When Stars Are Scattered
{{Short description|2020 nonfiction young adult graphic novel by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed}}
{{Italic title}}{{Infobox book
| italic title =
| isbn_note =
| pub_date = April 14, 2020
| english_pub_date =
| published =
| media_type = Hardcover, paperback, audiobook
| pages = 264
| awards =
| isbn = 9780525553908
| oclc =
| publisher = Dial Press
| dewey =
| congress =
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
| native_wikisource =
| wikisource =
| notes =
| exclude_cover =
| publisher2 =
| set_in =
| name = When Stars Are Scattered
| orig_lang_code =
| image = When Stars Are Scattered.jpg
| image_size =
| border =
| alt =
| caption =
| author = Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed
| audio_read_by = Faysal Ahmed, Barkhad Abdi, Victoria Jamieson, Omar Mohamed, Robin Miles, Ifrah Mansour, Bahni Turpin, Hakeemshady Mohamed, Sadeeq Ali, Dominic Hoffman, Christine Avila, and JD Jackson
| title_orig =
| title_working =
| genre = Memoir, Graphic novel
| translator =
| illustrator = Victoria Jamieson and Iman Geddy
| cover_artist =
| country =
| language = English
| series =
| release_number =
| subject =
| website =
}}
When Stars Are Scattered is a nonfiction young adult graphic novel written by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, illustrated by Victoria Jamieson and Iman Geddy, and published April 14, 2020, by Dial Books.
Alongside other honors, the book won the Walter Dean Myers Award for Young Readers{{Cite web|date=2021-03-11|title=2021 Walter Awards|url=https://diversebooks.org/walters-2021/|access-date=2022-02-02|website=We Need Diverse Books|language=en-US}} and Bank Street Children's Book Committee's Josette Frank Award.{{Cite web|last=Hare|first=Peter|title=Past Winners|url=https://www.bankstreet.edu/library/center-for-childrens-literature/childrens-book-committee/past-winners/|access-date=2022-02-02|website=Bank Street College of Education|language=en-US}}
Plot
When Stars Are Scattered follows co-author Mohamed and his younger brother, Hassan, who was born in Somalia and fled to a refugee camp in Kenya when they were toddlers. Although an older woman adopted the brothers, they never stopped searching for their mother. While at the camp, one day, a man came up to Mohamed, telling him that he should go to school, but Mohamed refused, so that he could take care of his brother, Hassan.
Reception
= Reviews =
When Stars Are Scattered was generally well-received, including starred reviews from Booklist,{{Cite web|last=Hayes|first=Summer|date=2020-03-15|title=When Stars Are Scattered|url=https://www.booklistonline.com/When-Stars-Are-Scattered-/pid=9731539|access-date=2022-02-02|website=Booklist}} The Horn Book,{{Cite web|last=Gall|first=Patrick|date=2020-04-21|title=Review of When Stars Are Scattered|url=https://www.hbook.com/story/review-of-when-stars-are-scattered|access-date=2022-02-02|website=The Horn Book}} Kirkus Reviews,{{Cite web|date=2020-01-26|title=When Stars Are Scattered|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/victoria-jamieson/when-stars-are-scattered/|access-date=2022-02-02|website=Kirkus Reviews}} Publishers Weekly,{{Cite web|title=Children's Book Review: When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed. Dial, $20.99 (264p) ISBN 978-0-525-55390-8|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-525-55390-8|access-date=2022-02-02|website=PublishersWeekly.com|language=en}} and School Library Journal.{{Cite web|last=Salva Cryz|first=Darla|date=2020-02-01|title=When Stars Are Scattered|url=https://www.slj.com/?reviewDetail=when-stars-are-scattered|access-date=2022-02-02|website=School Library Journal}}
Writing for School Library Journal, Steven Engelfried said, "The writing is intriguing and easy to understand. The graphics are beautiful and really bring the characters to the page. Omar’s story is important, relevant, and relatable."{{Cite web|last=Engelfried|first=Steven|date=2021-01-13|title=Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: WHEN STARS ARE SCATTERED by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed|url=http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2021/01/13/heavy-medal-mock-newbery-finalist-when-stars-are-scattered-by-victoria-jamieson-and-omar-mohamed/|access-date=2022-02-02|website=Heavy Medal|language=en-US}}
Kirkus Reviews wrote, "This engaging, heartwarming story does everything one can ask of a book, and then some."{{Cite web|date=2020-01-26|title=When Stars Are Scattered|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/victoria-jamieson/when-stars-are-scattered/|access-date=2022-02-02|website=Kirkus Reviews}}
The audiobook, which has 12 narrators, received a starred review from Booklist, who said, the audiobook "offers listeners an experience of perfection in its storytelling, format shifting, and performance."{{Cite web|last=Goldsmith|first=Francisca|date=2020-06-01|title=When Stars Are Scattered|url=https://www.booklistonline.com/When-Stars-Are-Scattered-/pid=9735402|access-date=2022-02-02|website=Booklist}}
When Stars Are Scattered was named one of the best books of 2020 by the Chicago Public Library,{{Cite web|title=Best Fiction for Older Readers of 2020|url=https://chipublib.bibliocommons.com/list/share/200049033/1772060709?page=2|access-date=2022-02-02|website=Chicago Public Library|language=en-US}} Kirkus Reviews,{{Cite web|date=2020-01-26|title=When Stars Are Scattered|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/victoria-jamieson/when-stars-are-scattered/|access-date=2022-02-02|website=Kirkus Reviews}} the New York Public Library,{{Cite web|title=Best Books for Kids 2021|url=https://www.nypl.org/books-more/recommendations/best-books/kids|access-date=2022-02-02|website=The New York Public Library|language=en}} The New York Times,{{Cite news|date=2020-12-02|title=The 25 Best Children's Books of 2020|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/02/books/review/best-childrens-books.html|access-date=2022-02-02|issn=0362-4331}} NPR,{{Cite web|last=NPR|title=Best Books 2021: Books We Love|url=https://apps.npr.org/best-books/|access-date=2022-02-02|website=NPR|language=en-US}} Publishers Weekly,{{Cite web|title=Best Books 2020: Publishers Weekly Publishers Weekly|url=https://best-books.publishersweekly.com/pw/best-books/2020/middle-grade|access-date=2022-02-02|website=Publishers Weekly}} and School Library Journal.{{Cite web|last1=Daz|first1=Mahnaz|last2=Maluck|first2=Thomas|last3=Perez|first3=Alea|last4=Thompson|first4=Steve|date=2020-11-23|title=Best Graphic Novels 2020 {{!}} SLJ Best Books|url=https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=best-graphic-novels-2020-slj-best-books|access-date=2022-02-02|website=School Library Journal}}
= Awards and honors =
Both the book and audiobook editions of When Stars Are Scattered are Junior Library Guild selections.{{Cite web|title=When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson|url=https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9780525553915J&name=When_Stars_Are_Scattered|access-date=2022-02-02|website=Junior Library Guild}}{{Cite web|title=When Stars Are Scattered (Audiobook) by Victoria Jamieson|url=https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9781970040432J&name=When_Stars_Are_Scattered_(Audiobook)|access-date=2022-02-02|website=Junior Library Guild}}