FICTION

An Olympic Dream: The Story of Samia Yusuf Omar

by Reinhard KLEIST
tr. from German by Ivanka Hahnenberger. illus. by Reinhard Kleist. 152p. SelfMadeHero. Apr. 2016. pap. $22.95. ISBN 9781910593097.
COPY ISBN
In stark black-and-white illustrations, young Somalian Samia Yusuf Omar finishes last in her 200-meter heat in the Beijing Olympics, but she is determined to improve for the 2012 London Summer Olympics. Training is difficult in Somalia because the strict militant Muslim government disapproves of women exercising outside of the home, even with a head covering. Omar is determined to flee to Europe for better facilities and food, but she must rely on unscrupulous human traffickers to take her across deserts and the Mediterranean Sea. Her journey is rough and dangerous, and there is no happy ending. German author Kleist used family interviews to re-create Omar's life in Mogadishu and interspersed panels with fictionalized Facebook posts to advance the story line.
VERDICT While this tale of perseverance and needless death wasn't told by an actual refugee, it emphasizes the need for immigration reform and personalizes the plight of refugees. A welcome addition to current events discussions.
Reviewed by Sarah Hill, Lake Land College, Mattoon, IL , Oct 01, 2016

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