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Habibi
Fourteen-year-old Liyana Abboud would rather not have to change her life...especially now that she has been kissed, for the very first time and quite by surprise, by a boy named Jackson.But when her parents announce that Liyana's family is moving from St. Louis, Missouri, to Jerusalem -- to the land where her father was born -- Liyana's whole world shifts.What does Jerusalem hold for Liyana? A grandmother, a Sitti, she has never met, for one. A history much bigger than she is. Visits to the West Bank village where her aunts and uncles live. Mischief. Old stone streets that wind through time and trouble. Opening doors, dark jail cells, a new feeling for peace, and Omer...the intriguing stranger whose kisses replace the one she lost when she moved across the ocean.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1997
112 people are currently reading
2636 people want to read
About the author
Naomi Shihab Nye
134 books978 followersNaomi Shihab Nye was born to a Palestinian father and an American mother. During her high school years, she lived in Ramallah in Jordan, the Old City in Jerusalem, and San Antonio, Texas, where she later received her B.A. in English and world religions from Trinity University. She is a novelist, poet and songwriter.
She currently lives in San Antonio, Texas. She was elected a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets in 2010.
She currently lives in San Antonio, Texas. She was elected a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets in 2010.
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April 16, 2020
I've been called habibti by Arabic speaking friends and find it adorable but somehow, I've only heard habibi be used sarcastically, kind of like the word "buddy" in English. Anyway, recently all I've been reading is young adult or books about Palestine and well, this is both.
I came across a poem about doubt by Naomi Shihab Nye and absolutely wanted to read more of her work. When I opened Goodreads, I was surprised to find that I had already shelved this book years ago.
So I jumped into reading it! Habibi talks about Liyana, an American teen who moves to the West Bank. I was excited for this book because I felt like it had tons of potential. I, too, grew up in the states and moved back to this corner of the world. I think people don't talk about cultural shock enough so I'd hoped this book would expand that. I was excited to see how Liyana's experiences unfold, to see if I would be able to relate to what is essentially the same experience but on "opposite" sides.
However, I think this book was too ambitious and it ended up backfiring. This could have been a book about a Jewish guy and an American-Palestinian girl. It could have been a book about Armenians and studying in an Armenian school as an "outsider". It could have also been a book about the challenges of moving countries or the particular challenges of reconnecting with your parent's culture or a book about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the eyes of an American teen. Maybe at the hands of a different author, it could have been all of these.
By attempting to be so many things, this book felt underdeveloped. None of the plot lines that I mentioned were properly developed. When I try to look at it through one of these perspectives, I don't feel like I have a full story.
Instead, this book is just lots of chapters with various emphasis on these plot lines. I'm sure I could easily go chapter by chapter and say, "this part is about Armenians and doesn't ever get spoken about again, this chapter is about her father". In order to blend it all together, the author sticks in a lot of melodrama and cliches. I was unable to stop myself from rolling my eyes every time Liyana gave a "but why can't everyone get along?" type of speech and don't even get me started on the mock poetry, the "I'm so different and thoughtful" notebook entries.
I realize that Liyana is a teen and that the target audience is teens but like, ugh, she was so obnoxious and pretentious. Is this really how we want to teach kids to interact with conflicts? I assume that we would want to teach listening skills and compassion and not arrogance. We need people with open hearts and minds, we don't need more confidence and bluster.
It's just a shame because I can't even criticize the representation of conflict. There was hardly anything here. Nothing of substance, at least. Nonetheless, there were certain elements that felt like a missed opportunity.
I suppose my bone to pick with this is that Liyana seems to think she knows everything there is to know and yet, she never makes an attempt to understand Omer's side. It's funny because I often claim that Palestinians aren't familiar with the Israeli narrative but here, the sheer lack of interest Luyana has in Omer's life is embarrassing. I mean, he goes to her village and attempts to speak Arabic while she ditches his poetry reading (for a good reason but I have to wonder what message was the author trying to send here), doesn't go to West Jerusalem at all and doesn't even attempt to learn Hebrew. He is invested in her world and wants to know more while she doesn't seem to have an active interest in pursuing peace.
Beyond this, she doesn't really bother to take interest in his narrative. She complains about the "chosen people" thing but doesn't care to listen more about what it means. As if Jews thinking they're the chosen people is the cause of the conflict, like come on, that's not even the beginning of the iceberg. She makes assumptions about the conflict without ever questioning them and somehow, her father supports this.
And together, it makes me wonder. Omer knows she isn't Jewish or Israeli from the start and that doesn't stop him from being a good friend to her while she panics when she hears he's Jewish, even if she grew up in America so why would that be such a big deal to her?
Her parents were yet another missed opportunity. Her mother is American and her father is Palestinian. There could have been more room for her mother's perspective, to understand what it's like for an American to suddenly move to a foreign country, to be submerged in her husband's culture. That's not easy and yet, her mother doesn't have much of a role here. I would assume that especially in the moments when they get involved with the stickier parts of the conflict, her mother would be a pivotal voice but nope. Liyana idolizes her father but even there, the entire relationship lacks complexity. When a crisis happens, it gets solved immediately and with more idealism thrown her father's way.
The army is also an interesting point here. Soldiers are portrayed as violent and mindless, destructing everything without even any type of thought. I'm not going to defend the army because heck, the army can defend itself but I do want to say that I found it to be lazy story telling. I mean, there's a scene where one of her relatives tells Omer to remember their meal together when he joins the army. And that's it. There's no real conversation about what the army means and who exactly joins and why it looks the way it does.
I suppose that the author was basing this (partly) on her own experiences but this was just such a messy book. I find it hard to see a central message here. I have no idea what she was trying to accomplish here or what message was she trying to express, other than "I lived in the West Bank for a while and wow, some Jews are okay but I'm not going to engage with them beyond the one Jew that I like and there are Armenians living in Jerusalem but let's not dig deep into their story and hey, the Old City is beautiful and there are stores there".
Even though I didn't like it that much, All the Rivers was better in the sense that it was more cohesive, diverse, complex (and depressing). I feel tempted to edit this book and turn it into something better because right now, it's a wasted opportunity. If you want to read about an Israeli-Palestinian romance, All the Rivers is the book to read (and then read my review because I don't feel like I can recommend that book wholeheartedly either).
What I'm Taking with Me:
-Her father doesn't seem to be very friendly to Jews either, despite all the preaching. Really, the brother is the only what that seems like, okay.
-The conversation about religion is a little lame as well, let's not pretend organized religion is the (only) problem.
-The scenes that could have talked about cultural differences were lacking and don't even get me started on the grandmother and the way she was portrayed.
I came across a poem about doubt by Naomi Shihab Nye and absolutely wanted to read more of her work. When I opened Goodreads, I was surprised to find that I had already shelved this book years ago.
So I jumped into reading it! Habibi talks about Liyana, an American teen who moves to the West Bank. I was excited for this book because I felt like it had tons of potential. I, too, grew up in the states and moved back to this corner of the world. I think people don't talk about cultural shock enough so I'd hoped this book would expand that. I was excited to see how Liyana's experiences unfold, to see if I would be able to relate to what is essentially the same experience but on "opposite" sides.
However, I think this book was too ambitious and it ended up backfiring. This could have been a book about a Jewish guy and an American-Palestinian girl. It could have been a book about Armenians and studying in an Armenian school as an "outsider". It could have also been a book about the challenges of moving countries or the particular challenges of reconnecting with your parent's culture or a book about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the eyes of an American teen. Maybe at the hands of a different author, it could have been all of these.
By attempting to be so many things, this book felt underdeveloped. None of the plot lines that I mentioned were properly developed. When I try to look at it through one of these perspectives, I don't feel like I have a full story.
Instead, this book is just lots of chapters with various emphasis on these plot lines. I'm sure I could easily go chapter by chapter and say, "this part is about Armenians and doesn't ever get spoken about again, this chapter is about her father". In order to blend it all together, the author sticks in a lot of melodrama and cliches. I was unable to stop myself from rolling my eyes every time Liyana gave a "but why can't everyone get along?" type of speech and don't even get me started on the mock poetry, the "I'm so different and thoughtful" notebook entries.
I realize that Liyana is a teen and that the target audience is teens but like, ugh, she was so obnoxious and pretentious. Is this really how we want to teach kids to interact with conflicts? I assume that we would want to teach listening skills and compassion and not arrogance. We need people with open hearts and minds, we don't need more confidence and bluster.
It's just a shame because I can't even criticize the representation of conflict. There was hardly anything here. Nothing of substance, at least. Nonetheless, there were certain elements that felt like a missed opportunity.
I suppose my bone to pick with this is that Liyana seems to think she knows everything there is to know and yet, she never makes an attempt to understand Omer's side. It's funny because I often claim that Palestinians aren't familiar with the Israeli narrative but here, the sheer lack of interest Luyana has in Omer's life is embarrassing. I mean, he goes to her village and attempts to speak Arabic while she ditches his poetry reading (for a good reason but I have to wonder what message was the author trying to send here), doesn't go to West Jerusalem at all and doesn't even attempt to learn Hebrew. He is invested in her world and wants to know more while she doesn't seem to have an active interest in pursuing peace.
Beyond this, she doesn't really bother to take interest in his narrative. She complains about the "chosen people" thing but doesn't care to listen more about what it means. As if Jews thinking they're the chosen people is the cause of the conflict, like come on, that's not even the beginning of the iceberg. She makes assumptions about the conflict without ever questioning them and somehow, her father supports this.
And together, it makes me wonder. Omer knows she isn't Jewish or Israeli from the start and that doesn't stop him from being a good friend to her while she panics when she hears he's Jewish, even if she grew up in America so why would that be such a big deal to her?
Her parents were yet another missed opportunity. Her mother is American and her father is Palestinian. There could have been more room for her mother's perspective, to understand what it's like for an American to suddenly move to a foreign country, to be submerged in her husband's culture. That's not easy and yet, her mother doesn't have much of a role here. I would assume that especially in the moments when they get involved with the stickier parts of the conflict, her mother would be a pivotal voice but nope. Liyana idolizes her father but even there, the entire relationship lacks complexity. When a crisis happens, it gets solved immediately and with more idealism thrown her father's way.
The army is also an interesting point here. Soldiers are portrayed as violent and mindless, destructing everything without even any type of thought. I'm not going to defend the army because heck, the army can defend itself but I do want to say that I found it to be lazy story telling. I mean, there's a scene where one of her relatives tells Omer to remember their meal together when he joins the army. And that's it. There's no real conversation about what the army means and who exactly joins and why it looks the way it does.
I suppose that the author was basing this (partly) on her own experiences but this was just such a messy book. I find it hard to see a central message here. I have no idea what she was trying to accomplish here or what message was she trying to express, other than "I lived in the West Bank for a while and wow, some Jews are okay but I'm not going to engage with them beyond the one Jew that I like and there are Armenians living in Jerusalem but let's not dig deep into their story and hey, the Old City is beautiful and there are stores there".
Even though I didn't like it that much, All the Rivers was better in the sense that it was more cohesive, diverse, complex (and depressing). I feel tempted to edit this book and turn it into something better because right now, it's a wasted opportunity. If you want to read about an Israeli-Palestinian romance, All the Rivers is the book to read (and then read my review because I don't feel like I can recommend that book wholeheartedly either).
What I'm Taking with Me:
-Her father doesn't seem to be very friendly to Jews either, despite all the preaching. Really, the brother is the only what that seems like, okay.
-The conversation about religion is a little lame as well, let's not pretend organized religion is the (only) problem.
-The scenes that could have talked about cultural differences were lacking and don't even get me started on the grandmother and the way she was portrayed.
July 29, 2016
I could write a classic review of the book, but instead I will write a poem about it in the style of Liyana Abboud.
Habibi
means my darling in masculine form
i infer she is talking about
stupid
irrelevant
waterfall
sparkly habibi dust-y Omer
At least
she's over
Jackson
(who has melodic, flowy, chasm-y hair)
(and no good qualities except for one lame kiss)
The plot is nonexistent like a
ocean of thoughts and dreams and hopelessness
electrifying sparks and flickers of human consciousness
a chasm of the mind
and idiocy
I worked about half as hard as Liyana would to write her kissing poem.
See if you can infer my general thoughts on this book.
Habibi
means my darling in masculine form
i infer she is talking about
stupid
irrelevant
waterfall
sparkly habibi dust-y Omer
At least
she's over
Jackson
(who has melodic, flowy, chasm-y hair)
(and no good qualities except for one lame kiss)
The plot is nonexistent like a
ocean of thoughts and dreams and hopelessness
electrifying sparks and flickers of human consciousness
a chasm of the mind
and idiocy
I worked about half as hard as Liyana would to write her kissing poem.
See if you can infer my general thoughts on this book.
January 4, 2012
I absolutely loved this book. Loved, loved, loved it. It's a very quick read, but before I started it my sister warned me that the prose was so rich that it had to be savored,, and I agree. I loved the prose style of this book: beautiful and lyrical but also, at times, laugh-at-loud funny. It rang so true to me that some sections brought me back really palpably to the feelings attached to moments like the first time I kissed my first love -- Nye's descriptions are just that vivid.
It's also one of the few recent books I've read where I found myself genuinely fond of all the characters, most of whom felt incredibly three-dimensional (with the exception, I would say, of Liyana's mother who wasn't as developed as the rest of the characters). Loved the dad (even when I felt myself infuriated by him on Liyana's behalf), loved Sitti (the grandmother), loved the relationship between Liyana and her brother Rafiq, loved Omer, and most of all LOVED Liyana. Lately I have noticed that most of the YA novels I read feature a strong and brave young woman, but often that young woman is somewhat petulant and so headstrong as to be blind at pivotal moments. It's kind of tiresome, honestly, that a "powerful" teenage girl also has to be kind of a stubborn pain in the ass. Liyana is a totally different kind of YA protagonist: she's vulnerable, loving, thoughtful, but is also incredibly brave and has a lot of integrity.
I highly, highly recommend this novel.
It's also one of the few recent books I've read where I found myself genuinely fond of all the characters, most of whom felt incredibly three-dimensional (with the exception, I would say, of Liyana's mother who wasn't as developed as the rest of the characters). Loved the dad (even when I felt myself infuriated by him on Liyana's behalf), loved Sitti (the grandmother), loved the relationship between Liyana and her brother Rafiq, loved Omer, and most of all LOVED Liyana. Lately I have noticed that most of the YA novels I read feature a strong and brave young woman, but often that young woman is somewhat petulant and so headstrong as to be blind at pivotal moments. It's kind of tiresome, honestly, that a "powerful" teenage girl also has to be kind of a stubborn pain in the ass. Liyana is a totally different kind of YA protagonist: she's vulnerable, loving, thoughtful, but is also incredibly brave and has a lot of integrity.
I highly, highly recommend this novel.
April 29, 2013
Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye was a book we read in school. This book was not the worst book I have read in my life, but it is definitely a book I would not read again. This book is about a girl named Lyanna, who is half Palestinian and half American. She has lived in U.S. all her life, and her family decides to move to Israel. She goes through many challenges which shapes and changes her character in Israel. In my opinion, this book was very boring. I can identify few things that made this book boring for me. One of the things were its predictable plots. The plots in this book ware very predictable for the reader, and it failed to create suspense and made it boring. Second, I felt that this book had many unnecessary contents throughout the book. There were some parts that I thought weren't needed to create suspense, or help the reader visualize something and it just made the book longer. Also, I thought that the book was too slow paced. If the book had been little bit faster paced, I think it would have made it less boring than it is now. I also thought that the book wasn't fit for academic purposes, or at least on the unit we were learning about, since the book didn't strengthen my learning in Arab-Israeli conflict and I would not recommend reading this book because its boring, doesn't help academic wise and its not fit for entertainment. However, I do recommend this book if you are looking for a good sleep.
August 21, 2009
Why didn't this win a Newbery? It's an outrage!
I love Naomi and this book is just fantastic! Maybe it's wrong to do this, but I imagine it as her childhood. Liyana is just how I would think Naomi was when she was growing up. I love the first lines that begin each chapter. Naomi's writing is poetry in prose form. It's great to watch Liyana interact with her grandmother who speaks another language and has such a different sense of reality. Reading this book was a magical experience for me.
I love Naomi and this book is just fantastic! Maybe it's wrong to do this, but I imagine it as her childhood. Liyana is just how I would think Naomi was when she was growing up. I love the first lines that begin each chapter. Naomi's writing is poetry in prose form. It's great to watch Liyana interact with her grandmother who speaks another language and has such a different sense of reality. Reading this book was a magical experience for me.
October 5, 2014
Great Book as a piece of literature. Great book as portrays a story of a girl struggling with identity issues as a half and half, as a third culture kid, and amidst the conflicts of Israel/Palestine. Excellent writing. Great Quotes (search for ones I've entered by the author's name). Very, very well written.
But beware - if you are a Jew, Muslim or Christian - this book is a treatise on anti-religion.
Unfortunately, as is typical with much of this genre of 'peace perspectives' and understanding different cultures, diversity - rather than represent the Abrahamic religions in a positive light - she paints them all as the source of all conflict... that is unless they are watered down into an un-belief.
She has an entire chapter devoted to the anti-religion religion of humanism, of Unitarianism. Rather than explore the true belief of these religions and their values of peace and love and not harming others - she subtly and not-so-subtly infers that it is BELIEF that causes hate/war/injustice etc. Ms. Nye argues that war and conflict is 'god made' - rather than man-made. This is so sad!
I highly recommend this book - but suggest that parents may want to read it and discuss the philosophy of humanism that it promotes. Rather than allow for an identity that is shaped by traditional values or faiths - or the exploration of truth - it rejects any 'definition' -- and of course "that doesn't work either" - in the authors own words!
The book is extremely well written. Author is a great poet. Numerous good quotes. Many things to 'think about'. I just wish it didn't fall prey to the false doctrine that only relativism will allow for peace. Sad!
Parents NOTE: Neither her father's mother is really a Muslim, or her mother's mother really a Christian and her new 'significant' friend (boyfriend) is not a Jew. Her parent's - labeled Christian and Muslim - are not -- at least as described by the main character. (see below) In particular, Muslims may be offended with the portrayal of the Arab grandmothers use of 'voodoo' . Reincarnation, buddism and 'the power of positive thinking' are good and belief-worthy. Relativism is the answer. Religion is bad. Any real belief is rejected - as fundamentalism. Only liberal's are the voice of moderation (a.k.a. reason - see quoted text below). Sorry - I believe in the reasonableness of belief in fundamental truth. It is MY belief that God is who He says He is. ... be I Christian, Jew or Muslim. That does not make me hate those who believe differently than me. That's a man-made requirement/addition/misinterpretation.
See: Entire chapter titled: A Kernel of Truth on Every Avenue.
“She really believed her parents when they said 'Look both ways.'” … “Liyana's family believed in God and goodness and hope and positive thinking and praying..... Liyanna's entire family believed in reincarnation, because it made sense to them. Liyanna also liked the eight-fold path in Buddhisim and the idea of the bodhisattva, the soul who does good for others without any thought for himself or herself. She hoped she would get to know some in her life, besides her parents.......Liyanna's parents did not believe everyone was an automatic sinner when they were born. Too dramatic! All people on earth would do good and bad things both. Poppy said every religion contained some shining ideas and plenty of foolishness, too. 'The worst foolish thing is when a religion wants you to say it's the only right one or the best one.'..... …. The Abouds did not believe in the devil except the devilish spirit inside people doing bad things. They did not believe in 'hell' or anybody being 'chosen' over anybody else – which Liyanna had to ask Omer about. He looked sober. He said the Jewish idea of being 'chosen' meant more than he could explain. 'Maybe Jews are also chosen to suffer. Or to be better examples.'..... 'It's not a question of believing , ' he said.... It's more like – history. A historical way of looking – at ourselves – and things.' Liyanna felt gloomy. ' And it's history that gave us all these problems,' she said. 'I think as long as anyone feels chosen, the problems will get worse.'” …. ' Does it make sense,' Poppy said, that any God would choose some people and leave the other out?' If only Christians or Jews are right, what about most of Asia and the Middle East? All these millions of people are just – extras? Ridiculous! God is bigger than that!' Any kind of fundamentalism gave Poppy the shivers. The Jews in Hebron called themselves 'holy pioneers'. 'Fundamentalists talk louder than liberals,' he said. That's too bad. Maybe we moderate people should raise our voices.'..... (Liyanna thought) Why would any God want to be only large enough to fit inside a certain group of hearts? God was a Big God. Once Liyana answered someone that way. But it didn't work very well. 'What religion are you?' 'Big God'.. ....... Some people let their countries become their religions. But that didn't work either.”...
But beware - if you are a Jew, Muslim or Christian - this book is a treatise on anti-religion.
Unfortunately, as is typical with much of this genre of 'peace perspectives' and understanding different cultures, diversity - rather than represent the Abrahamic religions in a positive light - she paints them all as the source of all conflict... that is unless they are watered down into an un-belief.
She has an entire chapter devoted to the anti-religion religion of humanism, of Unitarianism. Rather than explore the true belief of these religions and their values of peace and love and not harming others - she subtly and not-so-subtly infers that it is BELIEF that causes hate/war/injustice etc. Ms. Nye argues that war and conflict is 'god made' - rather than man-made. This is so sad!
I highly recommend this book - but suggest that parents may want to read it and discuss the philosophy of humanism that it promotes. Rather than allow for an identity that is shaped by traditional values or faiths - or the exploration of truth - it rejects any 'definition' -- and of course "that doesn't work either" - in the authors own words!
The book is extremely well written. Author is a great poet. Numerous good quotes. Many things to 'think about'. I just wish it didn't fall prey to the false doctrine that only relativism will allow for peace. Sad!
Parents NOTE: Neither her father's mother is really a Muslim, or her mother's mother really a Christian and her new 'significant' friend (boyfriend) is not a Jew. Her parent's - labeled Christian and Muslim - are not -- at least as described by the main character. (see below) In particular, Muslims may be offended with the portrayal of the Arab grandmothers use of 'voodoo' . Reincarnation, buddism and 'the power of positive thinking' are good and belief-worthy. Relativism is the answer. Religion is bad. Any real belief is rejected - as fundamentalism. Only liberal's are the voice of moderation (a.k.a. reason - see quoted text below). Sorry - I believe in the reasonableness of belief in fundamental truth. It is MY belief that God is who He says He is. ... be I Christian, Jew or Muslim. That does not make me hate those who believe differently than me. That's a man-made requirement/addition/misinterpretation.
See: Entire chapter titled: A Kernel of Truth on Every Avenue.
“She really believed her parents when they said 'Look both ways.'” … “Liyana's family believed in God and goodness and hope and positive thinking and praying..... Liyanna's entire family believed in reincarnation, because it made sense to them. Liyanna also liked the eight-fold path in Buddhisim and the idea of the bodhisattva, the soul who does good for others without any thought for himself or herself. She hoped she would get to know some in her life, besides her parents.......Liyanna's parents did not believe everyone was an automatic sinner when they were born. Too dramatic! All people on earth would do good and bad things both. Poppy said every religion contained some shining ideas and plenty of foolishness, too. 'The worst foolish thing is when a religion wants you to say it's the only right one or the best one.'..... …. The Abouds did not believe in the devil except the devilish spirit inside people doing bad things. They did not believe in 'hell' or anybody being 'chosen' over anybody else – which Liyanna had to ask Omer about. He looked sober. He said the Jewish idea of being 'chosen' meant more than he could explain. 'Maybe Jews are also chosen to suffer. Or to be better examples.'..... 'It's not a question of believing , ' he said.... It's more like – history. A historical way of looking – at ourselves – and things.' Liyanna felt gloomy. ' And it's history that gave us all these problems,' she said. 'I think as long as anyone feels chosen, the problems will get worse.'” …. ' Does it make sense,' Poppy said, that any God would choose some people and leave the other out?' If only Christians or Jews are right, what about most of Asia and the Middle East? All these millions of people are just – extras? Ridiculous! God is bigger than that!' Any kind of fundamentalism gave Poppy the shivers. The Jews in Hebron called themselves 'holy pioneers'. 'Fundamentalists talk louder than liberals,' he said. That's too bad. Maybe we moderate people should raise our voices.'..... (Liyanna thought) Why would any God want to be only large enough to fit inside a certain group of hearts? God was a Big God. Once Liyana answered someone that way. But it didn't work very well. 'What religion are you?' 'Big God'.. ....... Some people let their countries become their religions. But that didn't work either.”...
June 7, 2024
It was ok. I'm not the intended audience (this is an MG book with a 14/15yo MC) so I guess it makes sense that the voice and plot didn't speak to me. But it had a lot of commentary on Palestine, diaspora, belonging, and living as an expat kid so these are the aspects of the book I will comment on here.
Liyanah is half white half Palestinian and has lived all her life in the US. When she's about to start high school, her parents decide to move to Jerusalem, where she must learn Arabic, meet her extended family, attend an Armenian school, and adjust to the very different life there. Needless to say, she experiences a bit of a culture shock and, mixed in with the teen angst at that time of life, it was the perfect setting for a lot of growth, questioning, and learning.
This takes place in the 1990s, after the Oslo Accords, but before the Second Intifada, when people were hopeful about peace (hence her parents decided to move there). The book exposes readers to a lot of the injustices Palestinians live under. The displacement, the refugee crisis, the unfair incarceration, life under occupation, Palestinians being subject to random searches and arrests and destruction of their homes by the IOF. At the same time, I felt that the tone of the book was a bit judgmental about Palestinians who chose to resist--something about continuing the cycle of violence bla bla. And there was a small romance between Liyanah and a Jewish (Israeli) boy her age, despite Liyanah's Palestinian family cautioning her about it and disapproving. To me it's obvious why they would be cautious about it, but the narrative positioned it as a step toward peace, arguing that basically that if Palestinians want peace then they need to accept these sorts of relationships...not bothering at all to address the extreme difference in privilege between the two kids. And it's not surprising that of Liyanah's parents, the one who was most accepting of this relationship was her white mother. Something about "if you really want peace you need to exmplify it" etc. etc. which I feel is very reductive and ignores the complexities of who is the colonizer and who is the colonized.
The worldbuilding/setting was really cool, I've never read a book set in Jerusalem and it was so nice seeing it through the author's eyes and envisioning the streets, buildings, markets, cultures, etc.
This is one of the few MG novels I've come across that speak about life in Jerusalem, and I feel like the period between Oslo and the 2nd Intifada is not often spoken about so this gave an interesting perspective, despite the problematic parts in it.
Liyanah is half white half Palestinian and has lived all her life in the US. When she's about to start high school, her parents decide to move to Jerusalem, where she must learn Arabic, meet her extended family, attend an Armenian school, and adjust to the very different life there. Needless to say, she experiences a bit of a culture shock and, mixed in with the teen angst at that time of life, it was the perfect setting for a lot of growth, questioning, and learning.
This takes place in the 1990s, after the Oslo Accords, but before the Second Intifada, when people were hopeful about peace (hence her parents decided to move there). The book exposes readers to a lot of the injustices Palestinians live under. The displacement, the refugee crisis, the unfair incarceration, life under occupation, Palestinians being subject to random searches and arrests and destruction of their homes by the IOF. At the same time, I felt that the tone of the book was a bit judgmental about Palestinians who chose to resist--something about continuing the cycle of violence bla bla. And there was a small romance between Liyanah and a Jewish (Israeli) boy her age, despite Liyanah's Palestinian family cautioning her about it and disapproving. To me it's obvious why they would be cautious about it, but the narrative positioned it as a step toward peace, arguing that basically that if Palestinians want peace then they need to accept these sorts of relationships...not bothering at all to address the extreme difference in privilege between the two kids. And it's not surprising that of Liyanah's parents, the one who was most accepting of this relationship was her white mother. Something about "if you really want peace you need to exmplify it" etc. etc. which I feel is very reductive and ignores the complexities of who is the colonizer and who is the colonized.
The worldbuilding/setting was really cool, I've never read a book set in Jerusalem and it was so nice seeing it through the author's eyes and envisioning the streets, buildings, markets, cultures, etc.
This is one of the few MG novels I've come across that speak about life in Jerusalem, and I feel like the period between Oslo and the 2nd Intifada is not often spoken about so this gave an interesting perspective, despite the problematic parts in it.
February 3, 2009
I never imagined that lips would be warm...
My goodness, why not? It's not as if there were no lips in your life before the symbolic (if pointless) ones on the first page of this book.
I really had high hopes for this book - it was an interesting premise, and Naomi Shihab Nye is a lovely poet. But it was just terrible: clunky, unbelievable characters, and contrived writing. I just couldn't believe that the father would have put so little thought into the trip; that Liyana was so clueless; that the mom didn't object or apparently have any difficulty adjusting to life in Palestine.
Also, what fifteen-year-old copes with her anxiety by whispering assonant nonsense syllables, like "whillydilly ping pong"?
My goodness, why not? It's not as if there were no lips in your life before the symbolic (if pointless) ones on the first page of this book.
I really had high hopes for this book - it was an interesting premise, and Naomi Shihab Nye is a lovely poet. But it was just terrible: clunky, unbelievable characters, and contrived writing. I just couldn't believe that the father would have put so little thought into the trip; that Liyana was so clueless; that the mom didn't object or apparently have any difficulty adjusting to life in Palestine.
Also, what fifteen-year-old copes with her anxiety by whispering assonant nonsense syllables, like "whillydilly ping pong"?
August 10, 2015
As a novel for children, it is a lighter than usual foray into the experiences of a Palestinian-American who relocates to her father's land of origin. It is the beautiful way the author tells the story that made it so appreciable. As a poet, Nye chooses words that stimulate the imagination. I had the pleasure to hear the author speak and read some of her poetry a few years ago and I've been a fan since.
Here are a few quotes I like:
All day at school when Liyana described the scene of Sitti’s bathroom smashing, the chips of ceramic and waterlogged rooms, her classmates shrugged. People got used to disasters. No one was even killed. ~ Naomi Shihab Nye, Habibi, p191
She thought of those snowflake and fingerprint stories about the perfect uniqueness of each one and wondered, “Are we supposed to feel good about that?” She wanted one snowflake to resemble another one now and then. ~ Naomi Shihab Nye, Habibi, p195
A kiss. Wild river. Sudden over stones. As startling as the first time, but nicer, since it happened in the light. And bigger than the whole deep ache of blue. ~ Naomi Shihab Nye, Habibi, p196
When you liked somebody, you wanted to trade the best things you knew about. You liked them not only for themselves, but for the parts of you that they brought out. ~ (Liyana, from Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye, p267
You will need to be brave. There are hard days coming. There are hard words waiting in people’s mouths to be spoken. There are walls. You can’t break them. Just find doors in them. ~ Sitti, from Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye, p270
Here are a few quotes I like:
All day at school when Liyana described the scene of Sitti’s bathroom smashing, the chips of ceramic and waterlogged rooms, her classmates shrugged. People got used to disasters. No one was even killed. ~ Naomi Shihab Nye, Habibi, p191
She thought of those snowflake and fingerprint stories about the perfect uniqueness of each one and wondered, “Are we supposed to feel good about that?” She wanted one snowflake to resemble another one now and then. ~ Naomi Shihab Nye, Habibi, p195
A kiss. Wild river. Sudden over stones. As startling as the first time, but nicer, since it happened in the light. And bigger than the whole deep ache of blue. ~ Naomi Shihab Nye, Habibi, p196
When you liked somebody, you wanted to trade the best things you knew about. You liked them not only for themselves, but for the parts of you that they brought out. ~ (Liyana, from Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye, p267
You will need to be brave. There are hard days coming. There are hard words waiting in people’s mouths to be spoken. There are walls. You can’t break them. Just find doors in them. ~ Sitti, from Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye, p270
June 17, 2014
This book is horrible.
First, the main conflict isn't introduced until halfway into the book, and it really isn't that big of a problem. I mean, they don't really do much to solve it. Then there comes the part where Liyana's father goes to jail, you think there might be a real problem. But no. He gets out of jail just fine, and everything is well. There are also way too many dragged out and pointless descriptions in the book. The beginning, up to the point where the family actually arrived in Palestine, was painfully long. Then there is the kiss. I mean, the author makes a huge deal of it, but it really doesn't have any impact whatsoever, but the author pretends it's so important.
I would say that this is the worst book I have ever read, and I would never recommend this book to anyone. There are many other books out there that cover many of the same topics, but are much better.
First, the main conflict isn't introduced until halfway into the book, and it really isn't that big of a problem. I mean, they don't really do much to solve it. Then there comes the part where Liyana's father goes to jail, you think there might be a real problem. But no. He gets out of jail just fine, and everything is well. There are also way too many dragged out and pointless descriptions in the book. The beginning, up to the point where the family actually arrived in Palestine, was painfully long. Then there is the kiss. I mean, the author makes a huge deal of it, but it really doesn't have any impact whatsoever, but the author pretends it's so important.
I would say that this is the worst book I have ever read, and I would never recommend this book to anyone. There are many other books out there that cover many of the same topics, but are much better.
February 27, 2020
Habibi is a story that I took the liberty of reading with my child. Anytime we read together, I always ask them to guess what they think it's going to be about based solely on the cover. This goes against our most sacred Commandment 8 "Judge thee not by thy cover" -readers bibilical testimonies... And since this novel is heavy in religious & political undertones, I've prepped a whole slew of bad jokes just like that one that I have every damned intention of tossing in my review. You've been warned.
Lyiana(14) moves to Israel with her family. Lyiana has this very annoying habit of not thinking or behaving as a real 14 year old would. She enjoys long winded metaphors and phrases that we can't define as Idioms... but close enough. Lyiana is a Palestinian American girl who attends an Armenian school in the outskirts of downtown Jerusalem. Confused? Me too. She has not learned a single Arabic word until now... but her father who's Palestinian is fluent and never spoke a lick until they moved back to his home town. Sooo, we followed her on her journey into a foreign land. We see bits of famous religious places through her perspective. See I said bits. That's because Lyianas vision is that of a drunk old man. Clearly the "Write words only made without thy wines" commandment 7 was broken! Blasphemy!
Jokes aside, Habibi touched on some widely ignored topics and drags them kicking and screaming to the fore front. The issues facing both the Palestinian and the Israeli people are very real. They effect peoples lives on both sides of the wall and we need to start talking about it! My child and I spent more time discussing the political implications of peace in Palestine and what that means for Israeli/USA relations then Habibi. For that alone 4 stars.
Most powerful quote I've read in some time came from Habibi. Said by a Palestinian boy to a Jewish boy "Remember us when you join your army."
Lyiana(14) moves to Israel with her family. Lyiana has this very annoying habit of not thinking or behaving as a real 14 year old would. She enjoys long winded metaphors and phrases that we can't define as Idioms... but close enough. Lyiana is a Palestinian American girl who attends an Armenian school in the outskirts of downtown Jerusalem. Confused? Me too. She has not learned a single Arabic word until now... but her father who's Palestinian is fluent and never spoke a lick until they moved back to his home town. Sooo, we followed her on her journey into a foreign land. We see bits of famous religious places through her perspective. See I said bits. That's because Lyianas vision is that of a drunk old man. Clearly the "Write words only made without thy wines" commandment 7 was broken! Blasphemy!
Jokes aside, Habibi touched on some widely ignored topics and drags them kicking and screaming to the fore front. The issues facing both the Palestinian and the Israeli people are very real. They effect peoples lives on both sides of the wall and we need to start talking about it! My child and I spent more time discussing the political implications of peace in Palestine and what that means for Israeli/USA relations then Habibi. For that alone 4 stars.
Most powerful quote I've read in some time came from Habibi. Said by a Palestinian boy to a Jewish boy "Remember us when you join your army."
March 1, 2013
I only read this book because I was attracted by the title .one of the many reasons I disliked it because it simplifies the issues going on as if its very peaceful and nothing is going on in Palestine , ignoring the occupation .
May 12, 2012
When her doctor father, a native Palestinian, decides to move his contemporary Arab-American family back to the homeland, fifteen-year-old Liyana is unenthusiastic. Arriving in Jerusalem, the girl and her family are gathered in by their colorful, warmhearted Palestinian relatives and immersed in a culture where only tourists wear shorts and there is a prohibition against boy/girl relationships. When Liyana, an introspective, poetic girl, falls in love with Omer, a plucky unorthodox Jewish boy, she challenges family, culture, and tradition, but her homesickness fades.
Constantly lurking in the background of the novel is violence between Palestinian and Jew. It builds from minor bureaucratic annoyances and humiliations, to the surprisingly shocking destruction of grandmother's bathroom by Israeli soldiers, to a bomb set off in a Jewish marketplace by Palestinians. It exacts a reprisal in which Liyana's friend is shot and her father jailed. Nye, mostly known as a poet, crafts wonderful, unforgettable characters, and creates a sensory, tangible Palestine: the fruit sellers, the butcher’s shop, a dying donkey on the road, a Bedouin camp, the Garden Tombs, a dank and miserable jail. Above all, there is Jerusalem itself, where despite ancient tensions everywhere, Liyana learns to feel more at home. 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. There’s little in the way of climax or dénouement in the story’s structure, and no resolution whatever, which is as it should be in a novel that deals with such a timeless subject as Jerusalem. In the end, though, a wisp of in a hope for peace compellingly personal and concrete, as long as individual citizens like Liyana and Omer are willing to “write a new story,” and Liyana's grandmother Sitti can say, “I never lost my peace inside.”
Constantly lurking in the background of the novel is violence between Palestinian and Jew. It builds from minor bureaucratic annoyances and humiliations, to the surprisingly shocking destruction of grandmother's bathroom by Israeli soldiers, to a bomb set off in a Jewish marketplace by Palestinians. It exacts a reprisal in which Liyana's friend is shot and her father jailed. Nye, mostly known as a poet, crafts wonderful, unforgettable characters, and creates a sensory, tangible Palestine: the fruit sellers, the butcher’s shop, a dying donkey on the road, a Bedouin camp, the Garden Tombs, a dank and miserable jail. Above all, there is Jerusalem itself, where despite ancient tensions everywhere, Liyana learns to feel more at home. 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. There’s little in the way of climax or dénouement in the story’s structure, and no resolution whatever, which is as it should be in a novel that deals with such a timeless subject as Jerusalem. In the end, though, a wisp of in a hope for peace compellingly personal and concrete, as long as individual citizens like Liyana and Omer are willing to “write a new story,” and Liyana's grandmother Sitti can say, “I never lost my peace inside.”
February 2, 2021
On the first page of this young adult novel, shortly before her parents inform her that the family is moving to Jerusalem where her father grew up, fourteen-year-old Liyana Abboud experiences her first kiss.
The kiss started burning a hole up through Liyana's smooth left cheek, where it had begun. The blaze spread over to her lips where the kiss had ended. She could imagine her lips igniting over the menu.
Later, she reflects that she never imagined lips would be so warm. She imagines keeping the kiss in a pocket. And she has a predilection for stringing together nonsense phrases like jitterbug bazooka, mousetrap taffy-puller, and powder-puff peanut.
So . . .
The precociousness was a bit overwhelming at first. And unexpected, given the plot where an American Arab family moves to Jerusalem. I worried this might be a rather dark coming-of-age story, littered with sectarian violence and the gruesome aftermath of suicide bombings. The violence is there, in the background, but despite one arrest and one shooting, the novel remains optimistic and filled with warm, relatable characters, where nearly everyone just wants to get along, and when people of either Jewish and Arab ancestry meet, they act nice, and realize they like each other.
Maybe it sidesteps the political realities of modern Israel too much. I don't know. It's a children's book after all. But it remains focused on the characters and the message that if there is hope for peace, it is to be found in individuals seeing each other, learning about each other, and welcoming each other. I liked it.
The kiss started burning a hole up through Liyana's smooth left cheek, where it had begun. The blaze spread over to her lips where the kiss had ended. She could imagine her lips igniting over the menu.
Later, she reflects that she never imagined lips would be so warm. She imagines keeping the kiss in a pocket. And she has a predilection for stringing together nonsense phrases like jitterbug bazooka, mousetrap taffy-puller, and powder-puff peanut.
So . . .
The precociousness was a bit overwhelming at first. And unexpected, given the plot where an American Arab family moves to Jerusalem. I worried this might be a rather dark coming-of-age story, littered with sectarian violence and the gruesome aftermath of suicide bombings. The violence is there, in the background, but despite one arrest and one shooting, the novel remains optimistic and filled with warm, relatable characters, where nearly everyone just wants to get along, and when people of either Jewish and Arab ancestry meet, they act nice, and realize they like each other.
Maybe it sidesteps the political realities of modern Israel too much. I don't know. It's a children's book after all. But it remains focused on the characters and the message that if there is hope for peace, it is to be found in individuals seeing each other, learning about each other, and welcoming each other. I liked it.
March 7, 2016
A realistic view of the mixed feelings of giving up one home and culture for another, the little things to which one says good-bye and the insignificant things that are missed.
June 17, 2017
Habibi is a very poetic and quietly beautiful middle grade novel that sheds some light on the ordinary people's lives in Jerusalem during the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, advocates for peace, and promotes humanism. But although it didn't really bother me personally, I have to admit that the book's messages are rather anti-religious, as pointed out by this review.
P.S. I also really liked Christina Moore's narration.
P.S. I also really liked Christina Moore's narration.
April 4, 2018
3.5/5 That was really charming and refreshing. RTC.
February 27, 2024
Hilarious and informative.
August 9, 2021
While the writing can be beautiful and engaging, the overall story... I mean... why did this book talk so much about kisses and kissing?! Moreover, tell me why it's a 14 year old girl who is obsessing over kisses and being kissed. The story may focus mostly on Liyana's family and their move back to her father's native country of Israel and getting used to the very different culture, it just talks too much about kissing for the story. I mean, come on. Liyana's obsessing over kisses was ridiculous.
December 25, 2016
"Habibi" is the story about a 14 year old girl named Liyana Abboud who after experiencing her first kiss, is uprooted with her family, by choice, and moved to Jerusalem, her father's birthplace. Here Liyana not only has to meet new friends, learn a new language, and acquire new customs, but additionally, she experiences first hand the conflicting history and current day situation that her father always spoke to her about: the tension between the Jewish people and the Arabic people living in the same vicinity.
Having read Habibi for one of my college classes focused on the teaching of reading, I really did enjoy this novel, and could certainly see myself using it in my future classroom. I personally had a hard time initially getting started with the book, but after the first few chapters, I couldn't put it down! The story is very interesting, and written extremely well with some parts making you laugh, while others make you cry. The overall message of the book that Nye portrayed - if you want peace, instead of just talking about how wonderful peace would be, let's do something about it! - is extremely uplifting and would work well in a school setting.
With the novel being prevalent to many of today's world issues, I feel as though this is a great way to connect literature and political news and history into the classroom. My only complaint, along with my colleagues, about the novel is that a decent amount of background knowledge is needed to understand portions of the book, but this isn't necessarily a bad component, just something that people need to be aware of before delving into the novel. If one were to teach this novel, I would strongly recommend teaching the background story of the Arab-Israeli conflict to better help students understand portions of the story. Additionally, the ending of the story did not really satisfy me; I was interested to continue unraveling the story of Liyana, her family, and Omer (her Jewish love interest) and wasn't ready for it to be completed. With all that being said, however, I would recommend this book for any classroom library. It's message is positive and is a great way to incorporate diversity in literature into your classroom.
Having read Habibi for one of my college classes focused on the teaching of reading, I really did enjoy this novel, and could certainly see myself using it in my future classroom. I personally had a hard time initially getting started with the book, but after the first few chapters, I couldn't put it down! The story is very interesting, and written extremely well with some parts making you laugh, while others make you cry. The overall message of the book that Nye portrayed - if you want peace, instead of just talking about how wonderful peace would be, let's do something about it! - is extremely uplifting and would work well in a school setting.
With the novel being prevalent to many of today's world issues, I feel as though this is a great way to connect literature and political news and history into the classroom. My only complaint, along with my colleagues, about the novel is that a decent amount of background knowledge is needed to understand portions of the book, but this isn't necessarily a bad component, just something that people need to be aware of before delving into the novel. If one were to teach this novel, I would strongly recommend teaching the background story of the Arab-Israeli conflict to better help students understand portions of the story. Additionally, the ending of the story did not really satisfy me; I was interested to continue unraveling the story of Liyana, her family, and Omer (her Jewish love interest) and wasn't ready for it to be completed. With all that being said, however, I would recommend this book for any classroom library. It's message is positive and is a great way to incorporate diversity in literature into your classroom.
August 7, 2015
I hated this book. It had no plot, very little interesting character development, nor did it have an interesting writing style. This book was assigned for my English class, but nobody liked it. Most of the characters are biased on either side of the Arab-Israeli crisis. Liyana is an annoyingly weird character.She uses stupid similes and metaphors that no real 15-year-old would ever use. She obsesses over a stupid kiss for half of the book before she starts obsessing over another boy. Then when he kisses her, she writes a poem about the kiss. About a week after their kiss, he said, 'I never kissed another girl before'. They're all a bunch of wierdos. It was an awfully annoying poem. It did not surprise me that the author was a poet. She tried to write a 272 page long poem with paragraphs. This book was a waste of my time.
June 8, 2013
Habibi is a novel written by Naomi Shihab Nye. It is a book based on a romantic story. It talks about a young girl named Liyana Aboud she was a living with her family in USA and she is Arab-American female. She felt in love with her friend their but suddenly her father decide to move to Palestine for some reason. Liyana`s life had been change and she face a lot of difficulties especially in cultural differences. She meets Omer and gets to like him because he helped her a lot but she was surprised when she now that Omer is a Jewish but she did not fell that it is a big issue to her but it might be a big problem to her family.
December 22, 2016
This is a lovely book about coming of age and being between worlds. You also hear Naomi Shaihab Nye's poetry bleed into her prose. A lovely read.
July 19, 2020
While a YA book, it deals with so many adult issues. Very creatively told.
October 20, 2017
This book was like a rich meal. To truly be appreciated, it must be consumed in small doses and enjoyed bite for bite. The poet in Nye really shines through this entire work. So many of the passage contain "one-liners" that hold more truth and beauty than some other entire novels that I've read.
The main character, Liyana, is the fictional representation of Nye herself. She is a young, Palestinian-American girl growing up in America, when her father decides to move them back to his home country. Liyana essentially suffers an existential crisis. She is trying to find answers to questions like: Who am I? How do I know who I am? What makes me "Liyana"? She struggles with feeling entirely alone in a land so vastly different from her own. She also starts to find out just how big the world is, and how little her existence can mean sometimes. "She was - incidental - to the planet's actions." Life goes on around her, and even without her, and that is a revelation that is difficult for a 15 year old to comprehend.
It is not until Liyana meets a young man that she starts to truly feel at home in the new country. They seem to share common interests of wandering, thinking, and debating things large and small. One day, Liyana realizes that her new friend is not another Arab as she had first assume, but a Jew. With the tension between the two cultures that was constantly brewing in the nation, Liyana was unsure of how her family would receive her new friend. Luckily, she was strong and adamant, and eventually had the opportunity to introduce Omer to her Sitti, the embodiment of all that is the "old country" in Palestine. Sitti is very of this earth, she will not use elevators, or telephones, and still uses a huge outdoor oven instead of any modern conveniences. While Liyana's father was worried about Sitti's reaction to the Jewish boy, was astonished to find that Sitti believed Omer to be an angel of a man she used to know. And suddenly, there was peace within their diverse family.
This book did a beautiful job of explaining how small steps taken on a personal level can be exactly what an entire nation needs to make it's way toward a larger goal of peace. We can all overcome our prejudices and hatred if only we can see the similarities and love that could bring us together, if only we let it.
The main character, Liyana, is the fictional representation of Nye herself. She is a young, Palestinian-American girl growing up in America, when her father decides to move them back to his home country. Liyana essentially suffers an existential crisis. She is trying to find answers to questions like: Who am I? How do I know who I am? What makes me "Liyana"? She struggles with feeling entirely alone in a land so vastly different from her own. She also starts to find out just how big the world is, and how little her existence can mean sometimes. "She was - incidental - to the planet's actions." Life goes on around her, and even without her, and that is a revelation that is difficult for a 15 year old to comprehend.
It is not until Liyana meets a young man that she starts to truly feel at home in the new country. They seem to share common interests of wandering, thinking, and debating things large and small. One day, Liyana realizes that her new friend is not another Arab as she had first assume, but a Jew. With the tension between the two cultures that was constantly brewing in the nation, Liyana was unsure of how her family would receive her new friend. Luckily, she was strong and adamant, and eventually had the opportunity to introduce Omer to her Sitti, the embodiment of all that is the "old country" in Palestine. Sitti is very of this earth, she will not use elevators, or telephones, and still uses a huge outdoor oven instead of any modern conveniences. While Liyana's father was worried about Sitti's reaction to the Jewish boy, was astonished to find that Sitti believed Omer to be an angel of a man she used to know. And suddenly, there was peace within their diverse family.
This book did a beautiful job of explaining how small steps taken on a personal level can be exactly what an entire nation needs to make it's way toward a larger goal of peace. We can all overcome our prejudices and hatred if only we can see the similarities and love that could bring us together, if only we let it.
May 16, 2018
I choose this book because the 7th Graders were assigned to read it this year and I overheard many conversations about the book. All of the conversations from the girls were dealing with how Liyana obsessed over a kiss and that the book didn't really go anywhere. I would have to disagree. It was such an interesting book about an Palestinian American family who moves to Israel when Liyana is going into high school and her brother is going into middle school. Liyana has to learn to navigate some of the cultural differences as well as learn to navigate the religious conflict (her answer is spiritualism, rather than religion). I thought it was very interesting. I feel like on one level I can understand what the 7th Graders were talking about, but the story was so much more than the kiss. It was about identity, culture, the idea of home.
July 24, 2025
I really enjoyed this book! I hadn’t read historical fiction in a while but I found this book at a book sale on vacation and decided to give it a try - I’m so glad I did!!
The main character Liyana was very interesting and fun to follow around. It was well researched but not in an overwhelming way. I really enjoyed learning about Arab culture and living in Jerusalem.
The romance was really sweet and cute 🥰 but I was disappointed that it didn’t come into play more till 50% of the book although Liyana and her family and the overall story were so interesting tho I actually didn’t mind as much!!
Overall this book was rly cozy and reminded me of my childhood for some reason (😝😅😅😜) but it was also fast paced with short chapters and I couldn’t put it down!!
Would recommend for middle and high school aged kids who like faced paced yet thoughtful and intriguing historical fiction with moderate romance!!
P. S the audiobook is rly good 2!
The main character Liyana was very interesting and fun to follow around. It was well researched but not in an overwhelming way. I really enjoyed learning about Arab culture and living in Jerusalem.
The romance was really sweet and cute 🥰 but I was disappointed that it didn’t come into play more till 50% of the book although Liyana and her family and the overall story were so interesting tho I actually didn’t mind as much!!
Overall this book was rly cozy and reminded me of my childhood for some reason (😝😅😅😜) but it was also fast paced with short chapters and I couldn’t put it down!!
Would recommend for middle and high school aged kids who like faced paced yet thoughtful and intriguing historical fiction with moderate romance!!
P. S the audiobook is rly good 2!
November 1, 2020
This read to me like a beautiful collection of vignettes, which is unsurprising since the author is primarily a poet. I found the parts about moving involuntarily and the weirdness of being a third culture kid particularly striking - Her passages about intentionally remembering the small things about the place you are about to leave could have been written by me (if I was I was 10x better at writing of course).
I got this as a gift from a friend, and I can see why she loves it. Giving a book as a gift says a lot about both the giver's taste, but it also says just as much about as the way they see the giftee, and I definitely take receiving this book as a compliment.
I got this as a gift from a friend, and I can see why she loves it. Giving a book as a gift says a lot about both the giver's taste, but it also says just as much about as the way they see the giftee, and I definitely take receiving this book as a compliment.
July 29, 2024
This was a re-read for me, having read this shortly after it was published. The book very much resonates very well for me, especially in light of current events. I like to think that Liyana and Omer have grown up and are at least still friends and together are working for peace and justice.
Nye does a wonderful job at character development for Liyana and her friends and family. The description of Jerusalem, as seen through Liyana's eyes is extremely detailed and vivid. I also very much enjoy novels about the dynamics of first generation Americans and their immigrant parents and this is a worthy entry to my personal canon of those stories.
Nye does a wonderful job at character development for Liyana and her friends and family. The description of Jerusalem, as seen through Liyana's eyes is extremely detailed and vivid. I also very much enjoy novels about the dynamics of first generation Americans and their immigrant parents and this is a worthy entry to my personal canon of those stories.
March 29, 2017
Habibi is the story of Liyana Abboud, a fourteen-year-old American girl transplanted to Palestine when her Arab father decides to return home and bring his family with him. With her brother, grandmother, new friends, and even a budding relationship to Omer, a Jewish boy she meets in Jerusalem, Liyana begins to settle into her new home, and to question the assumptions that her neighbors and her family make.
This is a children's book about the Middle East sooooo it's a little simplistic, I think. The situation is extremely complicated, and Nye seems to boil it down to "why can't people get along and love each other," which... well, I mean, yes on the one hand, but on the other hand, she brings it up: Liyana's Palestinian family was evicted and lost all their assets when Israel was created, but Omer's family lost a bunch of members in the Holocaust, and will do anything to prevent that happening again. And even that's simplifying the situation. So, idk. I liked the book, I sympathized with Liyana, and I thought it was well written-- Nye is a poet, and it shows-- but man. It just seems really simplified to the point of absurdity.
This is a children's book about the Middle East sooooo it's a little simplistic, I think. The situation is extremely complicated, and Nye seems to boil it down to "why can't people get along and love each other," which... well, I mean, yes on the one hand, but on the other hand, she brings it up: Liyana's Palestinian family was evicted and lost all their assets when Israel was created, but Omer's family lost a bunch of members in the Holocaust, and will do anything to prevent that happening again. And even that's simplifying the situation. So, idk. I liked the book, I sympathized with Liyana, and I thought it was well written-- Nye is a poet, and it shows-- but man. It just seems really simplified to the point of absurdity.
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