Our impressions of the War in Afghanistan usually consist of images we see on TV of soldiers, tanks, and debris.

We hear numbers: of people dying, damaged buildings, and dates promising an end to the violence.

However, in every war-torn country, there are ordinary people trying to live as normally as possible and survive amidst the danger, sadness, and chaos.

Readers closely examine the war that has raged in Afghanistan since 2001-learning about the people on each side and the causes and consequences of the conflict.

This account stands apart from other social studies texts with its inclusion of a fictional correspondence between two girls, one in Afghanistan and one in the United States.

The captivating letters weaved throughout the nonfiction narrative bring to light the many commonalities between two young people who at first seem worlds apart.