Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson, Omar Mohamed

37 reviews

celey's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

4.25

Beautifully combines the truth of what it means to live as a child in a refugee camp with a powerful narrative of Omar, Hassan, and a community of other characters all hoping for escape. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War and Death of parent

Especially at the end of the book, characters share more graphic details of what they experienced during their flight from Somalia during wartime.

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad fast-paced

4.0

A beautiful story of two young men and their hope for a better life, this graphic novel captures the essence of what it means to live in a refugee camp. These two young boys were torn from their parents because of the violence in Somalia and sent to a refugee camp in Kenya. After many years of hardship, they’re able to resettle in the United States. This young adult book gives us insights into how refugees experience life and life and the ways that we might focus our energies to help them have better experiences. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Classism, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, War, Mass/school shootings, Addiction, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Grief, Ableism, Islamophobia, Violence, Bullying, Child death, Racism, and Xenophobia

megyeager's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

5.0

This book was heartbreaking and so beautiful. The story was told so honestly and authentically. I would recommend this book to anyone of any age. This is a great book to use to introduce kids to a serious topic like refugee camps and what it means to not have a safe place to go back to.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Abandonment, War, Bullying, and Death of parent

auri_underthing's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.75

Absolutely heartbreaking.
Three words to describe this book: dust, desperation, hope. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief and War

Minor: Addiction, Death of parent, and Adult/minor relationship

shea_proulx's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, War, and Confinement

Minor: Medical trauma, Animal death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Drug use

cathyrodgers's review against another edition

challenging dark informative inspiring sad fast-paced

5.0

This nonfiction graphic novel/memoir follows the life of main character and author, Omar Mohamed.  Readers learn about the many years of waiting, hunger, loneliness, and fear he lives with daily in Dadaab , a refugee camp in Kenya.  Although the circumstances of Omar’s life are dire, the book ends on a hopeful note.  I loved When Stars Are Scattered and will be encouraging everyone I know to read it.  I highly recommend it to adults who, like me, are sensitive to many topics involving children. The book’s middle grade audience keeps the details age-appropriate - just the right level for me.  I recommend reading this book in print or with a reading app on an iPad or tablet. Ereaders, such as Kindle,  with black and white format will miss out on the wonderful colors of this graphic novel.   Parents/teachers:  check the content warnings for age appropriateness for your reader(s).

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War and Death of parent

Minor: Suicide

Children separated from mother by civil war.

stories's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative medium-paced

3.5

Engaging and accessible retelling of co-author Omar Mohamed’s experience growing up in a refugee camp. 

Certainly worth watching for a copy for the classroom, because it does a lovely job of telling the bare bones while leaving darker tragedies between the lines. 

Make sure you read the after notes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism

Moderate: Addiction and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Death of parent, War, Grief, Pregnancy, Animal death, Misogyny, Death, and Gun violence

Minor forced arranged marriage

booknerdsinmn's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death of parent and Violence

aus10england's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

4.75

Oh, my heart. This is why graphic novel memoirs should exist.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Moderate: Death of parent, Animal death, and Violence

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

fayelilyc's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Animal death