afikra Book Club: Author Naomi Shihab Nye

Join afikra as they interview author of “The Turtle of Michigan” and “The Turtle of Oman” Naomi Shihab Nye on the afikra Book Club series.

Praised by the Horn Book as “both quiet and exhilarating,” “The Turtle of Oman” 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.

The Turtle of Michigan is a deft and accessible novel that follows a young boy named Aref as he travels from Muscat, Oman, to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and adjusts to a new life and a new school in the United States. A wonderful pick for young middle grade readers and fans of Other Words for Home and Billy Miller Makes a Wish.