My Name Is Konisola by Alisa Siegel

Abstract

Reviewed by: My Name Is Konisola by Alisa Siegel Miriam Larson Siegel, Alisa My Name Is Konisola. Second Story, 2020 [176p] Paper ed. ISBN 978-1-77260-119-0 $10.95 Reviewed from galleys Ad Gr. 4-6 In this true story, Konisola is nine when she and her mother, Abimbola, abruptly depart Nigeria for Canada in hope of finding safety away from an abusive family. Fortunately, they meet a Nigerian woman in line at the immigration checkpoint who agrees to let them stay with her for a few days. Then Abimbola falls seriously ill and must be hospitalized, and Konisola has to move to another house with another stranger, having no way to contact her mother except the name and number of a nurse. As the preface says, “this is a story . . . of how open-hearted strangers stepped into the life of a mother and a child,” and the fact that it is a true story (there’s a photo of Konisola and the nurse who adopts her on the final page) brings that point home with vividness. Unfortunately, the writing is flat and sometimes awkward, distancing the reader from Konisola’s emotional and challenging story. The book does provide some information about the asylum appeal process and the life-changing decisions made in immigration courts. Konisola’s brave mother, who fights through late-stage colon cancer to see her daughter adopted by a generous nurse is a remarkable hero of this tale, with Konisola a close second for her extraordinary courage. Copyright © 2020 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois