Will deeply touch young readers who have also moved between countries-and it will enlighten their new friends.' - Booklist

'A warm and humorous peek at the profound and mundane details of moving from one country to another-a perfect pick for kids on the move.' - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) 'Nye's story about the special bond between a boy and his grandfather and their mutual love for their country is somehow both quiet and exhilarating.' - Horn Book (starred review)

Good-bye to Mish-Mish, Diram, Sulima, dunes, Sidi. So Aref sets out to say good-bye to everything he loves. Just like a falcon or the turtles of Oman, he'll travel far and make his way home to Muscat. Also, he has everything he needs right where he is! But Sidi has another point of view. Here are some things Aref loves about his home.Īref does not want to move to Michigan. Features black-and-white spot art and decorations by Betsy Peterschmidt. Naomi Shihab Nye's warmth, attention to detail, and belief in the power of empathy and connection shines from every page. At each stop, Siddi finds a small stone that he later slips into Aref's suitcase-mementos of home. They visit the camp of a thousand stars deep in the desert, they sleep on Siddi's roof, they fish in the Gulf of Oman and dream about going to India, and they travel to the nature reserve to watch the sea turtles.

But rather than pack, Aref and Siddi go on a series of adventures. His mother is desperate for him to pack his suitcase, but he refuses. He does not want to live in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where his parents will go to graduate school. He does not want to leave his elementary school, his friends, or his beloved grandfather, Siddi. This book was awarded a 2015 Middle East Book Award, was named a Notable Book by the American Library Association, and includes extra material by the author.Īref Al-Amri does not want to leave Oman. Praised by the Horn Book as 'both quiet and exhilarating,' this novel by the acclaimed poet and National Book Award Finalist Naomi Shihab Nye follows Aref Al-Amri as he says goodbye to everything and everyone he loves in his hometown of Muscat, Oman, as his family prepares to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The Turtle of Oman by Naomi Shihab Nye