.
08 Jul 2025 | HB | 9780008752835 | £20
If you’re an independent bookseller in the UK or Ireland and you’d like an advance reading copy of Sonita please send your request, along with your name and bookshop address, to the IndieThinking team on independentthinking@harpercollins.co.uk
