Reviews

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani

jess_mango's review against another edition

4.0

Middle grade historical fiction about the partition of India and Pakistan. This is a good introduction for kids who may not know much about the history of how India and Pakistan became 2 separate countries and what the human impact of the partition was.

hollyxbear's review against another edition

5.0

This book was so needed in the world of Historical Fiction. There is a severe lack of Indian representation in novels and this was such an important part of history. Children need to learn about the hardships people of all different cultures and parts of the world have been going through throughout history. I want 20 more book by this author and 20,000 more written for kids about everyday life in India through the ages.

firefly_reading's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

lnseiple's review against another edition

emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

jesstele's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

k_dog_reads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

tinada1nonly's review

hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

anamsoomro's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

benniii's review against another edition

4.0

It made me smile, it made me cry, it made me angry. I love Nisha’s perspective and her world view.

“My body felt like it was melting. “Thank you,” I whispered. It was the answer I had always wanted to hear. It almost made everything we had been through worth it.” ❤️

justicepirate's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This is a historical fiction story for middle grade aged children. I'd say, age 13 and up is a good age for this, as there is some violent situations mentioned that might be too much for younger kids. 

Nisha is writing a diary to her deceased mother.  She has grown up in India, but as she is writing in the diary, the country is being split into Pakistan and India.  She lives on the Pakistan side, but her father in a Hindu, while her mother was Muslim. The family is figuring out where to go, how to go there, and what home will look like for them.  

It was a well written story.  It doesn't talk a lot about the situation that occurred in 1947, but it tells enough from an understanding of a 12-year-old, and I appreciated that.  Some children just are thrown into situations without really fully comprehending what is going on around them.