I Am Malala tells the autobiographical story of a young Pakistani girl named Malala Yousafzai. Malala is the main character, and the book focuses on her activism efforts and the failed assassination attempt on her. Malala grew up in Pakistan, where women's rights were severely restricted. Desperate to go to school in order to receive an education, Malala risked her life to campaign for girls' rights in Pakistan.

As Malala is a young girl, her parents are also important characters in the book. Her mother and father's way of bringing up their daughter has greatly shaped and influenced Malala's view of the world. Her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, is the main reason for Malala's dream of receiving an education. Running a school to educate girls himself, Ziauddin supports his daughter as much as possible in her quest to fight for her rights. He encourages her thirst for knowledge, and Malala draws a lot of strength from him.

Her mother, Toor Pekai Yousafzai, is an equally important figure for Malala and therefore is also a main character in the book. Toor Pekai has not been able to receive an education herself, yet she doesn't want the same fate for her daughter. Therefore, she encourages Malala to fight for her right to education.