The Night Diary

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani is another Newbery Honor book for 2019. Summary from Kirkus Review: "Nisha and her twin brother, Amil, celebrate their 12th birthday in their beloved town of Mirpur Khas, India, a month before their country receives independence from the British and splits into India and Pakistan. Painfully shy, Nisha, who lost her mother in childbirth and feels distant from her stern father and her elderly grandmother, is only able to speak freely with the family cook, a Muslim man named Kazi. Although Nisha’s mother was Muslim, her family is Hindu, and the riots surrounding Partition soon make it impossible for them to live in their home safely despite their mixed faith. They are forced to leave their town—and Kazi. As Nisha and her family make their way across the brand-new border, Nisha learns about her family history, not to mention her own strength."

This was a great book. It was extremely engaging and heart-wrenching. Again, it's been awhile since I read this since I'm playing catch-up but it was a good read and a well-deserved Newbery. It was maybe somewhere in between liked and loved, but I'll just put it down as loved. 

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)