Name: Ahimsa
ISBN: 9781620143568

Supriya Kelkar

In this historical middle-grade novel, Gandhi asks for one member of each family to join the fight for independence from the British, and when Anjali's mother is jailed for doing so, Anjali must step out of her comfort zone to take over her mother's work.

Ahimsa

Moth

This book is important today because we're yet again facing the idea one group of people see's their lives as more important than others, in this case the British over the Indians, and the higher castes over the lower caste of Dalits (I won't use the slur for them here, just google if you don't know who they are). If this sounds familiar, we're currently living through this idea still with the fact we still need to protest for the rights of people of color. Because sadly, when we don't know our history, it simply repeats itself again and again. In this case, freedom fighters aren't truly fighters, but protesters that use nonviolence in hopes to free India of the British control and bring rights to all castes, much like today with Black Lives Matter protests. It's also important due to the fact this book also deals with the Muslims in India at the time that later created the country Pakistan. We see the tensions of them and the Hindi's heating up, the two sides rioting and fighting and watch as Anjali has to come to terms with it herself when her and her best friend are on the two sides of the religious divide. Again, this is similar to today in much of the world where Muslim's see backlash for their religion. 

(Full Review on My Blog)

Ana Cob

Great example on how books act as windows. I want to learn all about that time in Indian history.

Nadine 

Indian history pre-independence (1942) cleverly woven into a story of the experiences of one girl and her family.
Suitable for upper primary & middle grade

Katie Day

When her mother is jailed for being one of Gandhi's freedom fighters, ten-year-old Anjali overcomes her own prejudices and continues her mother's social reform work, befriending Untouchable children and working to integrate her school.