Habibi

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Nye, Naomi Shihab. 1997. Habibi. New York: Simon Pulse. ISBN 9780606163200

PLOT SUMMARY

Liyana and her family move from St. Louis to Palestine.  In Habibi, Naomi Shihab Nye details Liyana’s transition and exploration of Palestine.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The protagonist of this story, Liyana, is a character typical of any American girl.  As the story begins, Liyana has just gotten her first kiss as her parents announce they are moving to Palestine.  Liyana’s father is Palestinian and moved to the United States when he was training to be a doctor.  Liyana’s mother is American.  The parents have decided that it is a good opportunity for their children, Liyana and Rafik to discover their Palestinian roots.  Liyana and Rafik represent typical American children and readers will be able to relate to their actions.

The setting of this story is split between St. Louis and Palestine, with the majority of the story taking place in Palestine.  Throughout the story, Liyana must navigate a new world.  Her clothing is no longer appropriate and her behavior faces criticism from her father.  Liyana quickly befriends Omer, a Jewish boy.  Liyana’s family’s tentative acceptance of Omer speaks to the open hearts that many people have.

The conflict between Palestinians and Jews was not thoroughly explained in the book.  While that may be appropriate for younger readers, I found myself curious about how Liyana’s family would fit into the conflict.

Nye expertly includes cultural markers throughout this story and they are an integral part of this story.  Food preparation was frequently included and Liyana refers to her mother’s cooking often.  Although Liyana’s grandmother lives a very traditional lifestyle, Liyana and her family are very modern.  In this way, Nye defies some stereotypes and it was refreshing to see that, although there were many differences, there were also many similarities between their lives in both countries.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Horn Book Guide: “When Liyana Abboud is fourteen, her father decides that the time is right to move the family from St. Louis to his native Jerusalem. Inevitably, Arab-Israeli tensions enter into the story, but the message isn't preachy and remains almost secondary to the story of Liyana's search for her identity. The leisurely paced text contains poetic turns of phrase that accurately reflect Liyana's passion for words and language.”

Booklist: “The story is steeped in detail about the place and cultures: food, geography, history, shopping, schools, languages, religions, etc. Just when you think it is obtrusive to have essays and journal entries thrust into the story, you get caught up in the ideas and the direct simplicity with which Nye speaks.”

School Library Journal: “Though the story begins at a leisurely pace, readers will be engaged by the characters, the romance, and the foreshadowed danger. Poetically imaged and leavened with humor, the story renders layered and complex history understandable through character and incident.”

CONNECTIONS

Readers who enjoyed Habibi might also enjoy these books that have similar settings:

Ibtisam Barakat. Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood. ISBN 9780374357337

Cathryn Clinton. A Stone in My Hand. ISBN 9780763647728