--- product_id: 58725629 title: "The Night Diary" price: "Β₯3793" currency: JPY in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.jp/products/58725629-the-night-diary store_origin: JP region: Japan --- # 2019 Newbery Honor Winner Top 100 Children's Historical Fiction Narrative via diary entries The Night Diary **Price:** Β₯3793 **Availability:** βœ… In Stock ## Summary > πŸ“– Unlock history, heart, and hope in every page! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Night Diary - **How much does it cost?** Β₯3793 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.jp](https://www.desertcart.jp/products/58725629-the-night-diary) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - β€’ **Relatable Emotional Depth:** Connect with Nisha’s struggle for identity and hope amid chaos, a narrative that resonates with millennial values of empathy and resilience. - β€’ **Authentic Cultural Insight:** Discover rich cultural rituals and family bonds, from savory samosas to tender moments with the family cook, Kazi. - β€’ **Immersive Historical Journey:** Experience the poignant 1947 Partition of India through the eyes of a brave 12-year-old, blending history with heartfelt storytelling. - β€’ **Highly Rated & Socially Relevant:** Join thousands of readers with a 4.6-star rating, engaging with a story that mirrors today’s refugee and migration challenges. - β€’ **Award-Winning Literary Excellence:** Celebrate a critically acclaimed Newbery Honor and Walter Dean Myers Award winner that elevates your reading collection. ## Overview The Night Diary is a critically acclaimed hardcover book that tells the compelling story of 12-year-old Nisha during the 1947 Partition of India. Told through her diary entries, it explores themes of identity, family, and survival amid political upheaval. Winner of multiple prestigious awards and praised for its emotional depth and cultural authenticity, this book is a must-read for those seeking a powerful historical narrative with contemporary relevance. ## Description A 2019 NEWBERY HONOR BOOK * A Walter Dean Myers Honor Winner * An ALA Notable Book * A Malka Penn Award Recipient * A New York Times Editor's Choice Pick *A Junior Library Guild Selection *Named a Best Book of the Year by desertcart, Kirkus Reviews , The New York Times , NPR, School Library Journal , and The Washington Post. "A gripping, nuanced story of the human cost of conflict appropriate for both children and adults." - Kirkus , starred review In the vein of Inside Out and Back Again and The War That Saved My Life comes a poignant, personal, and hopeful tale of India's partition, and of one girl's journey to find a new home in a divided country It's 1947, and India, newly independent of British rule, has been separated into two countries: Pakistan and India. The divide has created much tension between Hindus and Muslims, and hundreds of thousands are killed crossing borders. Half-Muslim, half-Hindu twelve-year-old Nisha doesn't know where she belongs, or what her country is anymore. When Papa decides it's too dangerous to stay in what is now Pakistan, Nisha and her family become refugees and embark first by train but later on foot to reach her new home. The journey is long, difficult, and dangerous, and after losing her mother as a baby, Nisha can't imagine losing her homeland, too. But even if her country has been ripped apart, Nisha still believes in the possibility of putting herself back together. Told through Nisha's letters to her mother, The Night Diary is a heartfelt story of one girl's search for home, for her own identity...and for a hopeful future. Review: ... India in 1947 when India won its independence from Great Britain, resulting in the forced migration of Hindus ... - Beautifully written, relevant to the plight of child migrants and refugees today, a must read for middle grade students and teachers. The Night Diary is set during the Partition of India in 1947 when India won its independence from Great Britain, resulting in the forced migration of Hindus to India and Muslims to newly formed Pakistan. On the eve of her twelfth birthday, Nisha receives a diary from the family cook, Kazi, who tells her that adults will have neither the time nor the presence of mind to record what is to come. From the start, Nisha is bewildered by the idea that politicians have drawn a line on a map that divides people according to their religion. What is to become of Nisha and her twin brother Amil? Their deceased mother was Muslim and their father is Hindu. Even though he is Muslim, surely Kazi will stay with the family. He has filled the role of nurturing parent as Nisha's father is distant, critical, and spent from caring for patients during this brewing storm of societal upheaval. The family's planned journey starts with a grand feast for friends and family to say their final farewells. Growing unease gives way to urgency as Kazi saves the family during a late night raid. They escape on foot carrying water, food, and a few prized possessions. We follow Nisha across the unforgiving desert, to boarding a dangerously overcrowded train where she witnesses violence and mayhem. Along the way, Nisha must fend off desperate refugees who fight over the last drops of water and the sparse shade from the unforgiving heat. There are twists and turns in this riveting, perilous journey with a surprise ending. The beauty of this story is that we see how Nisha navigates internal and external obstacles through her journal entries. Reminiscent of the The Diary of Anne Frank, Nisha's diary shines a light on how a young girl tries to make sense of a world where political forces have created divisions among people and has turned her world upside down. Woven throughout the diary entries are Nisha's descriptions of the soothing rituals of cooking with Kazi. His gift of the perfect tomato with a sprinkle of salt, the savory samosas, and crunchy pakora are outward signs of love, family, culture, and survival. "Each samosa felt like a small animal, soft and warm in my hand. We worked quietly, me filling the dough, Kazi frying them until they became golden brown." (pg 68) Review: A powerful story of hope amid chaos. - Nisha likes her life except for one thing. Her mother died when she and her twin brother Amil were born. When she is given a diary for her twelveth birthday, she decides to write letters to her mother. Life in her village isn't perfect but it isn't bad either. She and her brother attend the local school where she has no real friends and her brother is bullied but she gets to help out the family cook, Kazi prepare the meals. Her father is a doctor who works at the local hospital and while he isn't particularly tender, he does take care of them, even though he has little patience for Amil's learning difficulties. But things take a sudden turn when India gains her independence and tensions between Muslims and Hindus explode into violence. With a mother who was Muslim and a father who is Hindu, Nisha doesn't understand why this is happening. Why people who used to get along, don't anymore. The announcement that India will be split into two separate countries (India and Pakistan) the violence gets worse. Nisha learns that her family is going to have to leave the only home she's ever known because Hindus are no longer welcome in what will soon be Muslim-dominated Pakistan. Heart-broken and confused, Nisha must leave behind most of what she's ever known, including her beloved Kazi. The journey itself is difficult for everyone but meeting her mother's brother offers a spark of hope. I really enjoyed reading this book and not only because it takes place outside of the United States. Nisha is a fabulous character, who though she's growing up is still a child in many ways. She wants to know what the adults are whispering about, but once she finds out, she doesn't understand it and it scares her. She gets along with her brother most of the time, but they get on each other's nerves sometimes too. And Nisha struggles with her own personal weaknesses as well, including shyness. I appreciated the fact that the problems in Nisha's life aren't all solved by the end of the book. While things are better, her life has still almost completely changed. Yet hope remains alive and well despite all the heartache and changes in Nisha's life. ## Features - The Night Diary Hardcover ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #116,485 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #72 in Children's Fiction on Social Situations #87 in Children's Siblings Books (Books) #111 in Children's Historical Fiction (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 2,387 Reviews | ## Images ![The Night Diary - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91rxgxBqMwL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ... India in 1947 when India won its independence from Great Britain, resulting in the forced migration of Hindus ... *by S***S on August 3, 2018* Beautifully written, relevant to the plight of child migrants and refugees today, a must read for middle grade students and teachers. The Night Diary is set during the Partition of India in 1947 when India won its independence from Great Britain, resulting in the forced migration of Hindus to India and Muslims to newly formed Pakistan. On the eve of her twelfth birthday, Nisha receives a diary from the family cook, Kazi, who tells her that adults will have neither the time nor the presence of mind to record what is to come. From the start, Nisha is bewildered by the idea that politicians have drawn a line on a map that divides people according to their religion. What is to become of Nisha and her twin brother Amil? Their deceased mother was Muslim and their father is Hindu. Even though he is Muslim, surely Kazi will stay with the family. He has filled the role of nurturing parent as Nisha's father is distant, critical, and spent from caring for patients during this brewing storm of societal upheaval. The family's planned journey starts with a grand feast for friends and family to say their final farewells. Growing unease gives way to urgency as Kazi saves the family during a late night raid. They escape on foot carrying water, food, and a few prized possessions. We follow Nisha across the unforgiving desert, to boarding a dangerously overcrowded train where she witnesses violence and mayhem. Along the way, Nisha must fend off desperate refugees who fight over the last drops of water and the sparse shade from the unforgiving heat. There are twists and turns in this riveting, perilous journey with a surprise ending. The beauty of this story is that we see how Nisha navigates internal and external obstacles through her journal entries. Reminiscent of the The Diary of Anne Frank, Nisha's diary shines a light on how a young girl tries to make sense of a world where political forces have created divisions among people and has turned her world upside down. Woven throughout the diary entries are Nisha's descriptions of the soothing rituals of cooking with Kazi. His gift of the perfect tomato with a sprinkle of salt, the savory samosas, and crunchy pakora are outward signs of love, family, culture, and survival. "Each samosa felt like a small animal, soft and warm in my hand. We worked quietly, me filling the dough, Kazi frying them until they became golden brown." (pg 68) ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A powerful story of hope amid chaos. *by H***E on June 19, 2018* Nisha likes her life except for one thing. Her mother died when she and her twin brother Amil were born. When she is given a diary for her twelveth birthday, she decides to write letters to her mother. Life in her village isn't perfect but it isn't bad either. She and her brother attend the local school where she has no real friends and her brother is bullied but she gets to help out the family cook, Kazi prepare the meals. Her father is a doctor who works at the local hospital and while he isn't particularly tender, he does take care of them, even though he has little patience for Amil's learning difficulties. But things take a sudden turn when India gains her independence and tensions between Muslims and Hindus explode into violence. With a mother who was Muslim and a father who is Hindu, Nisha doesn't understand why this is happening. Why people who used to get along, don't anymore. The announcement that India will be split into two separate countries (India and Pakistan) the violence gets worse. Nisha learns that her family is going to have to leave the only home she's ever known because Hindus are no longer welcome in what will soon be Muslim-dominated Pakistan. Heart-broken and confused, Nisha must leave behind most of what she's ever known, including her beloved Kazi. The journey itself is difficult for everyone but meeting her mother's brother offers a spark of hope. I really enjoyed reading this book and not only because it takes place outside of the United States. Nisha is a fabulous character, who though she's growing up is still a child in many ways. She wants to know what the adults are whispering about, but once she finds out, she doesn't understand it and it scares her. She gets along with her brother most of the time, but they get on each other's nerves sometimes too. And Nisha struggles with her own personal weaknesses as well, including shyness. I appreciated the fact that the problems in Nisha's life aren't all solved by the end of the book. While things are better, her life has still almost completely changed. Yet hope remains alive and well despite all the heartache and changes in Nisha's life. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ And the religious wars continue *by P***A on September 18, 2019* What a heartbreaking story. Setting was 1947. The British gives independence to India with the split of India into two countries--India and Pakistan. The religious wars break out and so many people are killed for no other reason than they are different----Hindu, Muslims, whatever.....And here we are in 2019, still battles in the world over religious differences! Makes my heart sad. This story is told in diary format. A twelve year old girl writes to her dead mother about the changes taking place in her country and in her life. About the fact that she and her family (her grandmother, father and brother) have been forced to move to the new country of Pakistan because they are Hindu. This story is tender, sad, hopeful and disheartening....until the end. It's a young adult novel and I would recommend it to middle school age students to read to hopefully teach them to be more accepting of differences in the world. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - πŸ›’ **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** β€” Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** β€” Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - πŸ’° **No Hidden Fees** β€” All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - πŸ”„ **15-Day Free Returns** β€” Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - πŸ”’ **Secure Payments** β€” Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** β€” Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.jp/products/58725629-the-night-diary](https://www.desertcart.jp/products/58725629-the-night-diary) --- *Product available on Desertcart Japan* *Store origin: JP* *Last updated: 2026-09-11*