Nisha's War
by Dan Smith
Interest age: 10 to 13
Reading age: 9+
Published by Chicken House, 2022
About this book
It’s 1942 and Nisha has just arrived at Barrow Island in Northumbria, after fleeing the Japanese invasion of Singapore. The island is cold, grey and very different to her beloved home in Malaya. Her strict English grandmother has lots of rules and doesn’t seem very pleased to have Nisha there, and the house is full of strangeness and secrets, like the twisted ‘Weeping Tree’ on the clifftop and the ghostly boy only Nisha can see.
Nisha is haunted by the things she’s seen, her mum is sick and her dad is missing. The ghost boy promises he can help, but first Nisha must find three lost treasures and bring them to him before the full moon. But he cannot tell her what the treasures are; Nisha must find them for herself. Will Nisha unlock the secrets hidden in the house and find the mysterious treasures she needs?
Starring an Anglo-Indian refugee and her family's experience of WWII, the story of Nisha navigating her new world on Barrow Island and searching for the mysterious treasures is interwoven with diary entries recounting her traumatic journey. A captivating story of hope and courage, blending together themes of the war experience, family and the ghosts we carry with us.
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Lists of recommended reads
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Books set in the North of England
Northern England is rich in landscape, culture and history – and that has inspired some incredible stories. If you live in or are from the North (or just going for your holidays), you may be looking for books set there to share with your child. After all, a familiar location can help them relate to the story and feel a bigger connection. Here are just a few of our favourites for you to check out.