The Moon from Dehradun: A Story of Partition

By Shirin Shamsi, Illustrated by Tarun Lak,  Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Hardcover, 40 pages

In time for the 75th anniversary of the Partition of British India, this picture book is a stirring account of the harrowing journey faced by millions of migrants in the aftermath of the division of India and Pakistan.

A young girl leaves her beloved doll behind when she must make the journey from India to Pakistan in the aftermath of their partition by the British government.

Azra knows that wherever she goes, her doll Gurya will follow. Even if it's on a train that will take her far away from the house her family has lived in for generations. Even if there is a new flag flying in Dehradun, and no place left in it for Azra. At least she will be taking a piece of home with her.

But when Abba comes home and says they must leave right now, Gurya gets left behind in the scramble. Will Azra be strong enough to face the long journey alone? And what will happen to Gurya, now hundreds of miles behind them?

Inspired by the author's family story, this lyrical, moving picture book is a testament to the strength, courage, and perseverance of the over 10 million refugees displaced by the largest forced migration in recorded history, and shares a young girl's journey from her old home to a new one.

This picture book features the universal kid struggles of losing a doll, moving, and annoying little brothers set against the backdrop of the 1947 partition of India, into two independent nations---India and Pakistan...[b]ased on Shamsi's own family story, this work features a heartrending narrative about the loss of a doll but also the loss of home. It also shows how something new can emerge out of heartbreak. With a limited palette of tans and blues, Lak's arresting digital illustrations capture the pandemonium of the traumatic large-scale event with the same detail and care as the turmoil caused by a missing toy.-- School LIbrary Journal, starred review

About the Author:

Shirin Shamsi's family left India during the Partition. Having lived on three continents, she views herself as a global citizen and now spends her time sharing stories with children of the world. Shirin and her husband have raised six children--three human and three feline--and reside in the suburbs of Chicago.

Tarun Lak is an Indian American animator and illustrator. Born in Miami, Florida, and raised in Chennai, India, he attended Ringling College of Art and Design to study computer animation. He has since worked as a character animator on commercials and feature films including Spider Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Soul, and Luca. Tarun currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area and enjoys drinking coffee and making art in his spare time. The Moon from Dehradun is his first picture book.