Review Detail

Nuha and her mom are to visit her Jadda, and Mama is excited for this trip. Things are very different for Nuha though, the air is warm and sticky, the clothes is different, and she doesn’t understand the language. Nuha doesn’t feel at home in Oman and to make matters worst she forgot her favorite doll. Jadda takes Nuha to the market to look for a new doll where Nuha starts to recognize that Oman has its own beauty and she finds things that feel like home.

What I Liked: This book does a great job at showing how fear can be transformed by an experience. It highlights how patience goes a long way as Nuha’s mom tries many times to incorporate Nuha into her excitement at being in Oman.

The illustrations throughout this book do a fantastic job at providing visuals to show the different clothing options in Oman, and what shopping looks like there. The illustrations are able to show the contrast between Nuha’s home and Oman to showcase why she might not feel at home immediately in this new place.

The closing of this book provides you with a glossary explaining some of the terms that are used throughout the book, it also provides an explanation for the names that Nuha has given both of her dolls. The closing of this book also provides brief descriptions of the things that Nuha is introduced to in Oman for children to get introduced to various things from other cultures.

Final Verdict: Home Away from Home highlights the fear that comes with traveling to a new place, and how to embrace new cultures. Children ages 3 and up will enjoy going along with Nuha on her new journey and seeing the different things she finds at the market. This book is great for introducing children to another culture and phrases in Arabic.