Books are my ADVIL

Text: From Somalia With Love by Na’ima Robert

 

Plot description: Safia is a 15-year old British Muslim, whose family escaped from war in Somalia while leaving their father behind. Since they have been in Britain for twelve years, Safia doesn’t remember much of her father. The story follows Safia and her older brother, the relationships they have with others, and what happens when their long-lost father returns, bringing his own concept of religion and culture into their home.

 

Theme description:  Family dynamics in relation to siblings and parents, Western customs vs. traditional culture, and coming of age and religion are all themes of the book. It expands the reader’s understanding of Somali culture, and helps develop an better understanding of Somalis as individuals.

 

Reason for appropriateness: Our Essential Question, “What can we gain from reading about past civilizations?” is answered in part through this quick-read novel that is written by a young Muslim author. While vaguely touching on the Somalian war, it is engaging for Muslim teens and pre-teens and gives them a story with a young Muslim protagonist. Students should be able to answer the essential question after some study of Somalia and its war, and can also delve further into the book through the postcolonial lens. As Somalia was colonized by the British, students can look into how this affected Somali culture, and why, ironically, the heroine of the story winds up in Britain while she is growing up.

 

Link to critical article: http://muslimmatters.org/2009/01/22/from-somalia-with-love-book-review/