In 1947, India gained its independence from British rule and was split into two countries, India & Pakistan. This change created a huge amount of tension between Muslims & Hindus. As people desperately tried to run for safety, thousands were killed. Nisha is twelve and is half Hindu, half Muslim. She doesn't understand why her family is suddenly in danger, but her physician father bundles her and her younger brother and their grandmother up and make a run for the Pakistan border where they hope they'll find safety. Along the way, Nisha writes diary entries to her deceased mother, whom she never knew. Nisha chronicles the heartache and danger the family faces as they walk towards Pakistan, desperately hoping they will find her mother's brother who has agreed to take them in. Faced with dying of starvation, crazed killers and unfathomable conditions, Nisha's story is as heart breaking as it is exhilarating. I really couldn't put this novel down, Nisha's letters to her mother are funny, sad and poignant. She is a brave voice in an uncertain world. The novel also educated me on a time period and place I hadn't really paid attention to before. It's a tragic moment in history that is made interesting and heartfelt through this compelling novel. I really think all students ages 10 and up should read this fantastic book.
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