Habibi (novel)

Habibi is a 1997 young adult novel by Naomi Shihab Nye. It tells the story of 14-year-old Liyana Abboud and her family, her Arab father, American mother, and brother Rafik, who move from their home in St. Louis to Mr. Abboud's native home of Palestine. It is semi-autobiographical. It was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, an ALA Notable Book, a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, and a Texas Institute of Letters Best Book for Young Readers.^[1]

Habibi deals with a wide range of themes (most common in YA books) that include change, family values, war and peace, and love. The title is an Arab word for 'beloved'.

References

^ Nomad, Switchboard, Poet: Naomi Shihab Nye's Multicultural Literature for Young Readers: An Interview, Melus, Summer 2002

Reviews

Where Rage Lives, New York Times
Habibi, Publishers Weekly

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[1] Nomad, Switchboard, Poet: Naomi Shihab Nye's Multicultural Literature for Young Readers: An Interview, Melus, Summer 2002

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