Geography & Cultures
![Victoria Jamieson - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_a_victoria_jamieson.jpg)
When Stars Are Scattered
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 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.
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.
Editorial Reviews
A New York Times Bestseller
National Book Award Finalist
Schneider Family Book Award, Middle School Honor
YALSA Great Graphic Novel for Teens
YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Nominee
Walter Award Winner (Younger Readers)
Amazon Best Children's Book of 2020
New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book
TIME Best Book of the Year
School Library Journal Best Book of 2020
Kirkus Best Children's Book of 2020
NYPL Best Book for Kids
NPR's Book Concierge Pick
Jane Addams Children's Book Award Finalist
Charlotte Huck Award Honor Book
2021 ALSC Notable Children's Books List
2021 Children's Africana Book Award Honor Book
2021 Josette Frank Award Winner
2021 Notable Books for a Global Society List
2021 Kids' Book Choice Award Winner
★ "Jamieson's characteristically endearing art, warmly colored 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 works to subvert many refugee stereotypes." -Horn Book, starred review
★ "Mohamed's experience is unfortunately not unique, but it is told with grace, humility, and forgiveness. This beautiful memoir is not to be missed." -Booklist, starred review
★ "Jamieson and Mohamed together craft a cohesive, winding story that balances daily ...
National Book Award Finalist
Schneider Family Book Award, Middle School Honor
YALSA Great Graphic Novel for Teens
YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Nominee
Walter Award Winner (Younger Readers)
Amazon Best Children's Book of 2020
New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book
TIME Best Book of the Year
School Library Journal Best Book of 2020
Kirkus Best Children's Book of 2020
NYPL Best Book for Kids
NPR's Book Concierge Pick
Jane Addams Children's Book Award Finalist
Charlotte Huck Award Honor Book
2021 ALSC Notable Children's Books List
2021 Children's Africana Book Award Honor Book
2021 Josette Frank Award Winner
2021 Notable Books for a Global Society List
2021 Kids' Book Choice Award Winner
★ "Jamieson's characteristically endearing art, warmly colored 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 works to subvert many refugee stereotypes." -Horn Book, starred review
★ "Mohamed's experience is unfortunately not unique, but it is told with grace, humility, and forgiveness. This beautiful memoir is not to be missed." -Booklist, starred review
★ "Jamieson and Mohamed together craft a cohesive, winding story that balances daily ...
Readers Top Reviews
James RobertsLynx
This is a true story. It is told in graphic novel form, which I love. That means it's more like a comic book than a novel. It's quite long, 17 chapters and 256 pages. It is very easy reading though, and a real page turner. This would be a great step for kids who are past picture books and ready to move on to chapter books. The illustrations are wonderful, detailed and work perfectly with the text to present the full story. Parents should read the book first, not only because it's worth it, but also because there are a lot of adult themes presented. War, hunger, arranged marriages, among many others. This is a beautiful story about perseverance, community and immigrants. Plus real life photos at the end. Well done.
CourtneyJames Rob
Please buy this for you and your family NOW!! I can’t even begin to describe my love for this book. I read it with my 8 and 10 year old boys and we could not put it down. This book is an amazing account of what life is like for a large part of the world and does such a wonderful job of showing how relatable the boys in this (true) story are, yet also how different their lives are compared to ours. It teaches amazing lessons on relationships, compassion, gratitude, and so much more. This book is now one of my personal favorites.
CourtneyJames
I’m a school librarian and picked this up to consider placing on my Battle of the Books list for next year. It did not disappoint. I love how this book allows a reader to get to know a refugee kid as a kid as much as a refugee. So important!!! I’m pairing this with a novel verse called The Red Pencil.
Client d' Cour
I cannot say enough good things about the book When Stars Are Scattered. The story is poignant and written in a way that kept my 5-year-old son captivated all the way to the end. I can't think of a better way to introduce the reality of refugee camps and the hardship so many people are experiencing to young children. My son was so engrossed by this book, he gave a summary of it to several family members using the words "refugee camp", "United Nations" and talking about Omar Mohamed's experience. It is a must have in your library. Thank you to Omar Mohamed and Victoria Jamieson for sharing his story.
KarenClient d'
I loved the first person perspective and how much it connects you to a real person's life and experience. It is a story of hardship, but full of hope and told in a kid-friendly way. I loved that each panel is narrated (and does not just include dialogue). For me, this makes a much better reading experience in graphic novels and also raises the reading level of the story for my students. Well done! This will be highly recommended by me and won't stay in my classroom library when we are finally back together again. I am going to need more copies! #LitReviewCrew
