Book Nook - A Song of Her Own (Rain Chaser: Book One)

 The first English-language children’s chapter book set in nomadic Somalia, A Song of Her Own (Rain Chaser: Book One) [Iftin Ink] by Saida Bulhan centers creativity and self-discovery through the eyes of a seven-year-old girl growing up in the Haud region of the country.

Seven-year-old Kiin is ready to shepherd her nomadic family’s animals all by herself. She already helps care for her younger siblings and assists Hooyo in building their huts. Her older siblings were trusted with herding at her age, so she knows her turn should be here.

Brave, creative, and vigilant, Kiin struggles to find her place as the middle child, where most responsibilities are already claimed. Hooyo often says that everything strong has a strong udubdhexaad, a core. Kiin begins to wonder what her own might be—and whether discovering it could help her reach the goals she longs for. Frustrated, she turns to bonfire storytelling to show her wit and wisdom. Her stories are as interesting as everyone else’s, but her family doesn’t celebrate her tales in the same way. As Kiin searches for her place, she must find her inner compass and discover the voice only she can bring.

A Song of Her Own offers an authentic window into Somali culture and nomadic life through Bulhan’s calm, reflective writing as well as her own childhood experiences in nomadic Somalia. Somali proverbs and cultural wisdom run through Kiin's story, showing that what matters most is being connected to self and others through authenticity, respect, and care for one another. 

“It’s particularly timely for young people, especially Somali American children and other children whose stories are underrepresented in children’s literature, who are processing the negative rhetoric they’re witnessing about their communities,” Bulhan said. “I want all readers to walk away affirmed in their own humanity and inspired by the vast potential for creativity and wholeness within us all, with deep appreciation for Somali culture and people.”

Saida J. Bulhan was born and raised in a nomadic region of Somalia. She learned to read after immigrating to the United States as a teenager, an experience that sparked her lifelong passion for storytelling. She writes for children and adults but her first love is children’s fiction. A Song of Her Own is her first chapter book. Visit Saida at saidajbulhan.com.