Of Beetles and Angels: A Boy's Remarkable Journey from a Refugee Camp to Harvard

Of Beetles and Angels: A Boy's Remarkable Journey from a Refugee Camp to Harvard

by
3.8 of 5 stars 3.80  ·  rating details  ·  646 ratings  ·  143 reviews
Now in a paperback edition, this acclaimed memoir tells the unforgettable story of a young boy's journey from a refugee camp in Sudan to Chicago, where his family survived on welfare. Mawi followed his father's advice to "treat people . . . as though they were angels sent from heaven, " and realized his dream of a full-tuition scholarship to Harvard University. Updated wit...more
Paperback, 176 pages
Published September 1st 2002 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
more details... edit details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 973)
filter  |  sort: default (?)  |  rating details
Hayatullah Khan
Of Beetles and Angels by Mawi Asgedom is really interesting story about how a young boy overcame with his difficult life, and Achieved his dream of getting education. The character Mawi goes through really difficult situation, such as he being forced out of his home to a refugee camp, also his beloved brother and father died, while he was really young. He did not give up on his dream of getting education which he thought was the solution to all his problem. He continue his education and graduate...more
Adrienne Lumpkin
Of Beetles and Angels –Review
By: Adrienne Lumpkin
As of me being a sixth grader and having to read books about South- West Asia, this book has been the best so far. After getting into the book I felt like I was reading it or entertainment and not an assignment. This book is about a boy to a man named Salamawi’s in this book mostly referred to as Mawi’s journey from a refugee to a Harvard student. This book tells you from his own words how his life is. It has the original moral of “No matter whe...more
Cade Ivy
Of Beetles and Angels: Book Review Cade Ivy
This book is a good way to remember how people may be struggling every day in the world that we live in. Many dangers are dicussed although there are a lot of detailed occasions that are describing how America is different and how the world of a refugee works. These kids seem troubled and disturbing but they are just trying to find a place in society. These refugees do not like to be called bettles but accept the humiliation as they move up from branch...more
Holden Mr.awesome
this book was a very interesting book it had thrill and journey,but it was also a very sad and out going. i think this book should win an award or something. i mean this guy had to pretty much go through hell to survive where he came from. this man mawi is defiantly a trouper he has amazed me through this book as he goes through death of family members and friends. he also had to deal with bully's when he got to america those guys are total punks. i mean this guy went trough the ringer and then...more
Stanley
This book is and amazing story about a refugee named Mawi. He lived in Ethiopia and had a good life, but when there was a war his family had to move to Sudan in a refugee camp. His father never went to a medical school, but he knew how to do most of the things a doctor knows how to do. He had his own clinic in Ethiopia, but they had to flee to Sudan to survive. His life had changed so much when he moved to Sudan. They lived in that refugee camp for a while, but then they flew over to America.The...more
Hana Chaney
Selamawi Asgedom was born in modern day Ethiopia. His mother, Tsege, and his father, Haileab, and his brother Tewolde, were all forced into a refugee camp in Sudan to escape a civil war between his two cultures: Ethiopia and Eritria. He lived in that camp for over three years, later escaping to Wheatonton, a city in America. Like modt refugees, he did not speak english, did not know Ametican culture, and was confused of where he even was. America seems a lot harder than in a refugee camp.......

O...more
Anabellehuisa
Of Beetles & Angels was an incredibly remarking book telling about the life story of a young Sudanese refugee going from a refugee to a struggling boy living in America to a full-tuition scholarship Harvard graduate! It also goes deeper into the way he felt about leaving his home in Sudan and growing up as a teased and taunted child. Mawi Asegdom also explains the actions he took to provide not only for himself but for his family. He also made sure to be top of the class because he thought...more
Daniela Osorio
Of Beetles and Angels is a great book.It talks about how a poor kid from Refugee camp,ends up in the best universities in the country.Thanks to all the hard work he and his family have passed.His father (Haileab born in seraye,Eritrea in 1934) always made him keep his head up even when times got hard.Mawi (main character) has a brother named Tewolde,and a sister named Mehret.His mother was Tsege she was loving and hard working.She would stay home and clean the house and do what was best for the...more
Madisen
I think of this book as GREAT, but NOT amazing! It was very good, but at times i felt like it was really boring! It is an inspiratiional book with many quotes that described someone's "not so" daily life. Mawi (the main character) is just a little boy going through great troubles, although he lives his life being "wise" and following the rules with a few mess-ups here and there, but that is normal for a kid! he is a very good person though. i wish i could live my life following the rules he goes...more
Joann
Sep 29, 2011 Joann marked it as to-read
My father's review: 3/5/07

By birth Mawi was an Eritrean/Ethiopian, one parent of each, living in Ethiopia. His father, Haileab, was a self trained doctor in Ethiopia,
licensed as an "Advanced Dresser". In the area where they lived, Haileab was the only source of even quasi medical care; so, when it was needed,
he did his best to deliver it, and was pretty good at it. He was the proverbial "country doctor". Traveling long distances to deliver babies,
staying up all night with a patient, and all the...more
Ad-RyaN Williams
This book has many different ways of making you think about a lot of different stuff.It has many aspects. It has so many great quotes that could mean so many different things. It's a book about a boy, real name Selamawi but in America we call him Mawi. As a kid he has went through a lot, such as the transfer from a refugee camp to America, fighting at school and almost is expelled, kids picking on him at school, and the latest, the death of both his brother,Telwolde, and his father, Haileab. Alt...more
Tiffany Parra
Feb 23, 2012 Tiffany Parra rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: To lots of people who i know would enjoy a good book
Shelves: done-reading
This book to me was quite fascinating. The way the theme and dialog was set up was great. But to me reading how Mawi described everything he went through in his life just actually put me there with him. His textual features was great and just reading throughout the book I felt mixed emotions. I felt sad for how Mawi and his family had to leave their home war stricken country, and how coming to america they were poor with no money and had to have foster families take care of them for money and fo...more
Feven Gebremariam
"Of Beetles and Angles" by Mawi (Selemawi) Asgedom is about a remarkable journey the author takes as growing up from a poverty and war stricken country like Ethiopia, and moving to a miracle of America. There, Mawi, his older brother Tewelde, his little sister Mehret, and his older sister, learn how to face the ridicule and mocks of their school mates. Learning the opportunities and disadvantages that came with living in such a great country, Mawi learned to pass through the ridicule, take the c...more
Maddy
Of Beetles And Angles
A remarkable journey of a young boy
Mawi Asgedom writes a very moving autobiography telling the story of his family journey from the middle of a civil war in east Africa, to a refugee camp in Sudan, then finally making it to the states on welfare. Mawi grows up in a small town in Illinois named Wheaton, growing up there was a hard task for the family, only Mawi’s father was able to speak a little English, as for Mawi, he didn’t know any. Mawi still went to school. Though his...more
Amanda T
Of Beetles and Angels was one of my recent books I have read. The book is by Mawi Asgedom. This book is summarizing the life of Mawi Asgedom because it is a memoir. In this book it shows that hardships of coming to a whole new life in America and how he was successful in creating one. This is definitely a to read.

The point of the book is to tell that you can accomplish anything your heart desires. Even if you don't know anything about it you can still do it. Just like Mawi, he was a refugee and...more
Nunzio P
Review: Of Beatles and Angels

This book was about the life of a man from Sudan who comes to America. It shows the journey he has when he comes to America. I read this book over the summer because i had to. But when i was reading it, it did not feel that way. Every page got so interesting. But there was one part about the dad’s life that got pretty boring but that was the only part in the book that was boring. I think this a book that everyone should read.

To me there was only point to this whole b...more
Edin G.
The book that I read was Of Beetles and Angels written by this inspiring author, Selamawi Asgedom. Mawi traveled from Africa to the United States to look for a better future for him and his family, he was a child who always looked into the future. In this memoir he told his background information and how he went from a refugee camp to Harvard. I would recommend it for everyone to read because it’s a memoir, where it touches you really deep, cause of his life and his families background.

The auth...more
Learning Community Learning Community
Of Beetles and Angels: A Boy's Remarkable Journey from a Refugee Camp to Harvard, teliling the story of how a young boy named Mawi and his family lived in Ethiopia but was forced to leave because of war. Him and his family continued to flee from refugee camp to refugee camp to find safety for their family.
Thhough the family went through tough times, Mawi, his brother Telwode,younger sister Mehret, mother Tsege, and father Haileab continued to stay strong and belive that life would get better. A...more
Yicong
The book is about a family fled from Ethiopian to Sudan, then finally to America. The main character, or the protagonist, is a black boy called Mawi. His father is a fantastic, warm-hearted doctor. The doctor treated every patient with fair and care. He saved uncountable patients. All of the people in the town gave good, positive comments of him.

The 30-year-long civil war between Ethiopia and Eritrea forced them to flee. However, Sudan refugee camp was not a good place for long stay. Mawi and h...more
Sheimmyuztariz
Of Beetles and Angels is a heartfelt book that takes you to a journey about a boy from a refugee in Africa to becoming a man and being top of his class in Harvard. The journey begins in Ethiopia where a huge war that has been going on for years. Mawi’s (the author and main character) family should have been killed by a rebel group or those hungry hyenas. Luckily, they kept going strong and did not give up and their wish came true, they finally made it to America to start a new and better life....more
Tatiana
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Matthewburgess
this book seems like a movie. he does so good at describing i can make pictures in my mind.it has many different aspects.there are lots of quotes. I wonder in refugee camps do they read this book.I think it would be a good book for refugees to read.maybe inspirational to them.in this book it tells how when his family moved to america from Ethiopia,how his family got help. his father really pushed him to exceed in everything he did. he got into a lot of fights at school. his father told him to st...more
Kat
Of Beetles and Angels, was a great, inspiring book, and I actually can say that I learned a lot from this book. I actually met the author the other day, because he came to my school and I have to say that his journey is amazing he started from a refuge camp to a Harvard Graduate. If you see this around stores or bookshelf's I suggest that you pick it up and read a couple of pages rather than just judging its cover, because I did that and I was very glad that I read the book, and I'm thinking tha...more
Doumbia Matedje
I rating this book at 5 because how people can successe even be they been to a lot. This boos is about a African boy with is family had to live their land because of war. they had to move to came to came to be save form the war. however when they came to America. mawi went to school. his gaol was to finish school to help his family because they been to a lot, and he did finish high school. he went to a best college. that i dont like about the book is Mawi father and brother before he reach hi co...more
Stacie Pittard
I'm planning on reading this book again. The first time I read it was for 7th grade (and we actually had Mawi Asgedom come and speak to us...which was amazing). I would really like to reread it with a more mature mind.

I'm honestly thankful that my school required this of us, and I think more schools should require it. It's a rags to riches story, but a bit more heartfelt than these stories often go. It's not just a story of someone who raised himself up from a hard knock life. It's not just a st...more
Taelor Threadgill
Of Beetles and Angles is the story of a young boy named Mawi who becomes a refugee in Sudan, and later imagrates to the United States. On the way to Sudan Mawi faces trouble with disease, famine, and more on the quest to get back to his dad. Along with him is his brother, Tewolde, his sister, Mehret, adn his mother, Tsege. When they finally meet back up with his father, they dedide to head to the United States in hope of a new found home, and a better life, but what they really get their is a si...more
wfpoppet
The writing may seem simplistic at times, but I believe this helps make it accessible for younger readers without taking away from the enjoyment of older readers. Asgedom shares his journey from his home country of Ethiopia, through refugee camps in Sudan, to resettlement in Wheaton, Illinois. While some readers may be bothered by what appears to be poor organized chapters, keeping in mind the non-linear storytelling style of other cultures should provide adequate justification for this concern....more
Troy
This was a really great book. I enjoyed learning the life that a refugee has lived through. The book was about Mawi and his family and them moving to America. They went through some hardships with their new life, like being bullied at school and being very poor. I like that one of the chapters had Halloween in it and how they would come up with tricks so they could get lots of candy. There were some sad parts, funny parts, and some very interesting parts in the book. In the book there is some of...more
Sakhayat Hossain
A Boy's Remarkable Journey From a Refugee Camp to Harvard" by Mawi Asgedom tells the story of Selamawi Haileab Asgedom or Mawi. When he six year old, Mawi want good life, he living in the Africa but when Africa War he family moving in the refugee camp. They so bad situation for example they are don’t have enougest food, no good speech, small taint refugee camp raining in the outside. Mawi's mother took him on a long and hard trip through the desert when he was very young. They were traveling to...more
Talara Harper

Of Beetles and Angels Review
This was a great book. It is one of my favorite books that I have read as a class.At first, I thought I was not going to like it because I saw a lot of words I could not pronounce. I looked over those words and I changed my mind about the book .I also thought it was going to be a sad book when Mawi was telling his life stories.The book actually had a happy ending and success occuring. There were lots of changes in the book.The changes were from one place to another,...more
« previous 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 32 33 next »
topics  posts  views  last activity   
Compare and Contrast 6 23 21 de May 08:20  
Of Beetles And Angels (Hardcover)
Of Beetles And Angels: A True Story Of The American Dream
Of Beetles and Angels: A Boy's Remarkable Journey from a Refugee Camp to Harvard (Kindle Edition)
Of Beetles and Angels: A Boy's Remarkable Journey from a Refugee Camp to Harvard (ebook)
Of Beetles and Angels Bookmarks: A Boy's Remarkable Journey from a Refugee Camp to Harvard

The Code: The 5 Secrets of Teen Success The Third Harmony Beyond Character Education The Success GPA Nothing Is Impossible

Share This Book

Your website
“Treat all people-even the most unsightly beetles-as though they were angels sent from heaven.” 3 people liked it
More quotes…