Nye, Naomi Shihab. 1997. Habibi. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 0-689-80149-1.
Habibi is the story of Liyana Abboud, a fourteen year old Palestinian-American, who moves with her family to Jerusalem. At first, she is very upset to leave St. Louis, Missouri, the only home she has ever known, to move to the other side of the world. She is leaving her friends and the boy she has a crush on. In fact, she has just had her first kiss when her parents make their big announcement. Liyana and her brother, reluctantly at first, pack up their belongings and move. As Liyana gets used to a new way of life�new family members, new language, new food, new home, new rules, new etiquette, new sights and sounds�she discovers that this place is home too. She discovers the other half of her culture or identity. She makes new friends, and gets accustomed to a new way of life.
Habibi is a positive portrayal of a Palestinian American family�an underrepresented culture in children's literature. The novel is enjoyable. I would definitely recommend this novel. While I had issues with a few statements or comments in the novel�regarding religion�as a whole, I thought the novel was good.
Culture Six is an assortment of miscellaneous cultures.