by Hiba Noor Khan
“This was the line that only existed in the brains of men”.
Three children born on the same day -Lakshmi, Jahan and Ravi- each with their own miraculous origin story, destined to be forever friends. Every year, they and their families gather together in the village that has no name, one hour outside of Lahore by tanga. Here, the children spend the holiday out-pranking each other and running game tournaments with cricket, of course, taking centre stage. But this year, 1946, as they approach their twelfth birthdays, India is on the brink of a catastrophe which threatens to shatter their bonds and put all of their lives in peril
There have only been a small handful of children’s books dealing with the 1947 Partition of India and, in our view, none have done so with quite the level of research as this one. The historical backdrop, built chapter by chapter, feels close enough to touch, suggesting a meticulous handling and appreciation of historical sources. The author not only delves into the detail of Partition but looks back, through the voices of three generations, at the preceding decades of British colonial rule which plundered the Indian subcontinent’s wealth, stole its resources and redirected them to the colonisers, destroyed (in order to take ownership of) ancient artisan skills and exploited indigenous communities through new forms of indentured labour and enslavement. This in addition to a system of rule which worked energetically to divide and rule the Hindu, Muslim and Sikh communities so that with the coarse and brutal drawing of Partition’s line, those internal rifts were primed to explode.
It is this wider exploration of the Indian Subcontinent’s history which gives this novel such an accessible take on the 1947 Partition. And, it’s a history which is made almost painfully tangible by Hiba Noor Khan’s skill at imagining and evoking the depth of emotions which grips and haunts the book’s characters. A perfect classroom book which condenses historical details in such a way as to readily prompt readers in to further research. Includes a map of the Indian Subcontinent, an author’s note and a glossary incorporating some of the Urdu, Punjabi and Hindu words used in the text. The author’s dedication reads, “For everyone who lost a piece of themselves when India was wrenched apart.” By the author of the award-winning Safiyyah’s War.
Age 9-14, Paperback 290pp. Pre-order/publishes April 2025