Habibi (novel)

Habibi is a 1997 young adult novel by Naomi Shihab Nye, which despite its category, is written with a lack of description. 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 in the 1970s. 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] It received the Jane Addams Children's Book Award, given annually to a children's book that advances the causes of peace and social equality.

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