THE TURTLE OF MICHIGAN

Transplanted from Oman to Michigan, an Arab boy adjusts to his new life while missing his beloved grandfather in this stand-alone companion to The Turtle of Oman (2014).

After weeks of worry and fear about leaving his home; his grandfather Sidi; and his friends, 8-year-old Aref’s finally on the plane with his mother, poised to join his father in Ann Arbor, where they will live while his parents attend graduate school. As the plane ascends, Aref’s relieved, excited, and fascinated with everything during their flights to Paris, New York City, and Detroit. They settle into their small apartment, and Aref’s parents attend classes at the university while he starts third grade at a diverse new school that reminds him of his old one. Aref enthusiastically savors the sights, sounds, and scents of Michigan, especially the deciduous trees, small turtles, and snow—so different from Oman’s palm trees, large turtles, and desert. Gradually Aref’s fear of feeling strange in Ann Arbor dissipates, but he still misses Sidi, who’s not doing well without his grandson. If only Sidi could overcome his fear of new things and come visit. Nye’s inimitable, poetic prose beautifully captures Aref’s emotions as he meets the challenges of international travel and adjusting to a new community and culture while worrying about Sidi. Seamlessly continuing Aref’s story but accessible to new readers, this novel deftly explores the meaning of home. Final art not seen.

A humorous, sensitive, and poignant family-centered take on moving to a new country.