Mo Farah, the Boy Who Ran to Be Free by Seema Yasmin

Mo Farah, the Boy Who Ran to Be Free by Seema Yasmin, illustrated by Noha Habaieb

Publisher:  Salaam Reads and Simon&Schuster
Published:  September 29th, 2026
Format Read:  Paperback
Number of pages:   85 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Lines:  "This book tells the story of Olympic Champion Mo Farah."

Hussein Abdi Kahin was born in Somaliland.  When he was four years old, war broke out in his country.  To protect him and his brother, their mother sent the boys to live with family in Djibouti.  At the age of nine, a mysterious woman appeared and offered to take the brothers to Europe.  At first, the brothers were excited by the prospect of playing sports there, but when only Hussein was taken and given a new name, Mo Farah he began to worry.

Unbeknownst to Mo, he had been trafficked.  He was forced into a life of servitude by the woman who took him.  He was not allowed to leave her apartment and was expected to perform all the housework while caring for her children.  For four years, he endured this life until the woman finally allowed him to attend school on the condition that he never reveal his true identity.  Born with dyslexia, Mo struggled academically, but his passion for running kept him going.  Eventually, he confided in his coach, and when he became an adult, the truth about his trafficking ordeal was revealed.  

Mo Farah, the Boy Who Ran to Be Free is the second book in the Muslim Mavericks chapter book series.  Written with a lyrical quality, it vividly captures Mo's childhood, his struggles in school, and his remarkable journey to becoming an Olympic gold medalist.  It is an inspiring and uplifting story about a young boy who overcame tremendous obstacles, achieved his dream of winning Olympic gold medals, and was eventually reunited with his birth mother and twin brother.

Mo showed incredible bravery in coming forward with his story and remarkable resilience in pursing his dream of competing in the Olympics.  The author's note explains how Mo Farah received his name and why he did not feel safe in revealing his true identity for many years.  It also describes how he was forced to live under a false story for most of his life.  The author notes that the book is based on public interviews, documentaries and news reports.  She also explains that while the events are rooted in documented facts, some scenes reflect what Mo "may have been thinking or feeling at the time" and are therefore interpretations rather than firsthand accounts.  The black and white illustrations by Noha Habaieb complement the text and children who enjoy sports-themed books are likely to find this an engaging and inspiring read.

I hope you'll check out all the other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge's blog HERE