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64th out of 100 books
—
44 voters
Where I Belong
Khadija is from Somalia. She was sent away to live in England to stay with a family she's never met before in order to recieve a good education and earn money for her family back in Somalia.
Abdi is his family's eldest son. This means he's the man of a house now his father's dead. This involves keeping everyone happy and that's about to get a whole lot harder with a new arr...more
Abdi is his family's eldest son. This means he's the man of a house now his father's dead. This involves keeping everyone happy and that's about to get a whole lot harder with a new arr...more
Paperback
Published
by Oxford University Press
(first published February 7th 2011)
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The reason I picked up this book was that the cover photo intrigued me and the name Gillian Cross rang a bell. It turns out that I read Tightrope when it first came out, or at least when it first showed up at my library. My library seems to be getting more books by English authors these days. Most of Gillian Cross's books have never made it across the pond.
The book was interesting because I know almost nothing about Somalia. Young adult readers need more books about Africa and other countries wh...more
The book was interesting because I know almost nothing about Somalia. Young adult readers need more books about Africa and other countries wh...more
This is a book about culture, and how varying nations differ because of wealth, but little else. There are a mix of cultural scenarios introduced through the perspectives of three vastly different protagonists. Khadija - a girl forced to leave her home because of a drought, Abdi - whose an ethnic minority in England, and Freya - the daughter of a popular British fashion designer. This book wasn't what I expected, it was much more unique. Somalia isn't a country often bought into fiction, and so...more
An interesting trend this year seems to be books with a setting in Africa. This one's got Somolia as a backdrop, though the bulk of the story takes place in Britain.
Cross's novel explores the idea of identity as it intersects with history and family. The story's told through three voices, though I never once felt any of the voices were distinct. I found Abdi, the male voice, decidedly female throughout and was a little surprised it wasn't when I found out.
I was confused by the bold text at the...more
Cross's novel explores the idea of identity as it intersects with history and family. The story's told through three voices, though I never once felt any of the voices were distinct. I found Abdi, the male voice, decidedly female throughout and was a little surprised it wasn't when I found out.
I was confused by the bold text at the...more
Ages 12-14. Khadija has been sent to London to get an education, while the rest of her family is starving in Somalia. There she is "discovered" by Sandy Dexter, famous fashion designer, and hired to be the model for Sandy's new line based on the clothing of Somalia. But Sandy's success depends on Khadija keeping this a secret from everyone. The only person she tells is her brother Mahmoud, in an email she sends to Somalia from an internet station in the neighborhood restaurant. Then she gets a p...more
Where I Belong was an exciting book about the origins of a Somali model. It's the kind of book you could easily read in a day, especially when you're looking for something entertaining but not too empty.
The story is written from three first person points of view: Abdi, a Somali British boy; Khadija, a Somali immigrant to England; and Freya, the Anglo daughter of a fashion designer. There is also one third person account of Khadija's brother, Mahmoud. While hearing from so many characters kept u...more
The story is written from three first person points of view: Abdi, a Somali British boy; Khadija, a Somali immigrant to England; and Freya, the Anglo daughter of a fashion designer. There is also one third person account of Khadija's brother, Mahmoud. While hearing from so many characters kept u...more
There are not enough books like this.
Ripped-from-the-headlines, high action, high suspense, multiple perspectives, short chapters, girl appeal, boy appeal, internet safety tips, world awareness... I could go on and on.
Abdi is technically from Somalia. But he's never lived there. His mother moved to the Netherlands before he was born, and he's lived in England for several years. He's 14.
"Khadija" loves Somalia. She lived there until recently, when her father paid for her to illegally emigrate to...more
Ripped-from-the-headlines, high action, high suspense, multiple perspectives, short chapters, girl appeal, boy appeal, internet safety tips, world awareness... I could go on and on.
Abdi is technically from Somalia. But he's never lived there. His mother moved to the Netherlands before he was born, and he's lived in England for several years. He's 14.
"Khadija" loves Somalia. She lived there until recently, when her father paid for her to illegally emigrate to...more
This would be considered a MG/YA (Middle Grade/Young Adult) which I received as an ARC, and since my reading pile was almost depleted I decided to check it out.
A young Somali girl is sent from her homeland, a harsh and politically turbulent environment in which her family are suffering, to live in England with a Somali family. She is her family's best hope for salvation. If Khadja is well educated, she will be able to earn a living and send money home to her family, and it will be worth the sac...more
A young Somali girl is sent from her homeland, a harsh and politically turbulent environment in which her family are suffering, to live in England with a Somali family. She is her family's best hope for salvation. If Khadja is well educated, she will be able to earn a living and send money home to her family, and it will be worth the sac...more
Fourteen-year-old Abdi, from Somalia but living in London, and his family house a thirteen-year-old Somalian refugee, Khadija,so she can attend school and eventually help her family. Suddenly Khadija is handpicked to become a model for a famous fashion designer, who is developing a Somalian style of clothing, and Khadija knows she can help her family more with this work, but she has strict orders to tell no one. Khadija emails her brother and gives him the news and soon after, Khadija's brother...more
I really wish the photo uploaded to Goodreads of the cover looked better because the cover of Where I Belong is simply stunning with the bright blue peeking out from the solemn veil. LOVE (ETA: It's fixed, huzzah!)
Looking at the cast of characters, you probably think there's a love triangle. WRONG. Abdi, Khadija and Freya are just friends and that is marvelous. There is no romance in this book. It's purely a story of friendship, adventure and fashion. I suppose that could count as a spoiler but...more
Looking at the cast of characters, you probably think there's a love triangle. WRONG. Abdi, Khadija and Freya are just friends and that is marvelous. There is no romance in this book. It's purely a story of friendship, adventure and fashion. I suppose that could count as a spoiler but...more
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International intrigue, ransom, travel and fashion-all wrapped up in one novel! Khadijia is modeling in London when she hears her brother has been kidnapped in Somalia. She must free him without letting others know that she has been secretly hiding her own identity. At the same time, Abdi and Freya, are making some pretty intense decisions themselves. Can Mahmoud be saved? Choices, trust, and betrayal are the underlying themes of this action-packed novel for teens.
The setting is London and Somalia, which is a first for this book list. This may be a good, general introduction to the complexities of that country. The complications were a little too easily solved, but it all held together. Told in pov of three characters - I would have liked Khadija to have sounded less English/European -but otherwise a great YA read for those who like fashion and suspense.
Seemingly too many characters to keep straight with each chapter a different voice, I couldn't settle in to the story enough to enjoy it. I would have appreciated learning about Somalia and the history and immigration along with the currency of fashion modeling that Khadija is now involved in, but I couldn't settle in.
Mar 03, 2011
Discovery College
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Readers who enjoy a bit in intrigue, based on real people.
I enjoyed this story of a young person who is caught up in the world of fashion after being an immigrant to the UK from Somalia. The story is told from different peoples viewpoints throughout, which gives it a little different perspective and allows the reader to understand the characters and their actions.
A quick and fascinating read. Then ending was a little abrupt and not quite believable. The author also offered a surprising twist regarding the father of one of the three main characters. But I was happy with the "happy" ending. Great setting and characters.
Three interconnected story about three teens: a British girl, a Somali girl, and the Somali boy who's her adopted brother. This story about identity weaves in issues of global politics along-side super-models, fashion designers, guns and kidnappers.
I really really enjoyed this. I liked the four-point narration, and that Cross had obviously done some good research. I love books about other cultures, and I felt that this book did a good job.
Unique idea, but BLAND. Bland writing, bland characters, just bland, bland, bland. It was like eating paper. And that's all I really have to say about this one.
This book was a great combination of the fashion industry and the extreme poverty of Somalia. A strange combination to be sure, but it works. Told by three narrators we get the first person insights of a Somalian girl who's been transplanted to England without her family, a Somalian boy who's never seen Somalia, and the daughter of a super famous fashion designer whose newest obsession is Somalia. It's never preachy or didactic and you empathize with all three narrators, rooting for them to come...more
An interesting read, but the ending seemed so rushed and stilted that it ruined my perspective on the whole book :(
Feb 15, 2011
Edward Sullivan
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
young-adult-novels,
africa
Interesting, fast-moving suspense with an intriguing international flavor.
May 26, 2011
Becky
marked it as to-read
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
age-high-school,
diversity
Set in London and Somalia. Love this cover.
Notable Children's Books, 2012 (ALA)
Nov 05, 2012
Steph
added it
loved it
It was a great book. I read it as an assignment for reading class and I loved it. Thanks Mr. Hoffmann for forcing us to read this book!
When an author writes about a culture other than their own, there is always the risk that there will be some cultural misrepresentation. That is true in this case...HOWEVER, combining fashion with a tautly paced thriller makes for quite an entertaining read. Will definitely be hand selling this one, particularly to my Somali teens...who will probably just feel superior when they notice the author used the wrong word for mom.
Struck me as simultaneously informative & exploitive simultaneously, yet I remained intrigued -- such a setting. Kind of got me hankering for more Africa books.
May 15, 2013
Kelly
marked it as to-read
May 14, 2013
Sokie
marked it as to-read
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Gillian Cross was born Gillian Arnold in 1945. She was educated at North London Collegiate School, Somerville College, Oxford and the University of Sussex. Although now a full-time writer who often travels and gives talks in connection with her work, she has had a number of informal jobs including being an assistant to a Member of Parliament. For eight years she also sat on the committee which adv...more
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Jan 03, 2012 11:47am