Omar Mohamed related to Ms. Jamieson his experiences and thoughts about his life in the Dadaab Refugee Complex in Kenya. Ms. Jamieson drew sketches and added text in panels, and Iman Geddy added color.
The result is an engaging tale which communicates to readers some aspects of life as refugees. This is particularly important for people in the United States, where refugees are often portrayed as dangerous.
Ms. Jamieson's website has a resource list to learn more about Dadaab's inhabitants.
Omar Mohamed asks that people support his charity, Refugee Strong.
The political radical in me wishes the book dealt with why the civil war in Somalia has continued for so many decades.
I have my prejudices about graphic novels. Are they just a way for illiterate people to say they read books? But then, if the purpose of books is communication, may not images be as or more effective than prose?
Perhaps my prejudice is the result of my perceived inability to draw. With Ms. Jamieson's remote instruction during the Zoom call, I was able to sketch a child running.
I have been supporting American Relief Agency for the Horn of Africa.
Here is the book's trailer:
