about the book
Aref Al-Amri lives in Muscat, Oman. However, his parents are set to attend graduate school for the next three years in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in the United States. Not wanting to leave his life, home, friends, his cat, Mish-Mish, and most of all, his grandfather Sidi behind, Aref refuses to pack his bag.
His mother becomes frustrated and goes to Sidi for help. Instead of coming and helping Aref pack, though, Sidi takes him on a grand and unforgettable adventure! Together, they camp out atop Sidi’s roof and stargaze, they dream of India, and fish in the Gulf of Oman, where they watch the sea turtles nesting.
Along the way, Sidi grabs a tiny stone on each adventure, and he creates a collection that he will send along with Aref, so that his grandson will always have a piece of home to hold onto—even while he lives far away in Michigan.
about the author
Naomi Shihab Nye is an award-winning poet and author who was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1952. She spent her time growing up between Jerusalem, Israel, Ramallah, Palestine, and San Antonio, Texas.
Naomi went to school at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English and world religions. After that, she became an author and poet. As an author, she is most often inspired to write about the people around her; the local voices she hears coming through the windows from the multi-cultural homes around her. Naomi has travelled through North America, Europe, Asia, and uses her art to promote goodwill from the United States to the Middle and Far East.
Today Naomi lives in San Antonio, Texas.
Sources:
Author biography: Poetry Foundation
Author biography: Poets
Book trailer: The Turtle of Oman
Also by Naomi Shihab Nye:
Famous. Wings Press. 2015.
The Tree Is Older Than You Are. Simon & Schuster. 1995.
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