From Somalia with Love - Softcover

Robert, Na'ima B.

3.92

326 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1845078322 ISBN 13: 9781845078324

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2009

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Safia Dirie is a teenage girl living in East London with her mother, Hoyo, and two older brothers, Ahmed and Abdullahi. Though she was born in Somalia, she doesn’t really remember it Safia’s a London girl, through and through. But now, after 12 long years, her father, Abo, has returned to the family from war-torn Mogadishu. Safia knew things would change, but nothing could have prepared her for the reality of dealing with Abo’s cultural expectations. Or that Ahmed, her favorite brother, would start to run wild. And she herself certainly didn’t expect to find her cousin Firdous’ party-girl lifestyle so tempting. Safia must come to terms with who she is as a Muslim, as a teenager, as a poet, as a friend, but most of all, as a daughter to a father she’s never known. Rooted in Somali and Muslim life, this poignant and beautifully written novel about one girl’s quest to find her own place in the world strikes a chord with young readers everywhere.

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About the Author:

NA'IMA B ROBERT is descended from Scottish Highlanders on her father's side and the Zulu people on her mother's side. She was born in Leeds, grew up in Zimbabwe and went to university in London. At high school, her loves included performing arts, public speaking and writing stories that shocked her teachers! She has written several multicultural books for children and is the author of 'From Somalia, with love', a novel for young adults. 'Boy vs Girl' is her second books for teens. She divides her time between London and Cairo and dreams of living on a farm with her own horses. Until then, she is happy to be a mum to her four children and keep reading and writing books that take her to a different world each time.To find out more about Na'ima B Robert visit www.naimabrobert.co.uk

From School Library Journal:

Grade 6 Up–Safia has grown up believing her father died in the fighting in Somalia. When she finds out that he is alive and on his way to London to join the family, she is apprehensive about the difference his presence will make in her life. Though she is comfortable with her identity as a Muslim, she struggles with how her values differ from those of her rebellious brother and cousin. Her father is not prepared for his family's hybrid British-Somali culture, which causes a great deal of conflict. Safia must learn to cope with the new dynamics in her home and learn to love a father she has never known. At times, the author's intent of creating a window into Somali culture and the immigrant experience is a bit heavy-handed. The book does do a good job of showing the richness of Somali culture as something positive and separate from the war that has torn the country apart for decades. This is a unique title that will be popular in regions that have large Somali populations or where Randa Abdel-Fattah's books are popular. A glossary of Arabic and Somali words and phrases is included, but it is unclear from which language each one comes.–Kristin Anderson, Columbus Metropolitan Library System, OH
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