Maha of the Mountains

Maha of the Mountains tells the story of a young girl’s determination to go to school despite intense pressure from her family and village to stay at home. The story was inspired by Queen Rania’s own encounter with a young Arab woman who had overcome great social barriers to earn an education.

In 2009, the story appeared as part of a short story collection for the Big Read, an event to promote literacy, organized by the Global Campaign for Education. Other contributors included global statesmen, like Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, as well as world famous authors, such as Paulo Coelho and Alice Walker. Queen Rania’s story is available in Arabic, English, French, and Spanish. You can download a free copy here.