Youth of God, The

Nuur, a teenage Somali immigrant, becomes radicalized by the teaching of his imam and struggles with the complexities of being an immigrant youth in Canada. He deals with racism and wrestles with his personal and social identity while trying to navigate the teaching of his faith and his dreams of achievement in the Western world. Senior secondary readers can gain insight into the challenges faced by immigrants when coming to a new country and gain a perspective of the world of extreme religious radicalism. Bullying, racism, poverty, immigration, religion, and radicalism are themes that can be broached in the classroom, whether as a whole-class novel study, in literature circles or as independent reading. Students may be encouraged to relate to the concept of “identity” and what it means in various contexts and explore the meaning of community and belonging.