A colleague said of this book that it was "an impossible sell" to kids, because "nothing happens." She's not wrong. Ms. Nye, a poet, has written a soft, quiet, gentle little book which doesn't do much. This is one of those rare children's books where the action is significantly more internal than external (think "The Wanderer" by Sharon Creech). Aref is a young boy in Oman (8 or 9) who is about to move to the United States with his family for three years. He is bereft and in denial about having to pull up stakes from his beloved home, his cat, and his grandfather. The story chronicles the last five days, as he reluctantly packs his bags. A bit underfoot, his mother sends him out of the house to have adventures with Grandfather. Everything is described in detail -- sights, smells, sensations. It is as if Aref is trying to make a film of every moment, sharing with the reader these memories of everyday life. The novel is metaphor. Aref loves turtles, and, like a turtle, he must feel comfortable and move in his own pace to accept the change coming into his life. Readers can "see" Oman in Aref's beloved words. I searched online after reading the tale and it looked exactly as I expected it to, now with a familiarity, having had Aref invite me into his world. Children who have moved a good deal with recognize Aref's pain and sympathize with it, but a page-turning action story it isn't. A nice way to become familiar with another culture in a non-preachy way, it is. Don't know that the book will have a huge audience, but for the more mature readers, there will be an appreciation of the subtleties. Ms. Nye just won the Arbuthnot Lecture award from ALA, a coveted speech opportunity for a select few, so clearly, her words have value.
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