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Zarina Divided
From the award-winning author Reem Faruqi, comes a coming-of-age story about a Muslim girl who, during the Partition of India, must learn to cope with loss, guilt, and change in order to grow.
You can notice differences
if you look really close,
which lately everyone
seems to be doing.
Zarina loves her life in Poona, India. She spends her days happily hanging out with her best friends, Geeta and Jahana, and playing with her three brothers. However, Zarina and her family are given unsettling Muslims and Hindus are to separate by religion. Hindus are expected to stay in India, while Muslims are expected to move to a new land, Pakistan.
Zarina is heartbroken at having to move away from all she knows and loves, and after the frightening journey to Pakistan, she feels unsure that the unfamiliar country will ever feel like home. When an accident happens that leaves Zarina grappling with extreme guilt, she decides it’s best to attend boarding school far away, much to the protest of her mom. Will a fresh start at a new school give Zarina the chance to thrive in Pakistan, or will the divisions within herself and her family continue to widen?
You can notice differences
if you look really close,
which lately everyone
seems to be doing.
Zarina loves her life in Poona, India. She spends her days happily hanging out with her best friends, Geeta and Jahana, and playing with her three brothers. However, Zarina and her family are given unsettling Muslims and Hindus are to separate by religion. Hindus are expected to stay in India, while Muslims are expected to move to a new land, Pakistan.
Zarina is heartbroken at having to move away from all she knows and loves, and after the frightening journey to Pakistan, she feels unsure that the unfamiliar country will ever feel like home. When an accident happens that leaves Zarina grappling with extreme guilt, she decides it’s best to attend boarding school far away, much to the protest of her mom. Will a fresh start at a new school give Zarina the chance to thrive in Pakistan, or will the divisions within herself and her family continue to widen?
336 pages, Hardcover
First published May 20, 2025
11 people are currently reading
2658 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
May 24, 2025
Beautiful, touching book.
Happy to finish but also sad !
Highly recommend any of her books 📚 📚
Happy to finish but also sad !
Highly recommend any of her books 📚 📚
February 1, 2025
Another homerun from Reem Faruqi! The history is so compelling, especially with all the specific personal details Faruqi mentions in the author's note in the back. The history echoes so many aspects of our current day, making it a particularly timely read, but not without hope. I loved the model to be kind to all, even those who may have a different history or faith than your own. Even though Zarina goes through great challenges, she persists, makes friends that are similar and different to her, and finds joy. A great beacon of hope in this lovely novel in verse!
May 19, 2025
Zarina’s friend group splinters as the partitioning of India pits long time neighbors against each other depending on their religion. The journey to safety is fraught with danger and even once they arrive in Karachi, the danger is not over. When Zarina accidentally knocks over her pregnant mother while playing, she’s sure her mother’s bed rest is her fault. So she leaps at the chance to attend boarding school even though it’s on the opposite end of the newly created Pakistan. Zarina must find a way to bridge the distance between her old world and her new, and forge connections with classmates of a variety of backgrounds, all while navigating her guilt about what happened to her mom.
@reemfaruqi is a brilliant #verseNovelist with some of the most emotionally powerful stories in recent history. Zarina Divided is no exception! For those who love #historicalfiction, add this to your #TBR!
#verseNovel #NovelInVerse #MiddleGrade #India #Pakistan #PartitioningOfIndia #HF #MG #NIV #Poem #Poet #Poetry #KidLit #BookReview
@reemfaruqi is a brilliant #verseNovelist with some of the most emotionally powerful stories in recent history. Zarina Divided is no exception! For those who love #historicalfiction, add this to your #TBR!
#verseNovel #NovelInVerse #MiddleGrade #India #Pakistan #PartitioningOfIndia #HF #MG #NIV #Poem #Poet #Poetry #KidLit #BookReview
Want to read
November 18, 2024the cover art is BEAUTIFUL
January 21, 2025
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Zarina lives in Poona, India with her father (Abajan), mother, and three older brothers. The family has a spacious home as well as servants, including Khushboo, to whom Zarina is particularly close. Zarina goes to school and has friends from other religions, but as the political tensions increase in 1947, her world starts to change. Even though her mother has assured her that they won't leave, her father is a proponent of Muslims like their family going to Pakistan when the British leave. He makes plan, but delays them because the mother is pregnant and not doing well. When a mob attacks the house, however, it's clear that the time has come. The family gets on a train, but are not out of danger. They almost lose one brother, Adil, and survive an attack on the train only because they are hidden in a bathroom. When they get to Bombay, they are given some food and help by Sikh residents, and manage to get on a ship for Karachi. The ship is crowded, and many people are ill, but they eventually arrive. In Karachi, they manage to find housing, although the small place they are renting is already occupied by a Sikh woman who is not happy to give up her home. After they save her from a mob, she leaves, and wishes them well. Abajan gives her the name of the person they have left in their house in Poona. The children start school, but after they hear about a boarding school in the mountains, the boys want to go. The mother, who has had some setbacks in her pregnancy for which Zarina blames herself, doesn't want Zarina to go, but eventually relents. Zarina takes a train to Muree to attend a school run by English women. The other students are all from Christian families who stayed, or Muslim families. Some of the girls are nice, like Daphne Drinkwater, who becomes a close friend, but others are hateful and balk at doing chores for themselves. Zarina gets letters from home, as well as from Khushboo, makes peace with her mother's health, and is relieved when her new sister arrives. The events are based on the life of the author's grandmother, Zarina.
Strengths: It was interesting to see Zarina's life in these three different stages; living in India, traveling to Pakistan, and going to a school in the mountains. So often, books concentrate only on one aspect of history, so it's interesting to get the full picture. I loved that pictures from the real Zarina are given. While many portions of this book were very difficult, Zarina keeps a fairly good attitude about all of the situations, even when they mean that friends desert her or that she has to leave loved ones. Her guilt over her mother's illness, while misplaced, will be understood by Young readers. The depiction of the school was especially interesting, since the book is set after many British citizens leave the country. While Zarina knows some of the downfalls of colonialism, she doesn't seem to hold anything against individuals. Readers who enjoyed Faruqi's Unsettled, Call Me Adnan, or Golden Girl will want to pick up this new title.
Weaknesses: This does a good job at providing details for a novel in verse, but this format is still a difficult sell to my students. This seems not to be the case for other young readers, given the sheer number of novels in verse that have been published recently.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who have read books like Senzai's 2015 Ticket to India, Kelkar's 2017 Ahimsa , and 2024 The Night Diary, and Saadia Faruqi's Partition Project, and want even more accounts of what the Partition of India was like.
Zarina lives in Poona, India with her father (Abajan), mother, and three older brothers. The family has a spacious home as well as servants, including Khushboo, to whom Zarina is particularly close. Zarina goes to school and has friends from other religions, but as the political tensions increase in 1947, her world starts to change. Even though her mother has assured her that they won't leave, her father is a proponent of Muslims like their family going to Pakistan when the British leave. He makes plan, but delays them because the mother is pregnant and not doing well. When a mob attacks the house, however, it's clear that the time has come. The family gets on a train, but are not out of danger. They almost lose one brother, Adil, and survive an attack on the train only because they are hidden in a bathroom. When they get to Bombay, they are given some food and help by Sikh residents, and manage to get on a ship for Karachi. The ship is crowded, and many people are ill, but they eventually arrive. In Karachi, they manage to find housing, although the small place they are renting is already occupied by a Sikh woman who is not happy to give up her home. After they save her from a mob, she leaves, and wishes them well. Abajan gives her the name of the person they have left in their house in Poona. The children start school, but after they hear about a boarding school in the mountains, the boys want to go. The mother, who has had some setbacks in her pregnancy for which Zarina blames herself, doesn't want Zarina to go, but eventually relents. Zarina takes a train to Muree to attend a school run by English women. The other students are all from Christian families who stayed, or Muslim families. Some of the girls are nice, like Daphne Drinkwater, who becomes a close friend, but others are hateful and balk at doing chores for themselves. Zarina gets letters from home, as well as from Khushboo, makes peace with her mother's health, and is relieved when her new sister arrives. The events are based on the life of the author's grandmother, Zarina.
Strengths: It was interesting to see Zarina's life in these three different stages; living in India, traveling to Pakistan, and going to a school in the mountains. So often, books concentrate only on one aspect of history, so it's interesting to get the full picture. I loved that pictures from the real Zarina are given. While many portions of this book were very difficult, Zarina keeps a fairly good attitude about all of the situations, even when they mean that friends desert her or that she has to leave loved ones. Her guilt over her mother's illness, while misplaced, will be understood by Young readers. The depiction of the school was especially interesting, since the book is set after many British citizens leave the country. While Zarina knows some of the downfalls of colonialism, she doesn't seem to hold anything against individuals. Readers who enjoyed Faruqi's Unsettled, Call Me Adnan, or Golden Girl will want to pick up this new title.
Weaknesses: This does a good job at providing details for a novel in verse, but this format is still a difficult sell to my students. This seems not to be the case for other young readers, given the sheer number of novels in verse that have been published recently.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who have read books like Senzai's 2015 Ticket to India, Kelkar's 2017 Ahimsa , and 2024 The Night Diary, and Saadia Faruqi's Partition Project, and want even more accounts of what the Partition of India was like.
May 18, 2025
I first learned about the Partition of India, not in history classes in school, but as an adult through reading Veera Hiranandani’s middle-grade novels THE NIGHT DIARY and its sequel AMIL AND THE AFTER. In 1947 India, newly independent of British rule, was separated into two countries: Pakistan and India. Hindus stayed in, or fled to, the new India while Muslims fled, or stayed, in the section that was now Pakistan. Twins Nisha and Amil’s Hindu family left for India. In Reem Faruqi’s new novel, ZARINA DIVIDED, I learned more about Partition from Zarina, a young Muslim who has to leave her home for Pakistan. Unfortunately, these transitions were not without violence and killing.
During the time of the novel, Muslim Zarina experiences four homes. Forst the first eleven years of her life she lived happily in her beloved Poona, India, with two best friends—one Muslim and one Hindu. Her father, pregnant mother, three brothers and Zarina live in a bungalow of twelve rooms, six bathrooms, a veranda that wrapped around and a garden, a home.
Then Partition.
“We are finally gaining independence
from the British.
Two countries will be created—
Pakistan in the west
India in the east.” (38-39)
And even though her teacher tells them
“whatever faith you are.
we are all the same:
Human.” (39),
things become tense, and Jahana tells Zarina that her family is leaving for Pakistan, and Geeta stops playing with her and at one point, throws rocks at Zarina.
“I have no words left.
No more friends
or sisters.
Is this what it feels like
to be a stranger
at home?” (62)
Sooner than they planned Zarina’s family gets to the train station and on the train they hide. When they reach Bomabay, most of the travelers have been killed.
“We all look the same.
All shades of brown,
yet because of what we believe
or don’t believe,
people are being killed.” (98)
The family takes a ship and reaches Karachi where they create a makeshift life in one room of a house.
“Poona was home.
This place, Karachi, isn’t.
It never will be.” (129)
The boys leave for boarding school and after her mother has a small accident which Zarina believes she caused, she begs to go to boarding school also.
Her next home is St Denys’ in Muree, Pakistan, where she makes friends with both Pakistani and British girls and studies history to, as her teacher says, avoid making the same mistakes.
“I wonder if one day
in the future
people will look back
at the Partition.
Where India was torn to pieces,
and amid all the killing and bloodshed,
Pakisan was made,
and see it as a big mistake.” (224)
When she goes home for winter break,
“the house I left
isn’t the same house I come back to…
this one’s verandah welcomes me
with its warm and w I d e walls
splashed in sunlight.” (293)
and with her Mummy and her new baby sister Shireen.
Zarina learns through all these transitions
“home is my family
no matter where they are—
Pakistan, India,
or in between.” (240)
Through this poignantly-conveyed story written in verse with meaningful font-“play,” readers will discover the power of family and home while learning the history of India and Pakistan; they also learn about the malevolent and traumatic power of prejudice which, sadly, does not only exist in history. This is a story of 1947, but it is also a story of today.
During the time of the novel, Muslim Zarina experiences four homes. Forst the first eleven years of her life she lived happily in her beloved Poona, India, with two best friends—one Muslim and one Hindu. Her father, pregnant mother, three brothers and Zarina live in a bungalow of twelve rooms, six bathrooms, a veranda that wrapped around and a garden, a home.
Then Partition.
“We are finally gaining independence
from the British.
Two countries will be created—
Pakistan in the west
India in the east.” (38-39)
And even though her teacher tells them
“whatever faith you are.
we are all the same:
Human.” (39),
things become tense, and Jahana tells Zarina that her family is leaving for Pakistan, and Geeta stops playing with her and at one point, throws rocks at Zarina.
“I have no words left.
No more friends
or sisters.
Is this what it feels like
to be a stranger
at home?” (62)
Sooner than they planned Zarina’s family gets to the train station and on the train they hide. When they reach Bomabay, most of the travelers have been killed.
“We all look the same.
All shades of brown,
yet because of what we believe
or don’t believe,
people are being killed.” (98)
The family takes a ship and reaches Karachi where they create a makeshift life in one room of a house.
“Poona was home.
This place, Karachi, isn’t.
It never will be.” (129)
The boys leave for boarding school and after her mother has a small accident which Zarina believes she caused, she begs to go to boarding school also.
Her next home is St Denys’ in Muree, Pakistan, where she makes friends with both Pakistani and British girls and studies history to, as her teacher says, avoid making the same mistakes.
“I wonder if one day
in the future
people will look back
at the Partition.
Where India was torn to pieces,
and amid all the killing and bloodshed,
Pakisan was made,
and see it as a big mistake.” (224)
When she goes home for winter break,
“the house I left
isn’t the same house I come back to…
this one’s verandah welcomes me
with its warm and w I d e walls
splashed in sunlight.” (293)
and with her Mummy and her new baby sister Shireen.
Zarina learns through all these transitions
“home is my family
no matter where they are—
Pakistan, India,
or in between.” (240)
Through this poignantly-conveyed story written in verse with meaningful font-“play,” readers will discover the power of family and home while learning the history of India and Pakistan; they also learn about the malevolent and traumatic power of prejudice which, sadly, does not only exist in history. This is a story of 1947, but it is also a story of today.
February 13, 2025
“I am happy in Poona, India, but if the land is divided—if Pakistan is made for Muslims and India is made for Hindus—Will I have to go?”
🇮🇳
It’s 1947 and Zarina loves her life in Poona. She hangs out with her best friends Geeta and Jahana and playing with her three brothers. When she finds out Muslims and Hindus are going to separate based on religion, she and her family must make the long journey to live in Pakistan with other Muslims. Zarina ends up making the harrowing journey, but an accident has her deciding to go to boarding school, far away from her siblings, father and pregnant mother. A fresh start in a new school has Zarina struggling with new challenges, but also making a new friend and wondering if she can belong in a new place that’s not a home or with her family.
🇵🇰
I can always count on RF to write amazing MG novel in verse stories, many based on true events. The Author’s Note was particularly interesting as we learn that this story was inspired by her grandmother’s own experiences. You’ll get some historical fiction with this, as well as generate great discussions on empathy, life transitions and religion. Fans of Partition Project will love this one as well when it releases May 20 from Harper Collins!
CW: abandonment, pregnancy, medical content, colonialism, emesis, bullying
🇮🇳
It’s 1947 and Zarina loves her life in Poona. She hangs out with her best friends Geeta and Jahana and playing with her three brothers. When she finds out Muslims and Hindus are going to separate based on religion, she and her family must make the long journey to live in Pakistan with other Muslims. Zarina ends up making the harrowing journey, but an accident has her deciding to go to boarding school, far away from her siblings, father and pregnant mother. A fresh start in a new school has Zarina struggling with new challenges, but also making a new friend and wondering if she can belong in a new place that’s not a home or with her family.
🇵🇰
I can always count on RF to write amazing MG novel in verse stories, many based on true events. The Author’s Note was particularly interesting as we learn that this story was inspired by her grandmother’s own experiences. You’ll get some historical fiction with this, as well as generate great discussions on empathy, life transitions and religion. Fans of Partition Project will love this one as well when it releases May 20 from Harper Collins!
CW: abandonment, pregnancy, medical content, colonialism, emesis, bullying
June 7, 2025
Reading Zarina Divided feels like being gently wrapped in a story that understands you — your doubts, your questions, your heart. Reem Faruqi has once again crafted a world that is both tender and powerful, where the complexities of identity, faith, and friendship are handled with such grace and empathy.
Zarina is a character so many young readers — and even adults — will see themselves in. Her inner tug-of-war between right and wrong, faith and fear, family expectations and personal choices is portrayed with such nuance that it stays with you long after the final page. What I love most is how the story doesn’t force lessons — it invites reflection, gently, like a friend helping you understand your own thoughts.
Reem Faruqi has a gift. Her writing is always warm, layered, and beautifully lyrical. You can feel her heart in her words — a heart that clearly loves storytelling, representation, and giving brown Muslim girls the spotlight they deserve in literature. Her stories always carry gentle messages of hope, self-discovery, and growth — and Zarina Divided is no different.
This isn’t just a book for middle-grade readers. It’s for anyone who’s ever felt pulled between two worlds, who’s ever struggled to do the right thing, or who’s just needed a quiet reminder that they’re not alone. Thank you, Reem, for always writing with such care.
Zarina is a character so many young readers — and even adults — will see themselves in. Her inner tug-of-war between right and wrong, faith and fear, family expectations and personal choices is portrayed with such nuance that it stays with you long after the final page. What I love most is how the story doesn’t force lessons — it invites reflection, gently, like a friend helping you understand your own thoughts.
Reem Faruqi has a gift. Her writing is always warm, layered, and beautifully lyrical. You can feel her heart in her words — a heart that clearly loves storytelling, representation, and giving brown Muslim girls the spotlight they deserve in literature. Her stories always carry gentle messages of hope, self-discovery, and growth — and Zarina Divided is no different.
This isn’t just a book for middle-grade readers. It’s for anyone who’s ever felt pulled between two worlds, who’s ever struggled to do the right thing, or who’s just needed a quiet reminder that they’re not alone. Thank you, Reem, for always writing with such care.
August 17, 2025
In this powerful and fascinating story about the Partition of India and Pakistan, readers follow young teen Zarina, who loves her life in Poona, India, and spending time with her friends Geeta and Jahana. However, Zarina and her family are Muslim and expected to move to Pakistan, leaving everything they know and love behind and braving a dangerous journey to their new home. When an accident leaves Zarina wracked with guilt, she chooses to attend a boarding school far from home and make a new start but leaving her family behind. As she embarks on this powerful journey with her family and then on her own, Zarina must grow up and figure out who she is in this new world. Powerful, emotional, and fascinating, readers of all ages will love this beautiful coming-of-age story and Zarina’s narrative journey. She is a relatable and endearing protagonist, and her character growth is particularly rewarding and relatable to follow. Her relationships with her friends and family are central to her character development and deeply relatable, and readers will love seeing her grow and change. Reem Faruqi has done a fantastic job bringing this historical period and the complex adjustments and emotional struggles to life in this new historical fiction novel in prose.
Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Book, and HarperCollins for the advance copy.
Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Book, and HarperCollins for the advance copy.
April 5, 2025
Zarina Divided by Reem Faruqi is a magnificent middle grade novel told in verse, from the perspective of 11-year-old Zarina, and brings to life the Partition of 1947. Engrossing, powerful and lyrical, the novel pulls the reader into the harrowing trauma Zarina and her family face as they flee their beloved home in Poona.
In desperation they travel by ship and train, forced to witness horrors of sectarian violence and loss of life, before finally reaching the newly independent, Pakistan.
Zarina struggles to find her way in her new and unfamiliar world. Having witnessed horror, she must now find courage and hope to move beyond it. Zarina is sent to a boarding school in Murree, and though she misses her parents, and faces many challenges, she grows and soon learns to overcome her obstacles with the resilience of hope and faith. Based on the author’s grandparents’ personal experiences, Faruqi weaves a compelling tale of heartbreak mingled with hope, with a powerful message of overcoming prejudices that seek to divide us, and learning from the mistakes of history. A heartfelt novel with a wise and enduring message for all time.
In desperation they travel by ship and train, forced to witness horrors of sectarian violence and loss of life, before finally reaching the newly independent, Pakistan.
Zarina struggles to find her way in her new and unfamiliar world. Having witnessed horror, she must now find courage and hope to move beyond it. Zarina is sent to a boarding school in Murree, and though she misses her parents, and faces many challenges, she grows and soon learns to overcome her obstacles with the resilience of hope and faith. Based on the author’s grandparents’ personal experiences, Faruqi weaves a compelling tale of heartbreak mingled with hope, with a powerful message of overcoming prejudices that seek to divide us, and learning from the mistakes of history. A heartfelt novel with a wise and enduring message for all time.
May 19, 2025
I was thrilled to receive an advance copy of Zarina Divided from the publisher.
In Reem Faruqi’s unique style, the history of the Partition is told in a powerful yet gentle manner. The story is based on the author's grandmother as a young girl, Zarina, who we follow across three worlds: her home in India, her flight to Pakistan, and her new life at a boarding school. Through Zarina’s eyes, the Partition becomes deeply personal—full of heartbreak, resilience, and hope.
What sets this story apart is its scope. It doesn’t just focus on one moment—it captures the before, during, and after of a life upended by conflict. Real photos of Zarina make her story feel even more poignant.
Zarina endures great loss and guilt but she manages to remain open-hearted even to those who believe differently. Her school experience, set just after British rule, explores colonial fallout without oversimplifying history.
Reem Faruqi’s beautiful lyrical verse masterfully tackles identity, migration, and prejudice, but at its core, it’s about courage, compassion, and the power of hope. Messages we sorely need now more than ever.
In Reem Faruqi’s unique style, the history of the Partition is told in a powerful yet gentle manner. The story is based on the author's grandmother as a young girl, Zarina, who we follow across three worlds: her home in India, her flight to Pakistan, and her new life at a boarding school. Through Zarina’s eyes, the Partition becomes deeply personal—full of heartbreak, resilience, and hope.
What sets this story apart is its scope. It doesn’t just focus on one moment—it captures the before, during, and after of a life upended by conflict. Real photos of Zarina make her story feel even more poignant.
Zarina endures great loss and guilt but she manages to remain open-hearted even to those who believe differently. Her school experience, set just after British rule, explores colonial fallout without oversimplifying history.
Reem Faruqi’s beautiful lyrical verse masterfully tackles identity, migration, and prejudice, but at its core, it’s about courage, compassion, and the power of hope. Messages we sorely need now more than ever.
Read
September 25, 2025Unfortunately, this felt unoriginal in both style and approach to the topic—Zarina’s family is forced to move during the partition of India. I loved the author’s note, which described her own family’s experiences during this period of history, and I wish this verse novel had taken a different approach to bring these stories out.
Her voice sounded like every other middle grade verse novel. Urgent, naive, a bit self-righteous. After moving to Pakistan, Zarina begins school at a boarding school. A lot happened for how quickly I was able to read it. I didn’t have time to fully appreciate the violence and disruption because it all came and went too fast. Going to re-state my call for middle grade authors to flesh things out for us and put it in prose.
However, this book does give readers an opportunity to learn about another time and place, so I wouldn’t discourage kids if they are interested. Maybe the easy to read style will even make them want to learn more.
Her voice sounded like every other middle grade verse novel. Urgent, naive, a bit self-righteous. After moving to Pakistan, Zarina begins school at a boarding school. A lot happened for how quickly I was able to read it. I didn’t have time to fully appreciate the violence and disruption because it all came and went too fast. Going to re-state my call for middle grade authors to flesh things out for us and put it in prose.
However, this book does give readers an opportunity to learn about another time and place, so I wouldn’t discourage kids if they are interested. Maybe the easy to read style will even make them want to learn more.
March 28, 2025
One-fifth of humanity became independent in August, 1947 when the subcontinent's random lines were drawn by British rulers. The aftermath of the largest migration in human history disproportionately impacted women and girls who were faced with horror and violence. There are few stories that talk about this rough time in history with levity and nuance, especially from the perspective of children. Even though Zarina's life was privileged compared to other children at that time, Reem's deftness with the pen allows the reader to get into the heart of the experiences of a child facing conflict first hand. Reem brings moments to life with vivid details. It's a fast read, but leaves the mind lingering with memories. Highly recommend!
May 20, 2025
Are you seeking reads for young people about the partition histories of South Asia?
This new novel in verse by Reem Faruqi is an ideal way to learn about and engage in conversations about what occurred in 1947 on the subcontinent. It is a poignant counter narrative to accounts that highlight division and violence.
In her distinctly earnest and heartfelt style, Reem tells a family story that will resonate with many communities globally who have grappled with forced migrations and displacement from home. Told from a child’s perspective, the storytelling is both gentle and revealing. Countless truthful reflections about experiences of partition are deftly woven into this story about the meanings of home, friendship, resilience, and interconnectedness.
The author’s note, glossary and photo gallery provide useful materials for lesson planning. Readers of all ages will, undoubtedly, discover emotional truths and inspirations in these verses and pages. They might even be moved to research this history further.
Why is this a must-read? To quote the author’s note: “I hope Zarina’s story inspires you, that we learn from our mistakes, that we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past, and that we study history in order to do better in our future.”
Highly recommend.
For ages 8-13+ and their educators
This new novel in verse by Reem Faruqi is an ideal way to learn about and engage in conversations about what occurred in 1947 on the subcontinent. It is a poignant counter narrative to accounts that highlight division and violence.
In her distinctly earnest and heartfelt style, Reem tells a family story that will resonate with many communities globally who have grappled with forced migrations and displacement from home. Told from a child’s perspective, the storytelling is both gentle and revealing. Countless truthful reflections about experiences of partition are deftly woven into this story about the meanings of home, friendship, resilience, and interconnectedness.
The author’s note, glossary and photo gallery provide useful materials for lesson planning. Readers of all ages will, undoubtedly, discover emotional truths and inspirations in these verses and pages. They might even be moved to research this history further.
Why is this a must-read? To quote the author’s note: “I hope Zarina’s story inspires you, that we learn from our mistakes, that we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past, and that we study history in order to do better in our future.”
Highly recommend.
For ages 8-13+ and their educators
January 2, 2026
I loved this so much! I don't know if I was just emotional today but this made me cry far more than usual. And in a good way. It was the acts of kindness and connection that got me.
I loved that, despite the violence, hate and fear present during the partition, the author also showed so many instances of love and kindness. I loved the family relationships, even when that with the mother gets rocky. I loved the connection to gardens and nature. And I adored the Islam throughout.
Highly recommend this MG novel in verse!
CONTENT:
Language: None
Romance: None (Woohoo!)
Faith: Quran, Salah, fasting, etc.
Violence: Present but not explicit. Mentions of blood and people looking like they're sleeping.
Other: First period
I loved that, despite the violence, hate and fear present during the partition, the author also showed so many instances of love and kindness. I loved the family relationships, even when that with the mother gets rocky. I loved the connection to gardens and nature. And I adored the Islam throughout.
Highly recommend this MG novel in verse!
CONTENT:
Language: None
Romance: None (Woohoo!)
Faith: Quran, Salah, fasting, etc.
Violence: Present but not explicit. Mentions of blood and people looking like they're sleeping.
Other: First period
May 8, 2025
A luminous and lovely novel in verse. Acclaimed author Reem Faruqi dives into historical fiction this time, as she writes about the Partition of India and the creation of Pakistan in 1947, inspired by stories from her grandmother, Zarina. In breathtaking first person verse, Zarina tells her story, of being forced along with her Muslim family to leave the only home she’s known in India, and traveling first by crowded train and then by boat to the family’s new home in Karachi, Pakistan. Her three brothers are sent to a boarding school in the north. Zarina stands up for herself and begs to go to a boarding school too. It’s in school that Zarina blossoms. This is a must-read!
May 9, 2025
Some of us remember being captivated by the American Girl book series as kids. Reem Faruqi delivers that captivating feeling to middle grade readers today with her historical fiction based on the true story of Zarina Zakaria in Zarina Divided. The story begins through the eyes of 11 year old Zarina during the partition of India in 1947. Few survivors of one of the bloodiest and largest human migrations are alive today. Faruqi has demonstrated her diligent attention to researching the history of the partition of India along with capturing the story of a living survivor for this novel. This novel is incredibly relevant today given the circumstances in global politics.
July 9, 2025
The story of a young girl and her family just before and after the partition. Very well written in prose, full of detail and imagery.
The author based this story on her grandmother. At the end of the book, she has photos of her grandmother with her brothers and cousins going to the boarding school as well the a picture of the school and one of the teachers. There are other photos of her great grandfather and his service for getting Pakistan created. The author includes an illustrated map of Zarina's journey from Poona to Karachi to Murree; a glossary of Urdu and Arabic terms used; and a short but good list of resources about the Partition.
The author based this story on her grandmother. At the end of the book, she has photos of her grandmother with her brothers and cousins going to the boarding school as well the a picture of the school and one of the teachers. There are other photos of her great grandfather and his service for getting Pakistan created. The author includes an illustrated map of Zarina's journey from Poona to Karachi to Murree; a glossary of Urdu and Arabic terms used; and a short but good list of resources about the Partition.
May 23, 2025
Zarina Divided is a transporting coming-of-age story set against the background of India’s Partition. Following a young protagonist through life’s defining moments, this book touches on timeless themes such as friendships, family relationships, and forgiving yourself after a mistake. Sweetly, this book is inspired by the author’s grandmother’s experiences and includes real-life photos at the end, which young readers are sure to find endlessly fascinating.
Read my full review - https://readingmiddlegrade.com/zarina...
Read my full review - https://readingmiddlegrade.com/zarina...
May 20, 2025
I just finished reading this book and it was so good. I love this author. The characters were amazing and they felt real. This book was one of the best books I've ever read. I usually do not really like books about history, but this is definitely a book I'll read over and over. I finished reading in one day, and couldn't put the book down. I loved the part when she was in the train. Reem Faruqi did an amazing job again!
July 9, 2025
Reem Faruqi has done it again! Zarina Divided is a gorgeous novel in verse that takes us into the life of Zarina, a Muslim girl whose life is upended with the partition of India. Zarina learns how to cope with profound loss and determined resilience. Without giving too much away, I was especially struck with the bravery and courage of Zarina and her relationship with her mother. The story is tender, loving and unforgettable!
September 6, 2025
I absolutely loved the organization of this book. It reminded me of the cozy, lovely, books I used to read when I was younger. Yes, this book is for a younger audience, but I couldn’t miss a Pakistani author’s book about 1947’s Partition. It took me maybe 2 hours to read and I even read the author’s note; that’s how much I enjoyed this historical fiction! A great book to read to your kids and even just to understand what the journey was from India to the new country of Pakistan.
September 13, 2025
I'm not usually a fan of books in verse, and I avoid them. This one I grabbed after reading the book flap and not noticing it was a book in verse. But I'm glad I did, because it was really good! I liked the use of different fonts and arrangement of letters to make special points. Also loved the school she attended. The staff was firm but very kind, and even though it was a Christian based school, the Muslim girls were respected and their worship traditions accomodated.
May 4, 2025
In her trademark style, Faruqi has woven yet another poignant story about how hope and beauty can be found even amongst the most difficult circumstances.
Zarina is full of hope for her future. She is doing well in school, she is about to get a new sibling, and her group of friends is tight. But maybe not...
As tensions grow among Hindus and Muslims and India is divided into two along with Zarina and everything she knew as home, the story takes us on a heart rending journey of good byes and new beginnings, all told through beautiful verse.
The author doesn't shy away from saying it like it was, and this book will be a good addition to the small but growing number of children's books tackling the partition.
Zarina is full of hope for her future. She is doing well in school, she is about to get a new sibling, and her group of friends is tight. But maybe not...
As tensions grow among Hindus and Muslims and India is divided into two along with Zarina and everything she knew as home, the story takes us on a heart rending journey of good byes and new beginnings, all told through beautiful verse.
The author doesn't shy away from saying it like it was, and this book will be a good addition to the small but growing number of children's books tackling the partition.
June 5, 2025
I am so glad more authors are writing MG books about The Partition. It is a horrible time in world history, and we need to know and understand it to prevent it in the future. I am always surprised and saddened that so many of my students who still have family in India and Pakistan do not know about this time in history.
June 7, 2025
I’ve recently been learning more about Partition (a history I’m ashamed I knew so little about before). Faruqi’s MG novel-in-verse, loosely based on her own family’s experiences, brings the everyday realities of Partition alive through the eyes of an 11-year old girl. It’s a moving and a beautiful coming-of-age story against the backdrop of an important and devastating time in history.
July 18, 2025
A solid story in verse about Partition, based on some of the author's family stories. Terrifying and heartbreaking in places, but oddly positive about a boarding school experience, which allows it to end on a positive note. Loved to see the family photos in the end and the author's note which talks specifically about what parts of the story are based on personal stories. Moving and well done.
July 19, 2025
Zarina Divided is a strong historical-fiction narrative for upper-MG-and-older readers (it does get bloody). Engaging verse style and lots of interesting details about life before and after the Partition, based on Faruqi's family history. Plenty of emotional impact.
My copy had more typos than typical for a published novel, but nothing that interfered with comprehension.
My copy had more typos than typical for a published novel, but nothing that interfered with comprehension.
July 25, 2025
As colonial partition/apartheid has placed enormous barriers between global populations and their historical trajectories, books like these are gasps for air in an atmosphere of suffocation. Find a more detailed analysis here:
https://open.substack.com/pub/egstarv...
https://open.substack.com/pub/egstarv...
July 26, 2025
This book had me completely sucked in and i learned about a time in history I really knew nothing about. I want to learn more about this time based on what I read in this book...and I love books that inspire me like that. I wouldn't say this is a new favorite...it didn't give me that 5 star feeling...but I did really enjoy it and would recommend. I look forward to reading more from this author.
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