The Turtle of Oman

Aref Al-Amri is reluctant to leave his home in Oman to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where his parents will attend graduate school. He does not want to leave behind his elementary school, friends, or his beloved grandfather, Siddi. Despite his mother's attempts to get him to pack, Aref refuses. Instead, Siddi takes him on a series of adventures across Oman, including visiting a desert camp, sleeping on Siddi's roof, fishing in the Gulf of Oman, and watching sea turtles at a nature reserve. Throughout their journeys, Siddi collects small stones as mementos for Aref to remember his home. These stones are later secretly placed in Aref’s suitcase by Siddi, providing Aref with physical reminders of his homeland and the adventures they shared. 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. 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. Naomi Shihab Nye has created what Kirkus called “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.” Features black-and-white spot art and decorations by Betsy Peterschmidt.