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Children’s Book Author

The Book

Home Away From Home

Nuha is already worried about spending the summer in Oman. When she leaves behind her dearest doll, how will she possibly feel at home in Oman now?

This summer, Nuha and Mama are traveling to Oman to visit her Jadda (grandmother). Mama is excited to visit home, but Oman doesn’t feel like home to Nuha. The air is warm and sticky, people wear different clothes, and a language she barely understands swirls around her. At least she has her dearest doll, Mary, to keep her company.

When Nuha accidentally leaves Mary behind, the thought of staying in Oman all summer feels impossible. Until Jadda ushers her into the wonderful sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the souk (market) to look for a new doll.

Little by little, Nuha begins to realize Oman is special in its own way, and that home can be in more than one place.

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Praise For Home Away From Home

2025 Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Nuha doesn’t believe her mama when she says “Oman is your home away from home.” Jadda (for grandmother) is a stranger, and a summer in Oman seems so different, especially after Nuha accidentally leaves her favorite doll Mary behind. The colorful, childlike illustrations in oil paint, chalk, and ink foreshadow the shared vibrancy between Oman and home as Nuha slowly opens up to new experiences. During a trip with Jadda to the souk to find a new doll, Nuha learns to value and even delight in each different and special moment. Illustrations bring that market to life with tastes, smells, and colors as Nuha uses each sense to find more comfort: first by tasting the delicious shwarma, then henna hand-painting (familiar to Nuha from Eid celebrations at home, and finally, through music where she and Jadda joyfully dance. These sensory details bring Oman to life as Nuha immerses herself in the new and unfamiliar that ultimately feels like another home. When Nuha finds the perfect Omani doll, the trip is complete: their shared name (Mary/Miryam) highlights how special both places ultimately become. Glossary included. VERDICT Sweet celebration of faraway family, the beauty of culture, and the common experiences Nuha and Jadda share makes this tale a standout. Recommended for all collections.

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

In this comforting picture book about embracing one’s family culture, Nuha arrives in Oman to visit her grandmother after years apart. The visit starts out on a melancholy note: Nuha accidentally left her favorite doll behind. But as she acclimates to her “home away from home” and gets lost in the rhythms of the souk, she finds both familiar points of reference to soothe her and new experiences to delight in. Folk art touches in the illustrations, which favor bright pinks, blues, and yellows, evoke the warmth of Oman and of Nuha’s family’s love.

FOREWORD REVIEWS

Akbari’s language realistically portrays a child’s trepidation in traveling somewhere new while also offering a vivid cultural specificity to showcase that place and its people with joy and tenderness. Sensory details make for a particularly engaging read as the aromatic smells of shawarmas and jasmine perfume make grandmother and granddaughter smile, the familiar sights of henna tattoos and colorful fabrics dazzle them, and the sounds ofdrummers draw them in

THE BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS

Nuha hasn’t seen Jadda, her grandmother, in three years. Mama insists Jadda “is excited to spend the summer with you.” Besides, “Oman is your home away from home.” Nuha isn’t convinced: “At least I’ll have you,” she whispers to her favorite doll, Mary, but in the travel rush, Nuha leaves Mary behind. Arriving “sticky and sweaty” in Oman to overwhelming unfamiliarity only confirms “this place was nothing like home.” Wise Jadda suggests exploring the nearby souk where Nuha might find a new doll. The lively market becomes a feast for Nuha’s senses: tasting delectable shawarma, wandering “perfumed alleys and glittery stalls,” appreciating personal henna paintings, drumming with street musicians, and gazing at the orange sun and blue sea—”so different and distant, but together they paint the most beautiful sky.” Walking home, Nuha even finds an Omani doll, naming her Maryam, a perfect companion for Mary. Jadda’s embrace assures Nuha she’s undoubtedly reached her home away from home. In an author’s note, Indian-born and Omani-raised Akbari urges readers to “look beyond the stereotypes and explore the everyday joy of Arab culture and family—real life that often doesn’t make the headlines.” Her unadorned, accessible text is notably enhanced by Kheiriyeh’s vibrant illustrations, which invite audiences to share Nuha’s wondrous discoveries. Nurturing experiences transform a young girl’s discomfort into visceral delight—for protagonist and readers alike"

KIRKUS REVIEW

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Nazneen Akbari

Welcome to my world of picture books—where stories are born in the stillness of 5 A.M. and shaped by cultures that span continents.

From the golden sands of Oman and Dubai to the vibrant traditions of India and the diverse rhythms of America, my stories are stitched together from the places I’ve called home. Each tale carries the colors, textures, and heart of this journey—inviting young readers (and their grown ups) to step into worlds both familiar and new.

Whether you’re here as a fellow book lover, a curious traveler, or someone who believes in the quiet magic of words, I’m so glad you stopped by. Let’s explore the wonder of storytelling together—one picture book at a time.