When Marie Fritz Perry showed up for her first day as an artist-in-residence at Harriet Bishop Elementary School, she was in for a surprise: the principal informed her that the first class she would be working with was made up entirely of English-as-a-second-language (ESL) students. The students, who were from countries as far-flung as Romania and Vietnam, spoke no English but quickly embraced the idea of expressing themselves through the universal language of art. The experience made Fritz Perry realize how isolated the non-native speakers were
“When I was in 4th grade, there was a wonderful Hmong girl in my class, and I spent the whole year trying to get to know her; but language was a huge barrier, and it was really frustrating,” says Fritz Perry. “Working with those kids reminded me of that little girl, and it felt like we hadn’t made much progress in the past 20 years – and it inspired me.”
That inspiration led Fritz Perry to write A Gift for Sadia, a children’s book that tells the story of a young Somali immigrant girl living in Rochester who feels isolated and alone in a new community. In the heart of winter, Sadia finds the cold, her classmates, and her new school hard to understand. But after befriending and feeding an injured Canada goose, Sadia gains a new friend as well as the ability to embrace her new life in Rochester.
The feedback Fritz Perry has received for A Gift for Sadia, which she also illustrated, has come from a diverse audience, from recent Somali immigrants to native Minnesotans looking to learn more about Somali culture. “The Somali Women of Minneapolis said the book gave them a character in a book that their children could relate to immediately,” says Fritz Perry. “It’s also been a great way for others to see through the eyes of the main character and learn what it’s like to want to be accepted. It’s almost like walking in someone else’s shoes.”
The Minnesota Humanities Commission (MHC) is following in those footsteps and releasing a series of four Somali bilingual children’s books through the organization’s Somali Bilingual Book Project. MHC is partnering with literacy professionals to distribute half of the books free of charge to Somali families involved in literacy and school-readiness programs around the state. “If adults at home struggle to read and write, then they struggle to support their children’s developing literacy skills,” says Kathleen Moriarty, director of bilingual and heritage language programs with the MHC. “It’s been shown through research that when families connect to culturally relevant stories and pictures, it helps them become more engaged in the text.”
The first book, a retelling of the popular Somali fable The Lion’s Share, was released last year and will be followed by the release of Dhegdheer, The Travels of Igal Shidad, and Wiil Waal in the coming months. Like The Lion’s Share, which was retold by Said Salah Ahmed and illustrated by Kelly Dupre, the books utilize a mix of Somalis and non-Somalis in the text and illustrations. “It was a true collaborative project,” says Moriarty. “They all helped each other put together all the books, and each brought different skills to the table.” It’s the kind of cooperation between cultures Moriarty hopes the books promote. “The stories have universal themes and will hopefully create a real interest and curiosity in children.”
