The Moon from Dehradun

This is a story of tragedy laced with hope as a young Muslim girl and her family flee their ancestral home in Northern India during the violence of the British Partition for a chance at a second life in the newly created state of Pakistan. She learns what’s really important in life: being together with her family, showing kindness to neighbors, and learning patience with those closest to her. By the end of the story, she understands that war affects everyone, even those whom you might imagine to be your enemy.

Although elements of Islam are interwoven in the background of the book (hearing the adhan (call to prayer), an elderly woman using prayer beads during a difficult moment, a precious family Quran stand being packed away when the family flees), the characters do not outwardly express their faith nor is there mention of reliance on God, something Mindful Muslim Reader encourages in books about Muslims, especially those by Muslim authors. The story is age appropriate for children without dwelling on the lurid details of violence in that time period. The emotions of loss and grief are subtly expressed in the illustrations rather than the text, making it easier for children to absorb and understand an important historical event in the history of millions of modern Muslims.