From The Bookshelves: Ayan, of the Lucky by Fadumo Yusuf

Ayan, of the Lucky by Fadumo Yusuf may be the next stop on your summer reading list.

Ayan spends her days dreaming of being a doctor, but education is limited for a girl living in rural Somalia. Born into a nomadic family that raises goats and camels, Ayan longs to live in the city–Mogadishu–where she can fulfill her ambitions. With her grandmother’s help, Ayan eventually travels to Mogadishu to live with her uncle and his family, and she attends school. But the garden wall surrounding her uncle’s beautiful home cannot protect her forever, and the civil war soon appears at their doorstep. Ayan is forced to set out on a harrowing journey across the country as she seeks refuge. Through terrifying adventures and moments of touching generosity, Ayan arrives in Kenya, where she finds work as a maid, restarts her education, and discovers a love that alters the course of her life. Ultimately, she resettles in Minnesota, where she pursues her dream of being a doctor-now with all the challenges of a new life in a new land.

The Sahan Journal has a lovely write up on Fadumo Yusuf and her book. In that piece, the author explains that this book stems from her desire “to write authentic stories that capture some of the experiences of” Somali immigrants in Minnesota.

-KitJ