The Partition Project

In this engaging and moving middle grade novel, Saadia Faruqi writes about a contemporary Pakistani American girl whose passion for journalism starts a conversation about her grandmothers experience of the Partition of India and Pakistanand the bond that the two form as she helps Dadi tell her story.

When her grandmother comes off the airplane in Houston from Pakistan, Mahnoor knows that having Dadi move in is going to disrupt everything about her life. She doesnt have time to be Dadis unofficial babysitterher journalism teacher has announced that their big assignment will be to film a documentary, which feels more like storytelling than what Maha would call journalism.

As Dadi starts to settle into life in Houston and Maha scrambles for a subject for her documentary, the two of them start talking. About Dadis childhood in northern Indiaand about the Partition that forced her to leave her home and relocate to the newly created Pakistan.

As details of Dadis life are revealed, Dadis personal story feels a lot more like the breaking news that Maha loves so much. And before she knows it, she has the subject of her documentary.