In this kindhearted, stand-alone companion to The Turtle of Oman, eight-year-old Aref moves from Oman to Ann Arbor, Michigan, so his parents can attend graduate school. The start of their three-year stay is buoyed by welcoming new neighbors and a summer art class that helps ease Aref’s transition. By the time school begins, Aref, who learned English at his school in Oman, has several friends. His diverse classmates originally come from many countries—and the Upper Peninsula! His white teacher is kind and encouraging. At his apartment building, his next-door neighbor, Hugh, is blind, well-traveled, and a great cook. Aref loves Ann Arbor’s food, the decorations in his school, the lights at Christmastime, the SNOW, all the (not palm!) trees, and the small turtles in the river when his family hikes in the nature preserve. The only thing Aref doesn’t like about Ann Arbor? There’s no Sidi, his grandfather. Sidi and Aref email back and forth, and Aref tries to persuade Sidi to come visit. Sidi, for his part, is lonely back in Oman but afraid to fly. The poems and journal entries Aref occasionally writes reveal a child taking everything in with a curious, open heart that’s a perfect match to the overall sensibility of this story. (Ages 8-11)

“Celebrates the power of human connections.”—School Library Journal (starred review)

“Humorous, sensitive, and poignant.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

The stand-alone companion to National Book Award Finalist and beloved poet Naomi Shihab Nye’s The Turtle of Oman. 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 Kevin Henkes, Erin Entrada Kelly, and Meg Medina.

Aref is excited for his journey from Oman to the United States, where he will reunite with his father in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Aref makes a friend on an airplane, wonders what Michigan will be like, and starts school in the United States. While he does miss his grandfather, his Sidi, Aref knows that his home in Oman will always be waiting for him.

Award-winning author Naomi Shihab Nye’s highly anticipated sequel to The Turtle of Oman explores immigration, family, and what it means to feel at home. Carrying a suitcase and memories of Oman, Aref experiences the excitement and nervousness that accompany moving to a new home and new school. The Turtle of Michigan is a great choice for reading aloud as well as a perfect read-alone for younger middle grade readers.

Illustrated in black-and-white throughout.