When Stars are Scattered: "No one chooses to be a refugee."

 

When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed is a graphic novel for grades 4 and up. It is a true story of Omar, a Somalian refugee who must take care of his younger brother, Hassan, in a Kenyan refugee camp while they wait.  Wait for what?  Possibly, for their mother to arrive.  Or for their names to be selected to be interviewed for relocation in Canada or the U.S.  Above all else, they are waiting for their future to take hold.

Despite Omar and Hassan being without parents, the most touching part of this story is the family they make through the friendships they form in the refugee camp. These community bonds keep them from fading away.  Each caretaker, friend, teacher, UN caseworker, all play important roles in the boys' lives.  They each could have their own books where they tell what circumstances led them there and the challenges they face.  

As a teacher and librarian my favorite parts are when the children are in school.  They have the chance to share with one another their future hopes and dreams.  These opportunities allow the children to voice their ambitions and make them feel like they are worthy of those wishes for themselves. 

 In the scene above, the teacher empowers his students by saying, 

"' Throughout your life people may shout ugly words at you, words like, "Go home, refugee!" or "You have no right to be here!" When you meet these people, tell them to look at the stars. How they move across the sky.  No one tells a star to go home. Tell them, "I am a star. I deserve to exist just the same as a star. How do I know? Because here I am. I am here, the proof is in the stars.' "

It was heartbreaking to turn the page and find that 4 years had passed or another 7 years passed.  I think that is what readers will find the most painful. It will lead them to ask the question, why has the rest of the world not done more to help refugees?  It will open the conversation, spark some research, motivate some to take action, but mostly, to have empathy for what refugees endure.

Previewing the book's trailer will help the reader imagine the voice of Omar and the other characters. The publisher's website has an educator guide and more resources.   Readers can also hear the authors in a Read, Write and Draw From Home video where portions of the book are read and art is made.  Seeing the book's authors and hearing them talk about the book in their own words leaves a lasting impact upon the reader.

It comes as no surprise that this book won the Walter Dean Myers Award for Children's Literature in the Younger Readers category and was a finalist for the National Book Award.