Noor Inayat Khan - A Biography in Rhyme (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781916530041)

This biography of Noor Inayat Khan relates the story of an extraordinarily brave woman, whose story is as inspiring as it is beautiful. She was a pacifist because of her religious beliefs (Sufi Muslim), and opposed to violence of any sort.

However, during the Second World War, she felt it was wrong to stay neutral, so she enlisted. However, she requested that she not be put in a position where she'd be responsible for the death of another person. This meant occupying the most dangerous posts, and putting her own life at risk.

She was described as very nervous, clumsy, quiet, and very shy. Her superiors, after the interview, commented that she was not 'overburdened with brains'. (Patriarchy/Racism/Sexism much?) And during her interview, when asked by the British Officers what she intended to do after the Second World War, she said that she planned to fight for Indian Independence. That could not have scored her any points!

Nevertheless, she was the first female wireless operator sent to Occupied France from Britain during the Second World War, and she was MARVELLOUS! Few people lasted in that role for more than few weeks because they were caught and executed. She lasted five whole months, and because she kept disguising and changing place every day, hiding wires in clotheslines, rolling her equipment within bundles of twigs etc. Even when she was caught, it was only because she was betrayed. But this woman, labelled inept and inadequate, did what no one else could despite being continuously told that she would never be able to.

Sadly, she was betrayed, caught and tortured for information but she gave nothing away. And when executed, she died shouting 'Liberty'. Reading of people like this gives such a sense of hope. If we are part of a world which produces people like this, surely there's hope for humanity.

Perfect for

• Babies, Toddlers, Children aged 0 to 7 years
• Birthday Presents, Christmas Presents, Presents for 'kids who have everything'
• Teaching Diversity and Inclusion by challenging traditional norms of what a hero looks like
• Anyone who likes rhyming books and needs a dose of hope