Shine Your Light. Shine Your Story.

When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson, Omar Mohamed, and Iman Geddy

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.

Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed's When Stars Are Scattered introduces readers to the reality of survival for displaced individuals, an existence filled with deprivation, uncertainty, and boredom.

Jamieson is a masterful storyteller. She brilliantly describes her childhood interests in Roller Girl, a Newbery Honor Award book and All’s Faire in Middle School. Now she steps away from personal experience to chronicle the childhood of Somali refugees Omar Mohamed and his younger brother Hassan.

​The narrative is based on Omar’s memories. He and Hassan escaped Somalia's civil war, lost contact with their parents, and were given shelter at a camp located in Kenya. Looked after by a kind woman, they subsist on meager rations and sleep in a tiny tent. Omar assumes responsibility for disabled brother's daily care. Life changes when a UN worker suggests that Omar attend a school organized for the camp's children. Education becomes his lifeline and an escape from the grim reality of camp life. Fifteen long years later, the two resettle in Arizona.

Drawings are clean and uncluttered, keeping the focus on these young siblings. Each frame becomes a metaphor for life within the refugee camp. Omar remains trapped inside the confining panel boundaries. There are a few instances where Omar breaks through the restrictive lines which limit him. Using a stick, his elbow stretches beyond the frame as he writes letters in the ground. Arms extend out as he considers his decision to attend school. His hand drops out of the panel to receive a packet of verses that distill the lives, hopes, and dreams of young refugees. The inference is that education breaks the confines that hold him captive.
Color tends to be flat except the expanse of sky, where a breathtaking array of hues ranging from soft pinks to deep blues are sprinkled with the glimmering pinpoints of tiny stars. The sky appears limitless.

​Jamieson takes a few liberties with Mohamed's story, fleshing out the narrative with additional characters. Two fictional camp residents deal with the harsh realities for girls in this society: few basic supplies, limited education opportunities, and arranged marriages at a young age.

​Back material consists of an Afterword, Author's Notes by both Mohammed and Jamieson, photographs of Omar and his family, and Acknowledgments.

​With extraordinary grace and simplicity, Mohamed and Jamieson put a name and a face on the plight of refugees. The suffering and unsettled circumstances are evident on every page. Without undue sentimentality or overwrought emotion, young Omar’s story is simple and straightforward yet powerful in it's impact.

This graphic novelization of Omar’s life as a refugee is heartbreaking and eye opening. It's the story of the bond that connects siblings, of living with a disabled family member, of a repressive view of women, and the long-lasting aftereffects of war. Notwithstanding these obstacles, this is a story of hope.
This seminal work written for children is a must read for all ages. A harrowing story well told. A story of humanity and possibility.

Want to Do More?

"I lived in Dadaab Refugee camp for over fifteen years. I know what its like to spend your entire childhood without resources. Now I'm working to change that for my family, friends, and neighbors." Omar Mohamed

Inspired by the story of a young refugee? Learn more about the mission and work of  Refugee Strong.

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher

Pub date: April 14, 2020  Publisher:  Dial Books  ISBN: 978-0525553908