Far Tune: Autumn

by Terry Eisele, Brent Bowman

Far Tune, the coming-of-age story of Fartun Hashi, a young Somali refugee girl, living in Columbus, Ohio, recounts a teenage girl's adjustment to a new culture and a new school and the alienation, loneliness, and eventual triumph over adversity that she experiences. Fartun Hashi has known many homes-Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya; London, England; and now Columbus, Ohio. From a young age, she has been forced to learn how to deal with traumas that people much older struggle to overcome. What she really wants now is to live her life just like any other fourteen year old-hang out with friends she can trust, do well in school, have success on her soccer team, and maybe go for one day without fighting with her dad and older brother. Far Tune is a character-driven story which mixes the quotidian realities of the daily life of a Midwestern teenager with larger themes like race, class, and religion.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Teen, Comics, Young Adult

183 pages, Paperback

First published June 3, 2018

Reviews

[Madison Bastress · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book accurately portrays what a person from a different country coming into a new one might think or experience. It is also cool that this book takes place near where I live because that doesn't happen that often. I would definitely recommend this book so that people get a deeper look into what an immigrants life looks like.

[Troy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story that I know students can relate to aspects of this. The idea of a Somali girl needing to work hard in school while the brother takes it easy, plays soccer and video games. The idea of a rich private school does not make it as relatable but makes it a more interesting storyline.

[Kris Sellgren · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my criteria for a five star book is chills down my back. This excellent graphic novel definitely did that. The story is about Fartun (pronounced “Far Tune”), a Somali immigrant starting her first year of high school at a prestigious private girl’s school in Columbus, OH. Fartun, born in Somalia but raised in a refugee camp in Kenya, lived in London before moving to Columbus. She is the only girl in her school wearing a hijab, the only girl from a poor neighborhood. But Fartun’s ambitions are completely relatable: make new friends, do well in her classes and on her school soccer team, and not fight with her disapproving father and her brother who misses the UK. The highlight of the novel is the talk she gives to her English class on the what the word “home” means. Read this for an outstanding view of being a Somali immigrant and a girl in a hijab.

[Summer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a simple day-in-the-life story of a young Somali girl in Columbus. Mr. Eisele must live around here because his sense of place is precisely perfect, right down to street names and neighborhoods.

I assume Mr. Eisele wrote this so that the Somali folks around here could see a book with themselves in it. He appears to have succeeded in that. I'm sure there are many who will be delighted to see this on a library shelf.

Me, personally, I would have preferred more of an actual story, rather than just snippets of ordinary life. I also think all comics should be in color. Points for effort in an underrepresented field, though.

[Eileen Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish we could get this one into all the hands of middle and/or high school students...and all adults for that matter. Just a really nice story that emphasizes the fact that we are all human on the inside and often have the same feelings, needs, and experiences even when we look very different on the outside. Fartun is Somali, Muslim, and wears a hijab. She also plays soccer, loves to read, has family problems, loves to hang out with friends, and is a teenage girl with challenges like many other teenagers from different races, religions, and backgrounds.

[Sofialyn Durusan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful graphic novel of a somali immigrant living in columbus ohio.

[wildct2003 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story and visuals.

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read for middle school girl. Shares aspects of refugee camp, London, Columbus OH, private and public school, navigating expectations to do well in school while her brother can take it easier and focus on sports and video games. It leads you wondering what is next for Fartun.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one, and look forward to the next two in the series. There is every day teenage girl stuff coupled with complex familial and religious themes. The characters are well developed and I really like Fartun as a person.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well thought out graphic novel - it didn't avoid heavy topics but also didn't feel depressing, and was very educational. Not too much on the Somali side, very heavy on Islam, and I'm definitely going to check out the next two in the series.

[Kate McCartney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Columbus, by someone from here. The story of Somali refugees and adjusting to life here and not adjusting well. Fartune is an incredible character.