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My Story: Noor-un-Nissa Inayat Khan
My Story: Noor-un-Nissa Inayat Khan is the thrilling story of British-Indian World War Two heroine, Noor-un-Nissa Inayat Khan.
It's 1940 and hundreds of families are being forced to flee Nazi-occupied France. Noor refuses to stand by while Nazi forces invade her home and terrorise her people, so she travels to England and signs up to join the war efforts despite her mother's wishes.
It isn't long before her talents are noticed and she is chosen by Winston Churchill to sneak back into France as an undercover agent. Noor returns home but this time, as a secret agent
Can Noor keep her true identity a secret, report her findings back to London and help the Allies win the war?
It's 1940 and hundreds of families are being forced to flee Nazi-occupied France. Noor refuses to stand by while Nazi forces invade her home and terrorise her people, so she travels to England and signs up to join the war efforts despite her mother's wishes.
It isn't long before her talents are noticed and she is chosen by Winston Churchill to sneak back into France as an undercover agent. Noor returns home but this time, as a secret agent
Can Noor keep her true identity a secret, report her findings back to London and help the Allies win the war?
- GenresMiddle Grade
208 pages, Paperback
First published August 6, 2020
3 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
Sufiya Ahmed
63 books34 followersSufiya Ahmed was born in India and arrived in the UK as a baby. She lived in Bolton, Lancashire, before moving to London where she still lives. Sufiya has worked in advertising and in the House of Commons, but is now a full-time author. In 2010 Sufiya set up the BIBI Foundation, a non-profit organisation, to arrange visits to the Houses of Parliament for diverse and underprivileged school children.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
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August 29, 2020August 28, 2020: I need to read this because brown. unsung. heroines.
December 10, 2020
An excellent introduction to Noor, one of my World War II heroes! (8+)
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
September 6, 2020
A brilliantly exciting true story told clearly and simply in first person, present tense. Shining a light on a true hero of WW2, this is a story that children should know about as it cleverly sheds light on many aspects of life during the war. A great biographical addition to the wealth of WW2-based stories that are available to children, and one that should be prioritised on the shelves of schools and libraries.
March 29, 2025
Wow. What a moving piece of history, and a testament to true heroism.
Noor’s story, from her enrolment in the Special Operations Executive to betrayal and capture and sacrifice as part of the French Resistance, is completely absorbing and unputdownable. It is a shame then, that I feel the first 70 pages or so are just too slow for the target middle grade audience to get through. A tighter focus at the start would have made this a perfect historical novel for young readers - it reminds me of reading Alone in Berlin as a teenager.
Noor’s story, from her enrolment in the Special Operations Executive to betrayal and capture and sacrifice as part of the French Resistance, is completely absorbing and unputdownable. It is a shame then, that I feel the first 70 pages or so are just too slow for the target middle grade audience to get through. A tighter focus at the start would have made this a perfect historical novel for young readers - it reminds me of reading Alone in Berlin as a teenager.
November 30, 2020
I first learned about Noor Inayat Khan while reading Kathryn Atwood's brilliant YA book Women Heroes of World War II: 26 Stories of Espionage, Sabotage, Resistance and Rescue. Noor's WWII experiences as a radio operator for Winston Churchill's SOE (Special Operations Executive) is now made more accessible for younger readers with Sufiya Ahmen's excellent fictional biography.
Noor was an unusual yet totally logical choice for the SOE. She was born in Moscow, Russia to a white American mother and an Indian Muslim father. The family moved from Moscow in 1914 to London, where Noor's three siblings were born, and finally, in 1920, they settled in Paris, France.
Ahmed begins Noor's story in May 1927, as the family journeys to India to visit the place where her father had died in February. It's there that Noor begins to realize just what it means to be her father's daughter. It makes her a princess with a famous royal ancestor - Tipu Sultan, who was a hero of colonial resistance and had been killed in 1799, "fighting like a tiger to save his people." (pg 17)
Fast forward to June 1940. With the Nazi invasion of France, the Khan family leaves Paris and relocates in England, just as the Blitz begins in full force. Finding rooms in Oxford, Noor's brother Vilayat wants nothing more than to join the Royal Air Force (RAF), but ends up in the Navy instead. Meanwhile, Noor uses her Red Cross certificate working in a military hospital. But getting caught in a daylight air raid while on a day trip into London makes Noor realize she wants to do more for the war effort. She decides to join the WAAF (Women's Auxiliary Air Force). There, she becomes Nora Baker and is sent to Yorkshire for training in November 1940, where the weather is cold and windy, and the exercises are physically challenging. It is also there she discovers she has a real ability for Morse Code.
After her WAAF training is complete, Noor is assigned to work in Bomber Command, but when she applies for a new commission, she's sent to Wiltshire for a 7-week training course. Afterwards, she is called for an interview, but when they ask her how she feels about Indian Independence from the British Empire, she is convinced that her answer, that she "believes the Indian people should be given their freedom," (pg 64) spells the end of her career.
Instead, thanks to her excellent communication skills and her ability to speak French like a native, Noor is asked to become part of Churchill's SOE and begins training for her eventual return to France to work undercover as the first woman radio operator with the Resistance there under the code name Madeleine. The majority of the book is devoted to Noor's war work and are some really exciting chapters. Unfortunately, Noor was betrayed and as she is getting ready to leave France, she makes a poor decision and ends up captured by the Gestapo. It is, as Ahmed writes, the beginning of the end.
My Story: Noor-Un-Nissa Inayat Khan is written in the first person in Noor's voice. The book is organized in chapters that reflect Noor's activities in a given month. This makes it easier for readers to follow Noor's many adventures in India, England, and France.
I was very curious to read My Story: Noor-Un-Nissa Inayat Khan, first because I already knew about her life and work during WWII in France, and second, I was curious to see how it would be handled for young readers. And I thought that given the complexity of the subject matter, Sufiya Ahmed to a really great job of synthesizing the material for her target age group. Most kids have probably never heard of Noor, and it is especially important for young Muslim readers to know about her.
What was particilarly good to see is that yes, Noor is a hero, but as Ahmed shows, she is not without flaws, doubts, and weaknesses, and sometimes she's even headstrong and impulsive. But Ahmed also shows how her parents were great influences on Noor, as were her ancestors.
One thing of note, Ahmed points out, is that Noor had originally wanted to become a children's author. She loved tells tales to her siblings growing up and had even published a book of short stories called Twenty Jātaka Tales in 1939 and which I highly recommend since it is still in print.
My Story: Noor-Un-Nissa Inayat Khan is a definite must read for young readers interested in WWII history and/or women war heroes. It should be of particular interest to young Muslim readers.
This book is recommended for readers age 8+
This book was purchased for my personal library
Noor was an unusual yet totally logical choice for the SOE. She was born in Moscow, Russia to a white American mother and an Indian Muslim father. The family moved from Moscow in 1914 to London, where Noor's three siblings were born, and finally, in 1920, they settled in Paris, France.
Ahmed begins Noor's story in May 1927, as the family journeys to India to visit the place where her father had died in February. It's there that Noor begins to realize just what it means to be her father's daughter. It makes her a princess with a famous royal ancestor - Tipu Sultan, who was a hero of colonial resistance and had been killed in 1799, "fighting like a tiger to save his people." (pg 17)
Fast forward to June 1940. With the Nazi invasion of France, the Khan family leaves Paris and relocates in England, just as the Blitz begins in full force. Finding rooms in Oxford, Noor's brother Vilayat wants nothing more than to join the Royal Air Force (RAF), but ends up in the Navy instead. Meanwhile, Noor uses her Red Cross certificate working in a military hospital. But getting caught in a daylight air raid while on a day trip into London makes Noor realize she wants to do more for the war effort. She decides to join the WAAF (Women's Auxiliary Air Force). There, she becomes Nora Baker and is sent to Yorkshire for training in November 1940, where the weather is cold and windy, and the exercises are physically challenging. It is also there she discovers she has a real ability for Morse Code.
After her WAAF training is complete, Noor is assigned to work in Bomber Command, but when she applies for a new commission, she's sent to Wiltshire for a 7-week training course. Afterwards, she is called for an interview, but when they ask her how she feels about Indian Independence from the British Empire, she is convinced that her answer, that she "believes the Indian people should be given their freedom," (pg 64) spells the end of her career.
Instead, thanks to her excellent communication skills and her ability to speak French like a native, Noor is asked to become part of Churchill's SOE and begins training for her eventual return to France to work undercover as the first woman radio operator with the Resistance there under the code name Madeleine. The majority of the book is devoted to Noor's war work and are some really exciting chapters. Unfortunately, Noor was betrayed and as she is getting ready to leave France, she makes a poor decision and ends up captured by the Gestapo. It is, as Ahmed writes, the beginning of the end.
My Story: Noor-Un-Nissa Inayat Khan is written in the first person in Noor's voice. The book is organized in chapters that reflect Noor's activities in a given month. This makes it easier for readers to follow Noor's many adventures in India, England, and France.
I was very curious to read My Story: Noor-Un-Nissa Inayat Khan, first because I already knew about her life and work during WWII in France, and second, I was curious to see how it would be handled for young readers. And I thought that given the complexity of the subject matter, Sufiya Ahmed to a really great job of synthesizing the material for her target age group. Most kids have probably never heard of Noor, and it is especially important for young Muslim readers to know about her.
What was particilarly good to see is that yes, Noor is a hero, but as Ahmed shows, she is not without flaws, doubts, and weaknesses, and sometimes she's even headstrong and impulsive. But Ahmed also shows how her parents were great influences on Noor, as were her ancestors.
One thing of note, Ahmed points out, is that Noor had originally wanted to become a children's author. She loved tells tales to her siblings growing up and had even published a book of short stories called Twenty Jātaka Tales in 1939 and which I highly recommend since it is still in print.
My Story: Noor-Un-Nissa Inayat Khan is a definite must read for young readers interested in WWII history and/or women war heroes. It should be of particular interest to young Muslim readers.
This book is recommended for readers age 8+
This book was purchased for my personal library
November 18, 2021
An amazing, historical story. Made me cry at the end.
January 8, 2021
Got this for my daughter (age 9) who stayed up until long after we went to bed so she could finish it and then insisted I read it too. It was a real page-turner and interesting to read the story of a real female spy risking it all behind enemy lines during WWII after reading a couple of fictionalized accounts (let's just say real life was a bit sloppier - sure you can get to know all the spies in your network, where's the danger in that?!). It's a wonder they weren't all betrayed. I have a feeling some of the torture scenes were watered down, which is a choice I can understand - based on the audience and wanting the book to be about her bravery and accomplishments instead of what she endured- I would still recommend for mature 9 and up. There are so many WWII stories in the UK- it was great to find one about a British immigrant to inspire kids.
November 20, 2022
This book has broken me up into a million emotional pieces. The true story of Noor-Un-Nissa Inayat Khan, a young woman who served with the allied forces in WW2. Having grown up in France and living in England, Noor is identified as having skills needed by Churchill's Special Operations Executive, she becomes a secret agent and is sent into German occupied France. This is such an important story, every young person should know her name, Noor's story will stay with me for a long time 😍📖😍
August 21, 2022
Really loved this book! It really showcased the courageous actions of the allies during WW2. As a British Indian girl, I am really proud that an Indian woman helped so much with the war effort. I think it's great that she stood by her beliefs of an independent India even if that meant she wouldn't get the job she wanted. I'm not going to lie, I cried when I read her last word. Liberté.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2022
I'm ashamed to say I had never heard of Noor. An ideal book for those who want to learn about World War ll - Noor was a spy and this is a story of her life!
May 5, 2023
I was inspired to read this book after finishing The Lion above the Door by Onjali Q Rauf which discusses some of the less well-known people of colour who played an important part in the allies victory of World War two.
This book is part of the ‘My Story’ series which is a collection of historical novels for children published by Scholastic UK. Each book is written as the diary of a person living during an important event in history. It focusses on the life of Noor-un-Nissa Inayat Khan who was a real-life British-Indian World War Two heroine. Written in the first person, it is packed with facts and interesting information about the time as well as teaching you lots of personal details about Noor and her family.
The diary begins in 1927 and describes Noor’s childhood growing up in Paris, France and the death of her father in India. Time then passes and Noor’s diary begins to describe the events of 1940. France is now occupied by Nazi forces and like hundreds of others, Noor’s family is being forced to flee their home.
They seek safety with friends in England but war is drawing closer. Noor is angry that she has had to leave her home and is desperate to stand up to the Nazis who are marching across Europe. She has a job as a nurse caring for the injured soldiers returning from the front but she doesn’t feel like she is really being useful.
After her brother Vilayat joins the navy, she makes up her mind to play her own more active part in the war effort by applying to join the WAAF (Women’s Auxiliary Air Force). She thinks that she will be training to be a wireless operator but Winston Churchill and the Special Operations Executive have bigger plans for her. Noor is going to become an undercover agent in France! Using her knowledge of France and fluent French, she will be smuggled back into France with a new identity so that she can spy on the Nazis and report back to the authorities in London. If the Germans discover who she is and that she is helping the French Resistance then the consequences could be fatal. You will have to read the book yourself to find out about Noor’s experiences and whether she manages to help the allies and survive the war.
This book is part of the ‘My Story’ series which is a collection of historical novels for children published by Scholastic UK. Each book is written as the diary of a person living during an important event in history. It focusses on the life of Noor-un-Nissa Inayat Khan who was a real-life British-Indian World War Two heroine. Written in the first person, it is packed with facts and interesting information about the time as well as teaching you lots of personal details about Noor and her family.
The diary begins in 1927 and describes Noor’s childhood growing up in Paris, France and the death of her father in India. Time then passes and Noor’s diary begins to describe the events of 1940. France is now occupied by Nazi forces and like hundreds of others, Noor’s family is being forced to flee their home.
They seek safety with friends in England but war is drawing closer. Noor is angry that she has had to leave her home and is desperate to stand up to the Nazis who are marching across Europe. She has a job as a nurse caring for the injured soldiers returning from the front but she doesn’t feel like she is really being useful.
After her brother Vilayat joins the navy, she makes up her mind to play her own more active part in the war effort by applying to join the WAAF (Women’s Auxiliary Air Force). She thinks that she will be training to be a wireless operator but Winston Churchill and the Special Operations Executive have bigger plans for her. Noor is going to become an undercover agent in France! Using her knowledge of France and fluent French, she will be smuggled back into France with a new identity so that she can spy on the Nazis and report back to the authorities in London. If the Germans discover who she is and that she is helping the French Resistance then the consequences could be fatal. You will have to read the book yourself to find out about Noor’s experiences and whether she manages to help the allies and survive the war.
August 28, 2024
I picked up this book to:
1. Do due diligence on whether it was suitable to send to a friend's young daughter named Noor
2. Do due diligence on whether I'd want to name my own second born Noor Inayat
3. Read my toddler this
3 and 1: not suitable for reading to toddlers. Better for 10+ readers. Good for adults as well.
2: Prior to this, I'd come across Noor Inayat in the WW2 movie A Call to Spy, and also in Great Britons - 50 Amazing People Who Have Called Britain Home, as well as on Wikipedia. In many ways Noor is likeable and relatable. Third culture kid, grown in Sufi culture, American mum, princely Indian father and direct descendant of the Tipu Sultan, Russia, Paris, Bloomsbury, published children's author. Courageous, loyal, and a martyr.
But this book casts her in new and unflattering lights. Not physical. Worse: clumsy with behaviour that would get her caught and betray intelligence. Worse still: an impatient wally whom wantonly endangered herself and her networks by returning to Paris from Normandy because she couldn't sit still. I'd have loved a note in the book that explained how true to real life the author Sufiya Ahmed stayed, what her sources were, and where she used her imagination.
1. Do due diligence on whether it was suitable to send to a friend's young daughter named Noor
2. Do due diligence on whether I'd want to name my own second born Noor Inayat
3. Read my toddler this
3 and 1: not suitable for reading to toddlers. Better for 10+ readers. Good for adults as well.
2: Prior to this, I'd come across Noor Inayat in the WW2 movie A Call to Spy, and also in Great Britons - 50 Amazing People Who Have Called Britain Home, as well as on Wikipedia. In many ways Noor is likeable and relatable. Third culture kid, grown in Sufi culture, American mum, princely Indian father and direct descendant of the Tipu Sultan, Russia, Paris, Bloomsbury, published children's author. Courageous, loyal, and a martyr.
But this book casts her in new and unflattering lights. Not physical. Worse: clumsy with behaviour that would get her caught and betray intelligence. Worse still: an impatient wally whom wantonly endangered herself and her networks by returning to Paris from Normandy because she couldn't sit still. I'd have loved a note in the book that explained how true to real life the author Sufiya Ahmed stayed, what her sources were, and where she used her imagination.
April 29, 2022
This book is aimed at young readers and provides an outline of Noor-un-Nissa Inayat Khan's life. It takes from the day her father dies to the day she did. It's an amazing story that celebrates a heroine whose story isn't always known.
Things I liked:
- True life story
- Fast-paced
- I learned a lot about a person I didn't know much about
- Told a new side of the war story which I hadn't read about
- Easy to read
Things I didn't like:
- The writing felt a little basic at times which meant the story sometimes felt skin deep. Some of the more emotional sections felt void due to this. Yet, I understand the need for this as it made the story accessible to younger readers and not as harrowing.
Overall, this book was great. The writing isn't overly in-depth but it captures the history perfectly. It sets the scene for young readers and catapults them through the intensity of espionage during WW2. A great read for history lovers and shines a light on an unsung hero.
Things I liked:
- True life story
- Fast-paced
- I learned a lot about a person I didn't know much about
- Told a new side of the war story which I hadn't read about
- Easy to read
Things I didn't like:
- The writing felt a little basic at times which meant the story sometimes felt skin deep. Some of the more emotional sections felt void due to this. Yet, I understand the need for this as it made the story accessible to younger readers and not as harrowing.
Overall, this book was great. The writing isn't overly in-depth but it captures the history perfectly. It sets the scene for young readers and catapults them through the intensity of espionage during WW2. A great read for history lovers and shines a light on an unsung hero.
September 17, 2023
What a fabulous person Noor was—one to know about. Her courage, tenacity, and bravery against the Nazi regime is remarkable. Though of royal blood, she never let that stop her but rather quite perhaps it fueled her strength in face of darkness and solitary confinement. The back matter in this book is super helpful! As a fellow writer, it made my heart smile to learn Noor was a published author and I imagine her stories kept her sane through her most trying days; how I wish the world could have had them. Noor is one of only 408 people to have received The George Cross; I’m so glad she was posthumously awarded this honor. A great book about an important person. Highly recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2020
Fabulous book, it was given to my son at school and as he had explained it so me it was a story I had never heard of I thougt I would read it.
Although a childrens book it was really beautifully written and captured Noor and her obvious intelligence and way with words. It didnt feel like I was reading a childrens story, except towards the end when some obvious brutality is inferred rather than detailed.
An easy but beautiful read, which I recommend to adults and children alike.
Although a childrens book it was really beautifully written and captured Noor and her obvious intelligence and way with words. It didnt feel like I was reading a childrens story, except towards the end when some obvious brutality is inferred rather than detailed.
An easy but beautiful read, which I recommend to adults and children alike.
May 7, 2023
Noor-un-nissa inayat khan or Nora Baker was a British spy of Indian heritage in France during world war 2. She was executed on Dachau. She was posthumously awarded the Croix de guerre and The George Cross. I knew nothing about her until I read this book. Like so many who lost their lives in secret on both sides, she put herself in terrible danger, and paid the ultimate sacrifice. Wow. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2022
A really strong narrative voice throughout... makes me feel super connected to the character and makes the twists in the plot more effective. It also encouraged me to look up the real person, and explore her story. Very inspirational!
February 3, 2024
A true story told with sensitivity and understanding. This is the story of one Special Operations Executive (SOE), sent to France during WW2 as a radio operator to support the French Resistance. Noor was brave and even when being tortured she did not betray her colleagues.
This story is told from Noor’s perspective, not only allowing us to empathise with her but also giving us a unique insight into her experiences as a secret agent in France.
Despite the subject matter this book is suitable for ages 9/10 and up.
Read the book and let her name live on.
This story is told from Noor’s perspective, not only allowing us to empathise with her but also giving us a unique insight into her experiences as a secret agent in France.
Despite the subject matter this book is suitable for ages 9/10 and up.
Read the book and let her name live on.
June 8, 2025
Very readable story for upper Primary and up. Based on the life of a true heroine, an excellent WWII spy novel with some Indian history too. An important read showing the diversity of those who helped defeat the Nazis.
March 4, 2022
A well-written and researched telling of the true story of hero Noor-un-Nissa Inayat Khan.
July 28, 2022
Realistic telling for the true story of Noor-Un-Nissa, SOE spy murdered by the Nazis in Dachau after being betrayed.
July 15, 2023
Considering that this is based on a true story, the way Noor was portrayed made her seem like a questionable agent. She’s loyal, but not very discrete or overly perceptive to danger.
February 25, 2025
Really informative and felt relevant, even now. So much achieved in one lifetime.
July 21, 2025
Fastest I've EVER read a book (12 hours)
August 25, 2024
This had been on my TBR pile for a while and tbh, the cover put me off, despite many very positive reviews. We all know we shouldn't judge books by their covers but still...!
Noor and her family are forced to flee Paris in 1940 as the Nazis take control. Ending up in England and keen to do something to support the war effort, Noor signs up for the WAAF. Her talent with Morse Code, her fluent French, and her Indian background draw her to the attention of her superiors and she is chosen to join Churchill's Special Operations Executive.
Sent to France as a secret agent, Noor's life becomes ever more dangerous and challenging as her fellow workers are discovered and killed. Before long she is the only radio operative left...
The author, Sufiya Ahmed, has expressed the sense of honour she feels in being able to bring the true story of Noor to the attention of younger readers. This British-Indian woman who spied for Churchill in WW2 paid the ultimate sacrifice and deserves to be known and remembered.
An important insight into how those who served the British army were from many different backgrounds and a reminder of those who sacrificed much for the freedom we enjoy today. One to recommend.
Noor and her family are forced to flee Paris in 1940 as the Nazis take control. Ending up in England and keen to do something to support the war effort, Noor signs up for the WAAF. Her talent with Morse Code, her fluent French, and her Indian background draw her to the attention of her superiors and she is chosen to join Churchill's Special Operations Executive.
Sent to France as a secret agent, Noor's life becomes ever more dangerous and challenging as her fellow workers are discovered and killed. Before long she is the only radio operative left...
The author, Sufiya Ahmed, has expressed the sense of honour she feels in being able to bring the true story of Noor to the attention of younger readers. This British-Indian woman who spied for Churchill in WW2 paid the ultimate sacrifice and deserves to be known and remembered.
An important insight into how those who served the British army were from many different backgrounds and a reminder of those who sacrificed much for the freedom we enjoy today. One to recommend.
April 1, 2024
I really liked this book about a girl secret agent.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews