The Turtle of Michigan

Gr 3-5–Aref Al-Amri has finally packed his suitcase and is journeying from Oman to Michigan in this charming follow-up to Nye’s The Turtle of Oman. As it turns out, flying is thrilling for Aref, and though the journey is long, his new home in Ann Arbor, MI, offers plenty of new and exciting experiences. Aref is just as curious, insightful, and enthusiastic as he was in the previous book, and after a period of adjustment, he begins to feel quite at home. If only his beloved grandfather, Sidi, would come to visit, then everything would be perfect. Nye’s imagery brings the snows and forests of Michigan to vivid life, and her characters nearly leap off the page with authenticity. Both fans of the previous book and new readers will surely relate to Aref’s simultaneous enthusiasm for his new home and homesickness for Oman and Sidi.