Sign-In
Cart
Zarina Divided
Audio Book
General Juvenile FictionPoetryReligion
Currently unavailable to order
Please enter your email and a message will be sent to you when this product becomes available on our website.
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: May 20 2025
Language: English
From the award-winning author of Unsettled, Reem Faruqi, comes a stirring 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. Perfect for fans of Amil and the After and The Partition Project and inspired by real-life events.
A simultaneously gentle and gripping story led by a strong-willed protagonist eager to advocate for herself in a changing world. -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)
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 news: 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?
From award-winning author Reem Faruqi comes a heartening coming-of-age story, inspired by her grandmother's life, that reminds us that through overwhelming change can come the most beautiful growth.
Praise for Zarina Divided:
Written in verse, the poetic form flows smoothly and creates an immersive and emotional journey... to effectively punctuate the formative depth of Zarina's experience. This moving and ultimately hopeful work is perfect for readers who might be slightly young for Hiranandani's The Night Diary. --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Reem's deftness with the pen allows the reader to get into the heart of the experiences of a child facing conflict first hand. --Upasna Kakroo, CEO of Peerbagh
A heartfelt novel with a wise and enduring message for all time. --Shirin Shamsi, author of Lahra's Blessing: A Ramadan Story
A poignant, emotional journey inspired by the author's grandmother's life that explores displacement, identity, and resilience. --Kiran Razzak Khan, Anokhi Life magazine
Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
1 different editions
Also available
Also in
Poetry
No Fair! No Fair! and Other Jolly Poems of Childhood: And Other Jolly Poems of Childhood
Trillin, Calvin
Hardcover
Fourteen Ways of Looking at Jellyfish: (A Picture Book Exploring Ocean Life, Marine Science, and Underwater Wonders for Ages 6-8, Grades 1-3)
Weatherford, Carole Boston
Hardcover
You're My Little Sunshine (Board Book for Babies and Toddlers 0-2 Years Old)
Edwards, Nicola
Hardcover
You're My Little Bookworm (Board Book for Babies and Toddlers 0-2 Years Old)
Edwards, Nicola
Hardcover
Chasing Eruptions: How Volcanologists Maurice and Katia Krafft Helped Save 60,000 Lives-But Lost Their Own
Manley, Curtis
Hardcover
Happy Halloween, Baby! with Dr. Seuss Babies: An Interactive Lift-The-Flap Book
Random House
Hardcover
Life Doesn't Frighten Me: A Poetry Picture Book
Angelou, Maya
Basquiat, Jean-Michel
Boyers, Sara Jane
Hardcover
Elmo's Little Library (Sesame Street): Elmo's Mother Goose; Elmo's Tricky Tongue Twisters; Elmo Says; Elmo's ABC Book
Albee, Sarah
November, Deborah
Allen, Constance
Hardcover
Small-Girl Zora and the Shower of Stories: A Tall Tale Based on the Life and Work of Zora Neale Hurston
Anatol, Giselle
Hardcover
It's Busy Down in the Woods Today: Friends to Meet, Places to Explore, and Over 100 Things to Find
Piercey, Rachel
Hardcover
Eric Carle's Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and Other Nursery Rhymes: A Lift-The-Flap Book
Carle, Eric
Hardcover
Hot Food: Nice!: (A Silly Read-Aloud about Family, Food, and One Very Hot Potato - For Kids Ages 3-7)
Rosen, Michael
Hardcover