Bite-sized book reviews
Bite-sized book reviews
Book Club
This was a book club pick (not mine!) to fulfill the “graphic novel” category, definitely not a genre I typically reach for, but wow, I’m so glad I read it. I devoured the whole thing in one sitting.
The story follows Omar and his younger brother Hassan, who end up in a refugee camp in Kenya after fleeing Somalia. Omar arrives at the camp at just four years old, separated from his mother and left to care for his nonverbal, special-needs brother. What was supposed to be a temporary situation turns into years of waiting, growing up, and hoping.
The story is beautiful and heartfelt, I cried multiple times. I also thought the choice to tell it through a graphic novel was brilliant. It added emotional depth and accessibility in a way I didn’t expect. If you’re looking for something that will increase your empathy, help you appreciate your own life a bit more, and give you a window into the lived experience of refugees (which feels especially important right now), read this. It’s powerful.