Call Me American (Adapted for Young Adults)

April 15, 2020
Somali-born Iftin presents a narrative of his journey from a war-torn homeland to his current life in Maine. The story begins with the catastrophic drought and war of the late 1970s that interrupted his young parents' carefree and wealthy nomadic life in a lush region of south-central Somalia. Neither they nor the country ever managed to recover as one cycle of conflict led to another, raging on until the present day. These waves of violence reduced everyday Somalis' lives to ones of chronic poverty, displacement, uncertainty, and fear but failed to extinguish hopes or dreams. Iftin, who was probably born in 1985, and his beloved brother schemed moneymaking enterprises together, skipping school to sell snacks to moviegoers. Under the noses of religious authorities, he arranged secret rendezvous with his first crush. Given the circumstances, Iftin's boyish escapades involved a level of daring that maintains suspense. Later, as a college student in Mogadishu, he recorded reports for NPR's The Story despite potentially life-threatening repercussions from al-Shabaab. Chief among Iftin's dreams was to live in America, his impressions of the country fed by black pop culture and American movies, which did not prepare him for the complex racial realities that he encountered and recognized as a form of tribalism when he eventually made it to the U.S. This remarkable, nuanced story facilitates a deeper understanding of immigration today. A triumphant memoir that offers hope for Somalia's and, indeed, America's futures. (glossary) (Memoir. 12-18)

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Starred review from June 1, 2020

Gr 8 Up-Born six years before the beginning of the Somali tribal civil war, the author grew up in the city of Mogadishu. Iftin's parents had lived nomadic lives before having children, raising camels, and living off the land. In urban Mogadishu, Iftin's schooling consisted of a rigorous study of the Koran; he endured corporal punishment by his teacher for imperfect memorization. As a preteen, he taught himself English by sneaking into a makeshift cinema that screened American action movies starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. He became obsessed with American culture, translating movies into Arabic for his peers, which gained him the nickname "Abdi American." As the war raged on and the radical Islamist group al-Shabaab gained power, Iftin's fascination with the Western world made him a target. He pursued the seemingly unattainable dream of leaving Somalia. After years of paperwork, bribery, secret dispatches via the BBC, and a very unlikely turn of fate, he found himself on a flight to America. Throughout this heartrending memoir, Iftin's voice remains straightforward and frank but not unfeeling, highlighting the searing reality of his journey. His story is told with humor and optimism that balance the sadness of his story. The challenges he faced upon reaching the United States provide a unique critique of the imperfect notion of the American Dream. VERDICT A first purchase for all teen collections. This important memoir adapted for young adults is devastating, inspiring, and ultimately hopeful.-Allison Staley, Lake Oswego P.L., OR

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from June 1, 2020
Grades 7-12 *Starred Review* The author of this remarkable memoir was born under a neem tree in Mogadishu, Somalia, circa 1985 (births aren't recorded there). His parents were nomadic herdspeople who had come to the city, fleeing a punishing drought. By the time Abdi is born, his family is famous, thanks to his father's presence on the national basketball team. But then civil war comes, and they lose everything when they abandon the city and the murderous, omnipresent militia. The war is everywhere, and Abdi quickly learns that nowhere in the world is safe. The family returns to Mogadishu, now a city of graves, and leads a life of desperate poverty and danger. The only redeeming feature for Abdi is seeing American movies and learning English from his viewings. He dreams of going to America and is, accordingly, dubbed Abdi American. It will be years of struggling to survive before his dream comes true when he wins a spot in the American green card lottery. After many heartbreaking reversals, he finally gets a visa and is on his way to America. But is that the end of his story? Nicely adapted from the original adult version, Abdi's memoir is an absolutely stunning survival story that is beautifully and vividly written. Timely and thought-provoking, it is, in sum, simply a terrific read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)