When Stars Are Scattered

Without his parents in his life at Dadaab, Omar relies on Fatuma as a foster mother for basic needs and supervision. What other adult figures care for Omar in the story in terms of his well-being and his future? Who is the most influential in his life and future? Determine three reasons based on text evidence to justify your choice.

Images and color help tell the story in When Stars Are Scattered. For example, facial expressions reveal individuals’ emotions when there are no words, narration, or description to accompany the image. What are some other specific ways the artwork or color helps to convey story elements? Provide examples from each of the three parts of the story.

Omar struggles with empathy at times, especially when he allows hopelessness and bitterness to cloud his ability to perceive the emotions of others. In what ways does Hassan serve as a kind of foil to Omar concerning empathy? How does Hassan symbolize empathy and demonstrate his capability for it in the book? Use two to three examples to explain and support your response.

The story is based on actual events in Omar’s early life, but the events follow a traditional plot triangle with an inciting incident (Omar’s choice to attend school) and climax (Omar receiving the UN’s notification about resettlement). How does the story offer other traditional storytelling elements like atmosphere, suspense, complications, and discoveries? Find and discuss three to five specific examples in your response.

Generally speaking, humanitarian aid efforts for Somalia, historically, were complex and ineffective. How is this made apparent in the book? What are some of the most severe humanitarian problems or most challenging problems of life at Dadaab, as suggested by When Stars Are Scattered? What are different ways in which individuals cope with their problems or challenges?

The story focuses most closely on Omar and Hassan’s life at Dadaab, but the camp held hundreds of thousands of refugees when Omar and Hassan lived there. What methods or techniques do the writers and colorist use to show perspective and convey how Omar’s story represents the story of many thousands of people? What is the impact of those “bigger picture” methods or techniques on the readership of this story? Reference specific scenes or images with page numbers in your response.

Tall Salan tells Fatuma, “The world is changing, Fatuma. Who knows where any of us will end in the next few years?” (30). The theme topic of changing times becomes apparent in the story. How do the authors convey this theme topic with regard to education and gender? How do they show it in the artistic images? Compile a list of scenes in which the theme topic of change is apparent in words or pictures; choose the strongest three examples to use in discussing this question: What message regarding change are the authors trying to get across?

Omar leads each part of the story with an introduction that recaps elapsed time for the reader. How does his tone change across each introduction? How do the changes in Omar’s tone parallel changes in mood in the chapters that follow each introduction? Offer examples from each part of the story to support your thoughts.