Benny and Omar, by Eoin Colfer
About Benny and Omar
Eoin Colfer-- probably more familiar as the author behind the Artemis Fowl series-- has written two books centering about Bernard "Benny" Shaw. Benny and Omar follows Benny and his family as they relocate for work from Ireland to Tunisia. Benny is understandably resentful about the move-- he needs to leave behind his school, his friends, and most importantly his favorite sport (hurling).
When Benny settles in at the "Tunisian village"-- in reality an immaculate compound reserved for European workers-- he soon begins to become aware of the poverty outside the walls. In a roundabout way, he becomes acquainted with Omar, a boy who at first seems as carefree and mischievous as Benny himself. However, Benny soon learns more about Omar and his family.
This new knowledge prompts Benny to begin to examine life outside the four walls of his compound, and to examine the needs of others rather than focusing on his own needs and wants. However, these new considerations-- unfamiliar to Benny-- come with consequences he's not entirely prepared to deal with.
When Benny settles in at the "Tunisian village"-- in reality an immaculate compound reserved for European workers-- he soon begins to become aware of the poverty outside the walls. In a roundabout way, he becomes acquainted with Omar, a boy who at first seems as carefree and mischievous as Benny himself. However, Benny soon learns more about Omar and his family.
This new knowledge prompts Benny to begin to examine life outside the four walls of his compound, and to examine the needs of others rather than focusing on his own needs and wants. However, these new considerations-- unfamiliar to Benny-- come with consequences he's not entirely prepared to deal with.
How would I teach Benny and Omar?
A few themes present in Benny and Omar include:
- Family responsibilities and obligations
- Race and privilege
- Friendship across cultures
- Communication across cultures
What resources could I use to teach Benny and Omar?
- Language in this novel can be difficult. This dictionary of Irish slang would be beneficial for students who are unfamiliar.
- Different covers of Benny and Omar could be used for a class project in finding the most appropriate/suitable cover (or designing a new cover).
- Students would need to read about and discuss culture shock.
- Omar's little sister Kaheena is discovered to be living at the "Psychotic Farm," a substandard "mental health" facility, where she is constantly drugged rather than treated, triggering horrifying withdrawal symptoms. Reading the WHO Tunusian Mental Health Assessment could help contextualize the lack of resources for mental health care in Tunisia.
- Benny references the great Irish warrior Cu Chullain, who begins his transformation into a warrior as a young boy who fights off a dog with a hurley and a sliotar (equipment used in hurling). This short summary of Cu Chullain's origins could add a point of comparison for students to further explore similarities between Cu Chullain and Benny.
- Benny's favorite sport is hurling, and he often uses hurling terms that might be difficult to understand. This video about hurling would help conceptualize the sports scenes in the novel for students.
Verdict
Benny and Omar would do best with a 7th or 8th grade audience. While it is entertaining with a great message, it could be difficult for many students to enjoy. The combination of Irish slang, Tunisian street slang, and French means that the audience definitely has to work for the text. The most difficult aspect of the text is probably the "TV-speak" that Omar uses (he has learned English from television). The references that he uses are quite difficult to understand. However, I think that this book could be very rewarding to to read aloud.