Amina

An outstanding portrait of a young girl's life as she struggles through the challenges of life in war torn Mogadishu.

I just finished reading Amina, and I must say, it deeply touched me. As an adult woman, I have been aware of the difficulties of women in certain countries of the world. I've even written a few master's level papers on such (including women in Islamic-controlled countries), so I'd guess I'm even a little more aware than most. The story of Amina brought me to tears several times, both over the hardships she endured and over the relentless hope she exhibits in her art. The simple, straightforward way that Amina tells her story is disarming and endearing and sobering. I so wanted to reach through the pages and hug this girl. As I looked up from the book several times, I saw my own daughters, squarely in the age range intended for this book. I would indeed encourage them to read it, to help them understand what is happening in this world, both politically and religiously, and how some people use the one to advance the other, often with the consequences of seriously harming women and children. I would probably allow my teen to read it independently, but some of the scenes would be too disturbing for my tween to read independently. There were also a couple of realities that were mentioned but not explained (like female circumcision and child soldiers). Overall, an excellent book that simply states the grim reality that many girls endure without pushing any agendas, other than protection and education of girls.

This is a book in the Through My Eyes series, each of which is a stand alone novel by a different author, that tell stories of young people living in "contemporary conflict zones" around the world.

Amina's story takes place in Mogadishu, Somalia during 2011. At the beginning of the story things seem pretty good for her family. They are healthy, all of them are together, and they have a home, food, and the money to buy what they need. However, the reader soon realizes that this family is actually just making the best of living in a war zone. Her grandmother and mother choose to no longer leave the house for safety reasons, and she is only allowed to leave when going to school or when escorted somewhere by her father or brother. The family lives in only the first story of their house because the upper story was destroyed by a grenade during the fighting, and the sound of gunfire is a normal occurrence. Of course, as the story goes on, even this fragile sense of safety is shattered and the family is ripped apart. Amina must become an adult in the family and work to keep them alive while also struggling to figure out how to express herself through her own art.

I thought this was a wonderfully told story for young adults. It is straightforward and deals directly with the struggles these characters face on a daily basis, while at the same time never going into graphic or gory detail of the horror many experienced. I would definitely recommend it young adult readers interested in learning more about cultures and experiences around the world.

This book tells the story of a young teenage girl and her family living in war torn Mogadishu, Somalia. In some ways, it's difficult to read because the lives that these people live are so incomprehensible to a western ear. To survive on half a banana and a cup of rice; to never leave your house for fear that you would be killed; to have family members snatched right in front of you and have no power to do anything about it. Wow. But through it all, Amina doesn't ask for pity or even help. She just continues on the only way she knows how. Sure, she has family living in nice, safe countries, but she doesn't dwell on that. Instead, she's brave and she does what she can to survive. A good book for tweens and teens.