Book Bag
Lion of the Sky
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Description
An evocative historical novel in verse about a boy and his family who are forced to flee their home and become refugees after the British Partition of India. Perfect for fans of Other Words for Home.
Twelve-year-old Raj is happiest flying kites with his best friend, Iqbal. As their kites soar, Raj feels free, like his beloved India soon will be, and he can't wait to celebrate their independence.
But when a British lawyer draws a line across a map, splitting India in two, Raj is thrust into a fractured world. With Partition declared, Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim families are torn apart--and Raj's Hindu and Iqbal's Muslim families are among them.
Forced to flee and become refugees, Raj's family is left to start over in a new country. After suffering devastating losses, Raj must summon the courage to survive the brutal upheaval of both his country and his heart.
Inspired by the author's true family history, Lion of the Sky is a deeply moving coming-of-age tale about identity, belonging, and the power of hope.
Publication date
May 07, 2024
Classification
Fiction
Page Count
-
ISBN-13
9780063284487
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Balzer & Bray/Harperteen
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV057000 - Juvenile Fiction | Stories in Verse (see also Poetry)
JUV039250 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emigration & Immigration
JUV016030 - Juvenile Fiction | Historical | Asia
JUV061000 - Juvenile Fiction | Politics & Government
JUV039280 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Religion & Faith
JUV039250 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emigration & Immigration
JUV016030 - Juvenile Fiction | Historical | Asia
JUV061000 - Juvenile Fiction | Politics & Government
JUV039280 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Religion & Faith
Library of Congress categories
-
Kirkus
Starred Review
An exquisite, memorable story about new beginnings and the quest to belong.
Publishers Weekly
Starred Review
Drawing from family history, Hemnani delivers a wrenching historical verse debut that traces the eagerly anticipated end of British rule in India and the subsequent conflicts between Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh populations during the 1947 Partition, which forced millions to relocate. In his hometown of Sindh, 12-year-old Hindu Raj flies “through the fields.../ of wildflowers and birdsong,” guiding his kite “in the endless blue,/ free and wild/ as it/ fights/ and/ snaps.” Raj’s carefree frolicking disappoints his father Baba, who favors Raj’s sister Maya and compares him to his brother Vijay. Acceptance comes from Raj’s Muslim best friend Iqbal. When the Partition begins, violence erupts across India, but Baba hopes that “the madness/ won’t spread to us.” Yet Raj watches powerless as Iqbal’s home is burned (“When he sees me.../ his eyes never looked/ so cold”) and Raj and his family are forced to flee to Bombay, where they face myriad injustices as religious refugees. Raj experiences agonizing losses throughout, which are rendered in Hemnani’s aching verse. Compelling stakes ratchet up the tension in this illuminating and harrowing story about displacement, grief, and hope. Ages 8–12. (May)
Copyright Publisher's Weekly LLC. Used with permission.
ALA/Booklist
Detail-oriented and emotional. A lofty companion to Veera Hiranandani's The Night Diary
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