The Line

Scholastic, July 2026

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A powerful story about Partition, with a hopeful message at its heart.

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‘I would draw lines that would lasso us to our neighbours and keep us close for all time. I would draw lines that made us feel safe together.’

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When a line divides the country of India, a little girl and her family are forced to leave their home. On her journey, the girl thinks about what she would do differently if she was in charge of a line with so much power. She would draw lines that brought people together, despite their differences. Her lines would make people friends. Her lines would make the world a better place.

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Bringing together award-winning British-Indian author, Swapna Haddow, with British-Pakistani illustrator, Farah Shah, representing both sides of Partition, the hopeful message of the story and warmth of the illustrations handle the subject matter with care, making it suitable for a young audience.

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Based around a historic event, but with important themes that are still very relevant today, the book includes a spread at the back of the book with facts about the Partition of India.