A Beautiful Lie
In northern India in 1947, thirteen-year-old Bilal’s father, a man who believes that a united and free India is not only possible but essential, is dying of cancer. When the decision for Partition is finalized, Bilal decides to hide the truth from his father, thinking it will break the man’s heart. That means keeping news and visitors out of the house. His three best friends—Saleem, whose family is Muslim like Bilal’s, Chota, and Manjeet, whose family is Sikh—all willingly help him out. As Bilal and his friends work to keep visitors away, the unraveling of trust within their larger community becomes apparent as former friends and neighbors become further and further divided along religious lines and violence escalates. Bilal’s older brother—rarely around and caught up in separationist fervor—shows up occasionally to encourage Bilal to take their father to the new Pakistan before Partition. But Bilal refuses. Author Irfan Master’s story is told with immediacy and insight into how Partition ripped India apart in a way that was far more profound than just geography in a story that is deeply felt and moving. ©2012 Cooperative Children's Book Center
CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 11 and older
Age Range:
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Novel
Subjects:
20th Century
Community
Faith, Spirituality and Religion
Fathers
Friendship
Historical Fiction
Illness and Disease
Indians and Indian Americans
Muslim People
Pakistanis and Pakistani Americans
Politics and Political Systems
Sikh People
Violence
World History
Diversity subjects:
Asian
Muslim
Other Religion
Publisher:
Albert Whitman
Publish Year: 2012
Pages: 301
ISBN: 9780807505977
CCBC Location: Fiction, Master