What This Book Is About

A true story. Omar and his younger brother Hassan were separated from their mother during the Somali civil war and sent to the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya. Hassan, traumatized, cannot speak, and Omar becomes his only anchor. Life in the camp is hard but not without hope. Omar gets the chance to attend school—but it means leaving Hassan in someone else's care.

Education is Omar's only chance to change their fate, but leaving his brother fills him with guilt and worry. This graphic novel memoir uses warm illustrations and authentic details to tell a story of family, education, hope, and extraordinary resilience. Omar Mohamed did eventually leave the refugee camp and came to America—and this book is his own story.

Available at Popular bookstores, Kinokuniya, and the Singapore National Library.

Why We Recommend This Book

For A2-B1 students (G6-G8), this book is an excellent choice for three reasons.

First, graphic novel format with Lexile ~600L makes it highly accessible—one of the easiest entry points for reluctant or lower-level readers in the G6 collection. The visual storytelling carries much of the emotional weight, meaning students can engage deeply even when their English vocabulary is still developing.

Second, the refugee experience, global citizenship, and the value of education are central to IB philosophy and the Learner Profile. This book builds empathy for experiences very different from students' own lives—a core goal of international education.

Third, it's based on a true story, which teaches students about memoir writing while making the content feel urgent and real. Students who read this book often want to learn more about refugee issues, creating natural connections to geography, social studies, and service learning.