A National Book Award Finalist, this remarkable graphic novel is about growing up in a refugee camp, as told by a former 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 … 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.
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Cada mes, elijo al azar un país nuevo para leer, esta vez fue turno de Kenia y leí When Stars Are Scattered es middle grade y es biografía gráfica.
La historia se desarrolla en Dadaab, un campo de refugiados en Kenia (es el campo de refugiados más grande en el mundo, se formó en 1992, hasta el día de hoy sigue abierto)
Omar y Hassan son hermanos, llegaron hace aprox 7 años huyendo de la guerra civil en Somalia.
Omar tiene 13 años, se hace cargo de su hermano y de las tareas del hogar, como ir por agua, cocinar y limpiar. Hassan no habla y ha tenido ataques epilépticos (en el campo no hay los recursos para hacer un estudio para saber que tiene Hassan)
Comienza cuando Omar empieza ir al colegio, al principio es difícil, para empezar las clases son inglés y sigue realizando las tareas del hogar. Es una historia contada de manera amena, aunque eso no le quita que es bastante duro, Dadaab, está sobrepoblado, no hay suficiente comida, o encontrar un buen empleo; todo el mundo sueña con salir de ahí. Los hermanos son seleccionados para una posible migración, pero tienen que comprobar que su vida corre peligro en Somalia y es un proceso que puede tomar años. Mientras tanto Omar sigue estudiando y haciéndose cargo de todo.
Es una historia que nos enseña cómo vive otra parte de la población, no todo el mundo tiene la fortuna de tener cosas que damos por hecho, como lo es tener una cama o un vaso de agua fría.
ENGLISH
Every month I randomly choose a new country to read, this time was turn of Kenya and I read When Stars Are Scattered is middle grade and is a graphic biography.
The story takes place in Dadaab, a refugee camp in Kenya (the largest refugee camp in the world, it was formed in 1992, it remains open to this day)
Omar and Hassan are brothers, they arrived about 7 years ago fleeing the civil war in Somalia.
Omar is 13 years old, he takes care of his brother and the household chores. Hassan does not speak and has had seizures (They do not know why they happen, the camp lacks resources)
The story being when Omar starts to go to school, at first it is difficult, the classes are in english and he continues doing his chores.
The style is easy to read, but is a hard story, Dadaab, it is overcrowded, there is not enough food, can’t find a job; everyone dreams of getting out of there. One day the brothers are selected for possible migration, but they have to prove that their lives are in danger in Somalia and it is a process that can take years. Meanwhile Omar continues studying and taking care of everything.
It is a story that shows us how another part of the population lives, not everyone is fortunate enough to have things that we take for granted, like having a bed or a glass of cold water.
It is such an awesome book
it was amazing