BIBLIOGRAPHY

Nye, Naomi Shihab. 1997. Habibi: a novel. New York: Simon Pulse. ISBN 9780689801495

PLOT SUMMARY

Liyana is 14-years old when her native Palestinian father decides to relocate his family from the United States to Jerusalem. Even before the family’s departure from the states, Liyana receives a glimpse into her future. Her father refuses to let her take a pair of shorts that she loves, and most of their possessions are sold or left behind in storage. Upon their arrival in Jerusalem, things are not quite as peaceful as Liyana’s father believed. Palestinians are still looked upon with distrust by Israelis, and friendships with Jews are culturally forbidden. Liyana’s family is large and unknown and impossible to understand unless her father is there to translate. When Liyana meets Omer, she realizes that she does not miss her home in the United States as much as she did, but when she discovers that her father has been arrested and jailed for defying Israeli soldiers, she discovers a new strength in herself and begins to face the future and the changes that will be required for her to be successful in her father’s country.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

From the beginning of the story, the author immerses readers in the richness and tradition of the Palestinian culture. Although Liyana and her family have lived in the United States her entire life, their beliefs and traditions remain deeply rooted in their lives. When the time comes to transition to their new home, Liyana begins to understand the history that has kept her father bound to his homeland.

Although skin tone is not discussed in the story, Liyana does describe her mother’s skin as two shades lighter than Poppy’s and mentions that both she and her brother Rafik had inherited Poppy’s olive skin. Nye uses colorful language to describe the clothing worn by Liyana’s father’s family. “The women’s long dresses were made of thick fabrics, purple, gold, and navy blue, and stitched brightly with fabulous, complicated embroidery.” “Two of the older uncles, Zaki and Daoud, wore black-and white-checkered kaffiyehs on their heads….” It is descriptions such as this that let readers go beyond simply visiting Jerusalem and help them become part of the story, observing from the sidelines, but still completely involved.

Much of the story is told about mealtimes. In the story, as in the Arab culture, food is not only what is eaten to sustain life, but is prepared, served, and eaten in a way that celebrates the culture and traditions that are uniquely Middle Eastern. From lentils and saffron to lamb chunks and stuffed grape leaves, the family makes each meal an occasion for reconnecting and getting to know each other better.

Religious customs, although not an obvious focal point, are as important to the plotline as the characters and setting. Through Nye’s description and emotive narration, readers are convinced of religion as its own character in the novel. “A muezzin gave the last call to prayer of the day over a loudspeaker from the nearby mosque and all the relatives rose up in unison and turned their back on Liyana’s family. They unrolled small blue prayer rugs from a shelf, then knelt, stood, and knelt again, touching foreheads to the ground, saying their prayers in low voices.” Nye makes the point that the family did not mind that Liyana, Rafik and their parents were staring at them. This indicates that the religious demonstration is part of the family’s daily life. In addition to the religious practices displayed by Liyana’s Palestinian family, Liyana’s family attends a few celebrations and religious locations of their own in the course of the story. Liyana’s mother cries when the family visits the chapel of Calvary, the Garden of Gethsemane, and The Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the entire family feels the joy of Christmas when they stand in line at the Church of the Nativity at midnight on Christmas Eve. Throughout the story, readers will notice Nye’s use of Arab forms of address—Liyana calls her father Poppy and her grandmother Sitti, similar to the American addresses Daddy and Grandma. Additionally, native language is used by all characters, infusing both Arabic and Israeli vocabulary into Liyana’s story.

Nye shares Liyana’s thoughts and feelings in a way that demonstrates respect for unknown customs and a willingness to draw new lines in dealing with others. Habibi is a novel ahead of its time, inspiring readers with hope for the future, and confidence in the young people that will write their own version of history as they grow.

REVIEW EXCERPTS Nye introduces readers to unforgettable characters. The setting is both sensory and tangible: from the grandmother’s village to a Bedouin camp. Above all, there is Jerusalem itself, where ancient tensions seep out of cracks and Liyana explores the streets practicing her Arabic vocabulary. 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.”

Kirkus Reviews. In her first novel, Nye (with Paul Janeczko, I Feel a Little Jumpy Around You, 1996, etc.) shows all of the charms and flaws of the old city through unique, short-story-like chapters and poetic language. The sights, sounds, and smells of Jerusalem drift through the pages and readers glean a sense of current Palestinian-Israeli relations and the region’s troubled history. In the process, some of the passages become quite ponderous while the human story- -Liyana’s emotional adjustments in the later chapters and her American mother’s reactions overall–fall away from the plot. However, Liyana’s romance with an Israeli boy develops warmly, and readers are left with hope for change and peace as Liyana makes the city her very own.

CONNECTIONS

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Look for these other books about Arab countries:

Ellis, Deborah. The breadwinner. ISBN 9780888994196

Nye, Naomi Shihab. The flag of childhood: poems of the Middle East. ISBN 9780689851728

Oppenheim, Shulamith Levey. The hundredth name. ISBN 978 9780613034937

Winter, Jeanette. The librarian of Basra: a true story from Iraq. ISBN 0152054456

Heide, Florence Parry and Judith Heide Gilliland. The day of Ahmed’s secret. ISBN 9780688088941