Published: 2020
Author: Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed
Illustrator: Victoria Jamieson
Genres: Biography, Graphic Novel, Memoir, Nonfiction, Africa, Comics, Childrens, Family, Realistic Fiction
Audience (Grade Levels): 4-9; Middle Grades
Number of Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 Stars)
Goodreads Link: When Stars are Scattered
Triggers: Violence, war
Review By: Patricia Gabello
Publisher’s Summary:
Heartbreak and hope exist together in this remarkable graphic novel about growing up in a refugee camp, as told by a Somali refugee to the Newbery Honor-winning creator of Roller Girl.
Omar and his younger brother, Hassan, have spent most of their lives in Dadaab, a refugee camp in Kenya. Life is hard there: never enough food, achingly dull, and without access to the medical care Omar knows his nonverbal brother needs. So when Omar has the opportunity to go to school, he knows it might be a chance to change their future . . . but it would also mean leaving his brother, the only family member he has left, every day.
Heartbreak, hope, and gentle humor exist together in this graphic novel about a childhood spent waiting, and a young man who is able to create a sense of family and home in the most difficult of settings. It’s an intimate, important, unforgettable look at the day-to-day life of a refugee, as told to New York Times Bestselling author/artist Victoria Jamieson by Omar Mohamed, the Somali man who lived the story.
Review:
When Stars are Scattered is a compelling story that brings readers into the sparse, lean life of a refugee. Omar Mohamed’s narrative blends with Victoria Jamieson’s artwork to convey the value of family, friendship, hope- and the power of education. What stood out to me was the inclusion of Hassan, Omar’s disabled brother, was the entire community worked together to support him and help him thrive. As much as America is glorified in the book, the inclusive community is something our own country could improve on. Just as compelling as the story is the afterword, which details how Omar moved forward with his education and outreach after his move to America. Omar’s charity organization, refugeestrong.org, gives readers their own opportunity to be a part of this global concern.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- Social Studies & Global Geography: Directly explores the global refugee crisis, the structure and daily realities of living in a refugee camp (specifically Dadaab in Kenya), and the broader history of conflicts in the Horn of Africa.
- English Language Arts / Memoir: An exceptional text for analyzing autobiographical visual storytelling, looking at how text and sequential artwork collaborate to communicate complex human emotions and historical narratives.
- Social Emotional Learning (SEL): Highly relevant for classroom discussions surrounding family dedication, resilience, finding hope in adversity, community interdependence, and navigating responsibilities to loved ones while pursuing personal growth.
Extension Activity / Library Application:
- Global Outreach & Refugee Advocacy Research: Inspired by Omar Mohamed’s actual nonprofit organization mentioned in the book’s afterword, have students research his charity (refugeestrong.org) or similar global humanitarian efforts. Students can design an informational awareness campaign, presentation, or poster detailing how local communities can support modern refugee education and resources.
- Visual Narrative Reflection Journaling: Prompt students to select a scene from the graphic novel where the artwork conveys a powerful emotion or theme (such as the tension between going to school and looking after a family member) and write a reflection analyzing how the graphic format makes the narrative uniquely impactful.
Diversity & Representation Note:
This narrative offers extraordinary, authentic intersectional representation by presenting a first-hand account of a Muslim, Somali refugee navigating childhood. It also provides a beautiful, dignified depiction of disability and inclusion; it highlights a nonverbal character whose community actively works together to embrace, validate, and support him, offering a vital framework for equity and empathy.
Readalikes:
- Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros
- Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin
- A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park
