The Night Diary

Name: The Night Diary
Brand: Penguin Random House Distribution
SKU: 9780735228528
Price: 17.99 NZD
Availability: InStock

By Veera Hiranandani

0.0 (0 reviews)

4.21

( 20,150 ratings, 3,053 reviews)

Summary

In The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani, a twelve-year-old girl named Nisha is caught in the tumultuous period of the 1947 Partition of India. Through entries written in her diary, she expresses her worries and hopes while her family undertakes a perilous journey to find a new home. This heartfelt narrative explores themes of identity, belonging, and resilience.
Read More

Format: Paperback / softback

$17⁹⁹

Backorder

STOCK ARRIVING MID SEPTEMBER Order now to secure your copy from our next shipment

Found a better price? Request a price match

The Night Diary

$17⁹⁹

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate heartwarming stories set against historical backdrops. This tale provides a poignant perspective on India's Partition through the heartfelt letters of a young girl seeking to understand her identity amidst tumultuous times. Perfect for readers who like to explore different cultures and periods through the eyes of courageous young characters.

CHILDREN'S BOOKS 9 Sep 2026

Tiny Books, Big Adventures: Meet Bookcessories!

We are so excited to introduce to you our mini Bookcessories range! These are super cute...

FICTION 9 Sep 2026

New Releases to add to your TBR this week (9th September)

Lizzy is rounding up the newest arrivals across fiction, non-fiction, and children's books! Check out...

THE BOOK BRIEFING 9 Sep 2026

The Book Briefing - September 9th

Welcome to this week's Book Briefing where we round up the news for the week!

FICTION 8 Sep 2026

Your Introduction to Paranormal Romance

Paranormal Romance is a sub-genre of the romance world that I love in all it's...

MOVIE REVIEW 8 Sep 2026

Lizzy and Roopa loved Practical Magic 2

Lizzy and Roopa went along to the Practical Magic 2 screening and had a wonderfully...

From the author of "The Whole Story of Half a Girl." Forced to flee her home with her Hindu family during the 1947 partition of India, shy 12-year-old Nisha tries to find her voice and make sense of the world falling apart around her by writing to her deceased Muslim mother in her diary.

In the vein of Inside Out and Back Again and The War That Saved My Life comes a poignant, personal, and hopeful tale of India's partition, and of one girl's journey to find a new home in a divided country.

Description

In the vein of Inside Out and Back Again and The War That Saved My Life comes a poignant, personal, and hopeful tale of India's partition, and of one girl's journey to find a new home in a divided country.

A 2019 NEWBERY HONOR BOOK
A Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Book of the Century

A gripping, nuanced story of the human cost of conflict appropriate for both children and adults. - Kirkus, starred review

It's 1947, and India, newly independent of British rule, has been separated into two countries: Pakistan and India. The divide has created much tension between Hindus and Muslims, and hundreds of thousands are killed crossing borders.

Half-Muslim, half-Hindu twelve-year-old Nisha doesn't know where she belongs, or what her country is anymore. When Papa decides it's too dangerous to stay in what is now Pakistan, Nisha and her family become refugees and embark first by train but later on foot to reach her new home. The journey is long, difficult, and dangerous, and after losing her mother as a baby, Nisha can't imagine losing her homeland, too. But even if her country has been ripped apart, Nisha still believes in the possibility of putting herself back together.

Told through Nisha's letters to her mother, The Night Diary is a heartfelt story of one girl's search for home, for her own identity...and for a hopeful future.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani has received widespread acclaim for its powerful storytelling and historical setting, depicting the partition of India through the eyes of a young girl named Nisha. The book is praised for its engaging and accessible narrative, bringing attention to a significant period in history unfamiliar to many young readers. It has been recognised with numerous awards and honours, highlighting its impact and the timelessness of its themes, including identity, belonging, and the human cost of conflict.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780735228528

Publisher: Penguin Books Canada Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 23 April 2019

Country: Canada

Imprint: Penguin Books Canada Ltd

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 21.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 195.0mm

Weight: 224g

Pages: 304

Collections

Children's Books Children’s, Teenage and Educational Penguin Books Veera Hiranandani Young Adult

About the Author

Veera Hiranandani, author of the Newbery Honor-winning The Night Diary, earned her MFA in creative writing at Sarah Lawrence College. She is the author of The Whole Story of Half a Girl, a Sydney Taylor Notable Book and a South Asia Book Award finalist, and How to Find What You're Not Looking For, winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award and the New York Historical Society Children's History Book Prize. A former editor at Simon & Schuster, she now teaches in the Writing for Children and Young Adults MFA Program at The Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Also by Veera Hiranandani

View all

The Greatest

In this poignant tribute to grandparents everywhere, a grandfather reflects on his loving relationship with his three grandchildren. This story beautifully captures how love can make anyone the greatest in someone's eyes. An NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR From Newbery Honor author Veera Hiranandani and National Book Award finalist Vesper Stamper comes a poignant story about the love between...

By Veera Hiranandani and Vesper Stamper

Hardback

Sold Out

More from Children's Books

View all

New Release

The Comeback Kid

Charlie Boy might be just an ordinary kid, but he's about to get into some EXTRA-ordinary trouble... Get ready for this funny, fast-paced, friendship adventure with lots of kick. Meet Charlie Boy: skinny, small, looks like a strand of spaghetti. He and his best friend, Rocky the Lower Hutt Chief, are good at getting into trouble together. But when Charlie...

By Airana Ngarewa

Paperback

$17⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$19⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships today
New Release

The Neverfear

A world of richly-imagined wonder Cressida Cowell It’s the Midsummer Feast on the Islet of Glimt and on this magical moonlit evening, the word on everyone’s lips is bandits. Reports of masked men burning villages are spreading throughout the Archipelago, but worse is still to come: Christopher and Anya are ambushed and one of the people they love most is...

By Katherine Rundell

Paperback

$19⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$22⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships today
New Release

Matihe! Achoo!

What happens when a grumpy tupua has to sneeze? Matihe! Achoo! is a bilingual story about the tupua Mataoho and his connection to the volcanoes of Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. It comes with an action song to engage young readers! He pūrākau e pā ana ki a Mataoho me ngā puia o Takamaki Makaurau. He tupua pukukino a Mataoho e noho...

By Qiane Matata-Sipu

Paperback

$18⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$21⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships today
New Release

Pocket Observology

Pocket Observology is a practical field guide designed for those who love to explore and understand the natural world around them. Slip this guide out of your pocket to identify, measure, compare, or find clues to the things you encounter every day in nature. This pocket guide is a useful tool and a fun reminder of how to engage with...

By Giselle Clarkson

Paperback

$23⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$27⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships today
New Release

Minecraft Annual 2027

The official Minecraft Annual 2027, full of updates, builds, activities, and more! Discover all there is to know about the past year of Minecraft in this exciting annual. Stuffed to the brim with updates, activities, step-by-step builds, and tips and tricks for the game, this book is a must-have for any minecrafter. This year’s annual includes: Mob guides on happy...

By Mojang AB

Hardback

$19⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$24⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships today
New Release

Giant Heart

Meet Jonah Lomu, one of the greatest All Blacks of all time. His speed and strength on the rugby field made him famous around the world, and his fun and generous personality made him beloved, but all the while he faced a big battle with his health. “[David Hill’s] stories are wonderful, full of action and are always teaching the...

By David Hill

Hardback

$19⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$25⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships today
New Release

Lizzy's Pick

Protector of Beyond 1

Experience fierce magical creatures, perilous trials, and a heroine to root for in this 1st instalment in a new blockbuster fantasy series. The moment you enter the Arbiter, your fate is sealed. If you spark, you fight! And 12-year-old Elder Triss produces a spark like no other. Transported to the mysterious Beyond, Elder has no choice but to train for...

By Shara Curlett

Paperback

$21⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$24⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships today
New Release

Animalia 40th Anniversary Edition

A beautiful, foiled collector's edition to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Graeme Base's classic and bestselling Australian picture book, Animalia. Embark on a fantastical alphabetic adventure where each turn of the page unveils a rich tapestry of intricate illustrations tied to a unique letter of the alphabet. More than 5 million copies sold worldwide Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA)...

By Graeme Base

Hardback

$29⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$35⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships today
New Release

The Little Kiwi Builder

Oh no, the little kiwi builder's house is falling down! His screws have all come loose - what can he do? When the brickie, the plumber, the roofer, the sparky and the painter all come to help, it's looking good! Until, that night ... uh-oh! Perfect for: Anyone who likes fun and silly rhyming stories Reading aloud with little ones...

By Tim Saunders

Paperback

$18⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$21⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships today
New Release

You Choose Party Time

It's time to celebrate - Party Time is a brand new You Choose adventure! It's Party Time and you choose what happens! What kind of party will it be? Who will you invite? Which cake would you like to eat? Will you dance to a steel pan band or bagpipes? The possibilities are endless in this magical storytelling toolkit which...

By Pippa Goodhart

Hardback

$25⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$34⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships today
New Release

When Nature Calls (Duck #2)

New in 2026, the latest story from Duck, the quirky new children's series by million-copy bestselling author Matt Stanton. Do you ever wonder what animals think about humans? Do they feel they could do a better job running things? Would they ever try and take over? Duck, Mouse and Dog are alarmed that the adults in Redhill are being brainwashed...

By Matt Stanton

Paperback

$17⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$19⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships today
New Release

Wild Summer

A gorgeously whimsical interactive picture book that inspires kids to get outside and engage with nature. With simple, evocative wording and stunning watercolour illustrations, this book celebrates summer days, running through grass and singing with birds. Wild Summer is a joyous read that draws kids in and sends them out with a wanderlust for nature, encouraging mindfulness, gratitude and acceptance....

By Vasanti Unka

Hardback

$26⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$29⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.