Our minds have been on Pakistan ever since the horrific park bombing in Lahore on Sunday. 

So we set out to get a sense of the country the way book-lovers do best: through reading fiction. Here are some books set in Pakistan, for readers of all ages.

Adult

The Shadow of the Crescent Moon by Fatima Bhutto
A fast-paced and compelling story of a family in a town on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan that’s targeted by American forces.

The Scatter Here Is Too Great by Bilal Tanweer
An urban novel about city life, this book—set in Karachi in the present day—portrays the lives of ordinary Pakistanis connected by a terrible bombing.

In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin
Linked short stories from a debut author that explore class issues, family relationships, and daily life in a single Pakistani community.

The Wandering Falcon by Jamil Ahmad
A young Pakistani couple, trying to escape harsh punishment from its tribe, winds up at the Pakistani border in dire straits. Reviewers compared the 80-year-old first-time author to Hemingway.

Mirages of the Mind by Mushtaq Ahmed Yousufi
Translated from Urdu, this novel delves into the lives of Indian Muslims who emigrated to Karachi.

Young Adult

Beneath My Mother’s Feet by Amjed Qamar
After Nazia’s father is injured and unable to work, she must leave her school, her friends, and her working-class life and become a live-in housekeeper for a family in Karachi.

Written in the Stars by Aisha Saeed
A Pakistani-American girl believes she’s heading to Pakistan to spend a month with relatives—but instead winds up trapped there, in an arranged marriage, with no way out.

Shabanu, Haveli, and The House of Djinn by Suzanne Fisher Staples
This series tells the story of Shabanu, the youngest of four wives of a wealthy older man whom she was forced to marry.

Children

Iqbal by Francesco D'Adamo
A fictionalized account of a real boy forced into child labor at a Pakistani carpet factory. (Middle-grade.)

Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Lynn Williams & Khadra Mohammed
Two Afghani girls in a refugee camp in Pakistan must share a single pair of sandals between them. (Picture book.)

Silly Chicken by Rukhsana Khan
Could a mother possibly love her pet chicken more than her own daughter? No way. (Picture book.)

Have trouble reading standard print? Many NYPL titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!