Hawa Abdi by Emna Ennaifer illustrated by Anastasiia Bielik
This picture book biography starts with Dr. Hawa Abdi being born in Mogadishu, Somalia and shares with readers pivotal moments that helped define her academic and humanitarian journey as Somalia’s first female gynecologist and the founder of the Doctor Hawa Abdi Foundation. The large horizontal pages with brightly colored illustrations help draw the readers in to the often advanced vocabulary filled text. According to the publishers, the book is meant for ages 5-9, but I think seven and up, with some assistance, will better understand some of the diction, accomplishments, and what made her such a globally recognized figure. I was surprised that Islam, and her being a Muslim is not mentioned at all in the book. I actually doubted my knowledge of her and when I finished the book, I Googled to verify her religious association. The book starts with a map and concludes with actual photographs that are referenced, but none of the facts about Hawa Abdi or where the information came from are sourced. While I appreciate that her story is being brought to children through this book, I feel sourcing should have been included, and as a book that is part of a series meant to highlight “inspiring people from the Arab-Muslim world,” I was disappointed that there was no Islam whatsoever articulated in the text.
The story begins by showing little Hawa as an independent girl walking miles alone to get water from the river. She loved school and often “stayed after school to look at the terrestrial and celestial globes.” When her mother was in the hospital, Hawa spent months staying with her and observing the doctors. When her mother passed away she decided she would become a doctor. She took care of her four little sisters, and studies hard, eventually earning a scholarship to study medicine in Kiev. Her family supported her and she was off to study, promising to return. When she returned she set up a clinic that soon become a large hospital. When war broke out her hospital became a village of hope as she took people in, started schools, and kept the inhabitants safe from intruders.
The book really focuses on Hawa becoming a doctor and a humanitarian, thus making any personal remarks about her generalized and lacking. For example the jump from taking care of her siblings to getting a scholarship is very abrupt, the book doesn’t mention marriage or having children, her daughters are just suddenly there helping run the hospital. As a result the timeline is non existent and readers don’t know how old she was when her mom died, how old she was when she went to Kiev, when the war started, etc.. With any biography certain facts undoubtedly must be left out, but even a timeline in the backmatter would have been beneficial.
