That Year at Manikoil: A Tale of Tamil Nadu During World War II

As World War II intensifies and the Japanese army moves closer to India, Manikoil becomes a refuge for Raji and her sisters. But the village is no longer peaceful. Refugees fleeing from Malaya and Burma arrive, while Raji's brother serves in the British-Indian Army.

With India's independence increasingly becoming a possibility, Raji begins to question what freedom will mean for herself, her family and her country. The novel brings India's freedom struggle to life through a child's perspective.

Aditi Krishnakumar is an award-winning children's author known for historical and adventure fiction. Her other books include Codex, The Magicians of Madh and Murder in Melucha.

Set in Madras and rural Tamil Nadu in 1944, the story follows young Raji as she is sent with her mother and sisters to Manikoil during the turmoil of World War II. What initially seems like a safe family village is transformed by wartime uncertainty and the arrival of refugees from Malaya and Burma.

Raji must navigate unfamiliar surroundings, new relationships and the anxieties created by a world at war. At the same time, she hears growing talk of India's independence and wonders whether freedom will actually arrive—and what it will mean.

Through Raji's experiences, the novel explores belonging, resilience, family, friendship and the impact of major historical events on ordinary children.