Stories as Bridges in Divisive Times: A Children’s Novel Set in Nomadic Somali
“We are all the same in the ways that matter most.”
While division dominates headlines, A Song of Her Own (Rain Chaser: Book One) [Iftin Ink; November 2025] by Saida Bulhan counters that narrative to build empathy by centering dignity, belonging, and the universal desire to be seen.
The first English-language children’s chapter book set in nomadic Somalia, the novel follows seven-year-old Kiin, who is eager to prove she’s ready to shepherd her family’s animals on her own. 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 why not her?
Through Kiin’s journey, Bulhan centers what connects us: the universal longing to be seen, trusted, and valued. Somali proverbs and cultural wisdom weave through the narrative, grounding readers in nomadic life while underscoring themes of dignity, belonging, and human connection. Rather than positioning Somali culture as “other,” A Song of Her Own invites young readers into a world that feels both specific and familiar: where family dynamics, sibling rivalry, self-doubt, and creative ambition transcend geography.
“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.”
A Song of Her Own is a reminder that when children encounter one another’s stories early, division loses its footing and shared humanity takes root.
A Song of Her Own (Rain Chaser: Book One)
by Saida Bulhan
Iftin Ink
All Formats; November 18, 2025
ISBN: 978-1969922015
$12.99 (paperback); $19.99 (hardcover); 5 1/ 2 x 8 1/ 2; 112 pages
Reading age: 6-10 years
About the Author
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.