When Stars Are Scattered

 By Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed

Dial     2020

258 pages     Graphic Novel

When Stars Are Scattered is classified as a children/YA book. I was absolutely captivated by it as was my 9-year-old granddaughter, Adela, who gave it to me to read so we could have a book club discussion. More importantly, the book was a finalist for the National Book Awards in 2020 and is the novelized memoir of the childhood of Omar Mohamed, the author. Victoria Jamieson is an award-winning writer of graphic novels who met Omar and together they told his story in graphic form.

The story itself is riveting. Omar and his disabled brother Hassan had to flee their home in Somalia when their father was killed during an uprising. Omar was 4 and his brother was younger. They ran with others from their village, but along the way they got separated from their mother. They lived for 14 years in the Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya in the care of an older woman and the community. This graphic novel is based on their experiences while at the camp, until Omar graduates high school and came to live in the United States. Omar graduated from the University of Arizona, but now lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and young children. He is a social worker at a refugee agency. His brother lives with them, and helps with the family.

Omar was writing a memoir about his experience when he met Victoria Jamieson, the Newbery Honor author of Roller Girl. She had come to volunteer at the refugee agency because she thought she wanted her next book to be about refugees. They joined forces—her illustration skills and his story—to create this compelling novelization about survival and resilience.

I have not had much experience with graphic novels because I read so many books on my Kindle. However, as I read the book, I realized the power that the graphics hold and the way in which difficult topics can be handled through illustration. Jamieson credits the colorist Iman Geddy for the drama produced through the color.

When Stars Are Scattered is much more than a children’s book. The storytelling is perfectly matched with the illustrations, and life in the refugee camp is starkly defined. Hunger is constant, but neighbors help neighbors with finding food and with child care. Everyone is constantly thinking about getting to the United States or Canada, so it is extremely important to learn English and do well in school. Most girls do not get the opportunity to go to school, but two girls are at the top of the class as is Omar. One of the girls is named Maryam, which is the Arabic version of my name, Miriam, and Adela’s middle name, Adela Miriam. Adela loved that one of the characters shared her name. Maryam wrote the poem that ends the book.

Those who are lost

Look to the stars to lead them home.

The flag of Somalia, our home,

Has one star, one background.

But we are not one star.

We are millions

Not one background, but millions.

To the untrained eye, the night sky

Is a scattering of stars,

A chaos of light

And dark across the universe

And yet, the stars are not lost.

They form patterns,

Constellations,

If you know how to look.

There are stories woven into the very essence of stars.

Be like a star.

Shine your light.

Shine your story.

For stories will lead us home.

 

Omar Mohamed has a welfare agency that empowers students living in refugee camps. It is called Refugee Strong. Here is the website.

 

Victoria Jamieson’s website.