The Turtle of 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. 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.

Aref Al-Amri does not want to leave Oman. He does not want to leave his elementary school, his friends, or his beloved grandfather, Siddi. He does not want to live in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where his parents will go to graduate school. His mother is desperate for him to pack his suitcase, but he refuses. Finally, she calls Siddi for help. But rather than pack, Aref and Siddi go on a series of adventures. 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. At each stop, Siddi finds a small stone that he later slips into Aref's suitcase--mementos of home.

Naomi Shihab Nye's warmth, attention to detail, and belief in the power of empathy and connection shines from every page. Features black-and-white spot art and decorations by Betsy Peterschmidt.

Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Published: 08/26/2014
Pages: 304
Weight: 0.65lbs
Size: 7.60h x 5.20w x 1.10d
ISBN: 9780062019721
Age: Ages 9-12

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 4.6
Point Value: 5
Interest Level: Middle Grade
Quiz #/Name: 168164 / Turtle of Oman


Award: Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children - Recommended
Award: Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award - Nominee
Award: Middle East Book Awards - Winner


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 06/01/2014
School Library Journal 06/01/2014 pg. 107
Publishers Weekly 06/02/2014
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 10/01/2014
Booklist 09/15/2014 pg. 58
Horn Book Magazine 11/01/2014 pg. 102
Kirkus Best Middle Grade Books 11/15/2014 pg. 92
BookPage 09/01/2014
Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2015 - Outstanding, Noteworthy In Style

About the Author
Nye, Naomi Shihab: -

Naomi Shihab Nye is a poet and anthologist and the acclaimed author of Habibi: A Novel and Sitti's Secrets, a picture book, which was based on her own experiences visiting her beloved Sitti in Palestine. Her book 19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East was a finalist for the National Book Award. She has taught writing and worked in schools all over the world, including in Muscat, Oman. She lives in San Antonio, Texas.