This is the story of a Yibir family in Somalia. In this novel, after an out-of-town trip on foot, Geeddi never returns home. Instead, his two children, Amina and Ali, are greeted with news of his death. His teenage daughter, Amina, assumes the role of parent to her nine-year-old brother. As Ali grows up he becomes an excellent student, but his private thoughts leave him frustrated and confused. He knows Yibirs are shunned by society, but doesn't understand why. This is the story of a boy searching for a role in a society determined to keep him out.