Of Beetles and Angels: A Boy's Remarkable Journey from a Refugee Camp to Harvard

Author: Mawi Asedom

Of Beetles & Angels is an autobiographical memoir of a young man's journey to success. When he was four years old, Asgedom's family left their war-ravaged home in Ethiopia and spent three years in a Sudanese refugee camp before coming to the U.S. in 1983. He later earned a full scholarship to Harvard, where in 1999 he delivered the commencement address. Told from Mawi's point of view as a teenager, he describes the conditions in Ethiopia, the family's escape to a Sudanese refugee camp, and finally their emigration to America. Once in the United States, things don't immediately fall into place. Mawi is faced with many trials and tribulations, hardships and pain. Nonetheless, he follows his fathers advice to, "Treat all people-even the most unsightly beetles-as though they were angels sent from heaven".  Mawi overcomes racial prejudice, language barriers and financial disadvantage, eventually realizing his dream. This is both an inspirational and positive immigration story highly recommended for teens and young adult's grades 6-high school.

Of Beetles and Angels: A Boy's Remarkable Journey from a Refugee Camp to Harvard

Year Released: 2002

Grades 6-12