An extraordinarily rich debut novel, set in India in 1947 at the time of Partition. Although the backdrop is this key event in Indian history, the novel is even more far-reaching, touching on the importance of tolerance, love and family. The main character is Bilal, a boy determined to protect his dying father from the news of Partition - news that he knows will break his father's heart. With great spirit and determination, and with the help of his good friends, Bilal persuades others to collude with him in this deception, even printing false pages of the local newspaper to hide the ravages of unrest from his father. All that Bilal wants is for his father to die in peace. But that means Bilal has a very complicated relationship with the truth...

 

This book has been graded for interest at 12+ years.

There are 304 pages in this book. This book was published 2011 by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC .

This is Irfan Master's first novel. It was shortlisted for the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize and the Branford Boase Award 2012. Irfan is project manager of Reading the Game at the National Literacy Trust. His family is from Gujarat, where the novel is set. Irfan lives in London, SE5.