<span class="a-text-bold">A heart-wrenching true story about life in a Kenyan refugee camp that will restore your faith in real-life happy endings.</span><span><br><br>Omar and his brother Hassan, two Somali boys, have spent a long time in the Dadaab refugee camp. Separated from their mother, they are looked after by a friendly stranger. Life in the camp isn't always easy. The hunger is constant . . . but there's football to look forward to, and now there's a chance Omar will get to go to school . . .<br><br>With a heart-wrenching fairytale ending, this incredible true story is brought to life by Victoria's stunning illustrations. This book perfectly depicts life in a refugee camp for 8-12 year olds.<br><br></span><span class="a-text-bold">'Does everything one can ask of a book, and then some.' </span><span class="a-text-italic">Kirkus</span><span><br><br></span><span class="a-text-bold">'Fantastic</span><span class="a-text-bold"> graphic novel.'</span><span> </span><span class="a-text-italic">The New York Times Book Review</span><span><br><br></span><span class="a-text-bold">'Sensitive and poignant</span><span class="a-text-bold">.'</span><span> </span><span class="a-text-italic">School Library Journal</span><span><br><br></span><span class="a-text-bold">'Not to be missed</span><span class="a-text-bold">.'</span><span> </span><span class="a-text-italic">Booklist</span>
<div class="a-row a-expander-container a-expander-extend-container"> <h3><span>Review</span></h3> <div class="a-section a-spacing-small a-padding-small"> <span>This engaging, heartwarming story </span><span class="a-text-bold">does everything one can ask of a book, and then some</span><span>. ― </span><span class="a-text-italic">Kirkus</span><span><br><br>A </span><span class="a-text-bold">personal and poignant</span><span> entry point for young readers trying to understand an unfair world ― </span><span class="a-text-italic">Publishers Weekly</span><span><br><br>'</span><span class="a-text-bold">Fantastic</span><span> graphic novel . . . Jamieson's lively charismatic art and Mohamed's remarkable life story will make young readers care about Omar and Hassan. -- Alan Gratz ― </span><span class="a-text-italic">The New York Times Book Review</span><span><br><br>With this </span><span class="a-text-bold">sensitive and poignant tale</span><span>, Jamieson and Mohamed express the power of the human spirit to persevere. ― </span><span class="a-text-italic">School Library Journal</span><span><br><br>Poignant and heart-wrenching... Beautifully illustrated... A book that will stick with you long after you finish reading ― </span><span class="a-text-italic">The Scotsman</span><span><br><br>Revealing, memorable and ultimately hopeful, [this] book not only widens our understanding, it demands our engagement and reponse ― </span><span class="a-text-italic">Books for Keeps</span><span><br><br>This beautiful memoir is </span><span class="a-text-bold">not to be missed</span><span>. ― </span><span class="a-text-italic">Booklist</span><span><br><br>A </span><span class="a-text-bold">true tale of resilience and hope</span><span> brought to life in this graphic novel memoir ... This is an outstanding book that is truly engaging, educative and heart-breaking but ultimately a story of hope and doing the best you can. An essential purchase for schools. -- Joy Court ― </span><span class="a-text-italic">LoveReading</span><span><br><br>Should be the top of everyone's reading pile. It covers so much from personal experiences of refugees fleeing war to women's rights, equality of education and living with disability. </span><span class="a-text-bold">I'd say that it may be the best graphic novel I've read</span><span> ― </span><span class="a-text-italic">The Reader Teacher</span><span><br><br>This riveting graphic novel chronicles the young Omar's real-life experience during the 15 years he and his little brother spent as Somali refugees in the U.N.-run Dabaab camp in Kenya. ― </span><span class="a-text-italic">The New York Times Book Review</span> </div> <h3><span>Book Description</span></h3> <div class="a-section a-spacing-small a-padding-small"> <span>A heart-wrenching true story about life in a Kenyan refugee camp that will restore your faith in real-life happy endings.</span> </div> <div data-expanded="true" class="a-expander-content a-expander-extend-content a-expander-content-expanded" style="overflow: hidden;"> <h3><span>About the Author</span></h3> <div class="a-section a-spacing-small a-padding-small"> <span class="a-text-bold">Victoria Jamieson</span><span> is the creator of the graphic novels</span><span class="a-text-italic"> All's Faire in Middle School</span><span> and Newbery Honor winner</span><span class="a-text-italic"> Roller Girl</span><span>. She received her BFA in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design and worked as a children's book designer before becoming a freelance illustrator. She has also worked as a portrait artist aboard a cruise ship, and has lived in Australia, Italy, and Canada. Now she lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and son.<br><br></span><span class="a-text-bold">Omar Mohamed</span><span> spent his childhood at the Dadaab camp, after his father was killed and he was separated from his mother in Somalia. He devoted everything to taking care of his younger brother, Hassan, and to pursuing his education. He now lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with his wife and five children, and works at a center to help resettle other refugees. He is the founder of Refugee Strong, a non-profit organization that empowers students living in refugee camps. He still works with the Dadaab camp and travels back there once a year.</span> </div> </div> <div class="a-row"> <a data-csa-c-func-deps="aui-da-a-expander-toggle" data-csa-c-type="widget" data-csa-interaction-events="click" aria-expanded="true" role="button" href="javascript:void(0)" data-action="a-expander-toggle" class="a-expander-header a-declarative a-expander-extend-header" data-a-expander-toggle="{"allowLinkDefault":true, "expand_prompt":"Read more", "collapse_prompt":""}" data-csa-c-id="kxk8b2-j871fo-o0j7w1-u8ni0z"><i class="a-icon a-icon-extender-collapse"></i><span class="a-expander-prompt"></span></a> </div> </div>
