I. BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Nye, Naomi Shihab. 1997. HABIBI. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0689801491
II. SUMMARY
Liyana and her family move from St. Louis to Jerusalem, after her father decides it is safe enough for them to return to his homeland. Liyana is apprehensive about the move and the new country she will be living in. She discovers a country unlike anything she has ever experienced. She experiences all aspects of life and cultures in Jerusalem, from her large Arabic family to her Armenian teachers and classmates at school. Liyana even begins a romance with and Israeli young man and learns about Jewish culture as well. Liyana’s adolescent experiences are juxtaposed to the realities of conflict in the region, and she questions why these people cannot have peace.
III. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
HABIBI is a poetic, insightful novel from the perspective of a likable and relatable teenage girl. Liyana experiences the typical teenage crushes, from her first kiss in St. Louis to her blossoming romance with Omer in Jerusalem. These experiences are interwoven into her discovery of Jerusalem’s diverse cultures. Through her eyes, the reader comes to learn about the different groups living within the city.
Each character is well thought out and presented fully. Liyana’s relationship with her parents is honest and relevant to many young teens today. HABIBI is a story that builds. The reader senses the conflict in the region, but when the conflict finally reaches the Abboud family, the reader is shocked and dismayed. First, Israeli soldiers destroy the interior of Liyana’s grandmother’s house. Then, Liyana’s father is jailed when he interferes with Israeli soldiers who have shot one of their friends at a nearby refugee camp. The dramatic climax is engaging and genuine. The story is a cry for peace in a world full of conflict. When Omer joins Liyana’s family and meets her grandmother, the reader feels the desire for peace among each of the characters.
There are many cultural markers in the text adding to the authenticity of the work. First, the character’s names are indicative of their Arab heritage. Liyana and Rafik are the Abboud’s two children. Liyana meets a Jewish boy she mistakenly believes is named Omar. Only later she learns his name is actually Hebrew and is Omer. There are other cultural markers as well. The descriptions of the food are examples of food found in the region. Even the description of the house they rent is an example of a cultural marker. The house is white stone in the countryside. It is near a refugee camp.
Other cultural markers include the descriptions of religious beliefs. Liyana notes that her extended family each carries prayer rugs and kneels to pray in Arabic. Other descriptions include their visit to the Dead Sea. The water is so salty; they float as if on rafts. Along the way, they meet with Bedouins, who share goat cheese with them. Each of these descriptions of Liyana’s observations adds to the authenticity of the work. Because Liyana is discovering Jerusalem for the first time, the author is able to describe in great detail the intricacies of everyday life. The comparisons to American culture make the reader aware of the differences.
Overall, HABIBI is a well-written, insightful novel about a region torn with discord. Liyana’s character is relatable and typical of many teenaged girls. Her experiences moving from America to Jerusalem offer readers the opportunity to learn about the varied cultures within the region. Hopefully, as well, readers understand the call for peace in the region as well.
IV. REVIEW EXCERPTS
“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. Habibi succeeds in making the hope for peace compellingly personal and concrete...as long as individual citizens like Liyana's grandmother Sitti can say, ‘I never lost my peace inside.’”—School Library Journal
“Adolescence magnifies the joys and anxieties of growing up even as it radically simplifies the complexities of the adult world. The poet and anthologist Naomi Shibab Nye is meticulously sensitive to this rainbow of emotion in her autobiographical novel, Habibi….”—New York Times
V. CONNECTIONS
**Create a reader’s theatre script from an excerpt of the book.
**Share in a booktalk.
Nye, Naomi Shihab. 1997. HABIBI. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0689801491
II. SUMMARY
Liyana and her family move from St. Louis to Jerusalem, after her father decides it is safe enough for them to return to his homeland. Liyana is apprehensive about the move and the new country she will be living in. She discovers a country unlike anything she has ever experienced. She experiences all aspects of life and cultures in Jerusalem, from her large Arabic family to her Armenian teachers and classmates at school. Liyana even begins a romance with and Israeli young man and learns about Jewish culture as well. Liyana’s adolescent experiences are juxtaposed to the realities of conflict in the region, and she questions why these people cannot have peace.
III. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
HABIBI is a poetic, insightful novel from the perspective of a likable and relatable teenage girl. Liyana experiences the typical teenage crushes, from her first kiss in St. Louis to her blossoming romance with Omer in Jerusalem. These experiences are interwoven into her discovery of Jerusalem’s diverse cultures. Through her eyes, the reader comes to learn about the different groups living within the city.
Each character is well thought out and presented fully. Liyana’s relationship with her parents is honest and relevant to many young teens today. HABIBI is a story that builds. The reader senses the conflict in the region, but when the conflict finally reaches the Abboud family, the reader is shocked and dismayed. First, Israeli soldiers destroy the interior of Liyana’s grandmother’s house. Then, Liyana’s father is jailed when he interferes with Israeli soldiers who have shot one of their friends at a nearby refugee camp. The dramatic climax is engaging and genuine. The story is a cry for peace in a world full of conflict. When Omer joins Liyana’s family and meets her grandmother, the reader feels the desire for peace among each of the characters.
There are many cultural markers in the text adding to the authenticity of the work. First, the character’s names are indicative of their Arab heritage. Liyana and Rafik are the Abboud’s two children. Liyana meets a Jewish boy she mistakenly believes is named Omar. Only later she learns his name is actually Hebrew and is Omer. There are other cultural markers as well. The descriptions of the food are examples of food found in the region. Even the description of the house they rent is an example of a cultural marker. The house is white stone in the countryside. It is near a refugee camp.
Other cultural markers include the descriptions of religious beliefs. Liyana notes that her extended family each carries prayer rugs and kneels to pray in Arabic. Other descriptions include their visit to the Dead Sea. The water is so salty; they float as if on rafts. Along the way, they meet with Bedouins, who share goat cheese with them. Each of these descriptions of Liyana’s observations adds to the authenticity of the work. Because Liyana is discovering Jerusalem for the first time, the author is able to describe in great detail the intricacies of everyday life. The comparisons to American culture make the reader aware of the differences.
Overall, HABIBI is a well-written, insightful novel about a region torn with discord. Liyana’s character is relatable and typical of many teenaged girls. Her experiences moving from America to Jerusalem offer readers the opportunity to learn about the varied cultures within the region. Hopefully, as well, readers understand the call for peace in the region as well.
IV. REVIEW EXCERPTS
“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. Habibi succeeds in making the hope for peace compellingly personal and concrete...as long as individual citizens like Liyana's grandmother Sitti can say, ‘I never lost my peace inside.’”—School Library Journal
“Adolescence magnifies the joys and anxieties of growing up even as it radically simplifies the complexities of the adult world. The poet and anthologist Naomi Shibab Nye is meticulously sensitive to this rainbow of emotion in her autobiographical novel, Habibi….”—New York Times
V. CONNECTIONS
**Create a reader’s theatre script from an excerpt of the book.
**Share in a booktalk.
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