When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed

Why Should I Like It?

The Short Reason

Award-Winning • Refugee experience  • True story

The Longer Reason

Schneider Family Book Award Winner 2021

Jane Addam's Children's Book Award Finalist

Children's Africana Book Award Honor

New York Times Notable Children's Book 

Time Best Book of the Year 

ALA Notable Book 

School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book of the Year 

Omar and his little brother, Hassan, arrived in Dadaab, a refugee camp in Kenya, seven years ago. Their father was killed the day they left home, and they haven't seen their mother since they joined their neighbours who were fleeing to Dadaab. Now Omar is eleven and Hassan is nine, and Omar has quit school to look after his brother, who has an intellectual disability.

When Omar is given the opportunity to return to school and carve out a future for himself and Hassan, he feels torn. He loves school and could have the opportunity to earn a coveted scholarship to a North American university and with it a visa for himself and Hassan. But is it worth the risk and heartache of leaving his vulnerable brother for hours each day?

Told in Victoria Jamieson's engaging and accessible graphic-novel style and based on Omar Mohamed's gripping true story, this book is an intimate, important look at day-to-day life in a refugee camp.

Reviews

"Jamieson's characteristically endearing art, warmly coloured by Geddy, perfectly complements Omar's story, conjuring memorable and sympathetic characters who will stay with readers long after they close the book . . . This engaging, heartwarming story does everything one can ask of a book, and then some." --Kirkus, starred review

"With this sensitive and poignant tale, Jamieson and Mohamed express the power of the human spirit to persevere." --School Library Journal, starred review

"Tragedy is certainly present throughout the story, yet Mohamed and Jamieson's focus on deep familial love and education work to subvert many refugee stereotypes." --Horn Book, starred review

Age: 9 plus

Format: Paperback

Publication date: 14th April 2020

Comes gift-wrapped