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The Night Diary

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( 20,150 ratings, 3,053 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! 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.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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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.

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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.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! 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.

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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

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.

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