Stranger on the Home Front: A Story of Indian Immigrants and World War I

by Maya Chhabra, Eric Freeberg (Illustrator)

Overview

It’s 1916, and Europe is at war. Yet Margaret Singh, living an entire ocean away in California, is unaffected. Then the United States enters the war against Germany. Suddenly the entire country is up in arms against those who seem “un-American” or speak against the country’s ally, Great Britain. When Margaret’s father is arrested for his ties to the Ghadar Party, a group of Indian immigrants seeking to win India’s independence from Great Britain, Margaret’s own allegiances are called into question. But she was born in America and America itself fought to be freed from British rule. So what does it even mean to be American?

It’s the storytellers that preserve a nation’s history. But what happens when some stories are silenced? The I Am America series features fictional stories based on important historical events about people whose voices have been excluded, lost, or forgotten over time.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781631634888
Publisher:	North Star Editions
Publication date:	01/01/2021
Series:	I Am America Set 3
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
File size:	7 MB
Age Range:	8 - 10 Years

About the Author

Maya Chhabra graduated from Georgetown University in 2015. Her short story for young adults, "Breaking," was published by Cast of Wonders. She also writes poetry and fiction for adults and translates from Russian. Born to Indian and Italian immigrant parents, she lives in Brooklyn with her partner.
Eric Freeberg has illustrated over twenty-five books for children, and has created work for magazines and ad campaigns. He was a winner of the 2010 London Book Fair's Children's Illustration Competition; the 2010 Holbein Prize for Fantasy Art, International Illustration Competition, Japan Illustrators' Association; Runner-Up, 2013 SCBWI Magazine Merit Award; Honorable Mention, 2009 SCBWI Don Freeman Portfolio Competition; and 2nd Prize, 2009 Clymer Museum's Annual Illustration Invitational. He was also a winner of the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Award.

Editorial Reviews

01/15/2021

Gr 3–6—Set in San Francisco on the eve of the United States' entrance into World War I, this is the story of Margaret Singh. Margaret has tried to fit in among her white classmates as much as possible, but her blended white American and Indian heritage makes her efforts difficult at times. After eavesdropping on a conversation between her father and other men, Margaret learns of her father's support of the Ghadar Party, a group working to overthrow British rule in India. The narrative, which is supplemented with journal entries, newspaper reports, and black-and-white illustrations, keeps readers interested throughout. Chhabra deftly develops conflict in the novel through Margaret's friendship with Betty; Margaret's love for her country and her family; and the hypocrisy of U.S. ideals juxtaposed with immigration and racist policies. The themes of loyalty, family, friendship, and activism come through naturally. An excellent author's note at the beginning provides context and definitions for words and events presented within the novel. A time line is also included. VERDICT Chhabra executes this #OwnVoices historical fiction well; libraries with the "American Girl" and "Dear America" series should consider this for their collections.—Hilary Writt, formerly at Sullivan Univ., Lexington, KY

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