HABIBI

What if the delicious day of your first kiss were marred by the news that you would be leaving St. Louis to live in Jerusalem? Liyana's Poppy, Dr. Abboud, longs to return to his Palestinian culture, and his wife is eager to honor his wishes. For Liyana and her younger brother, Rafik, the move is fraught with challenging experiences and new awarenesses. Christina Moore's rich-voiced reading enlivens a wide cast of characters of many ages and heritages. She ably captures both Poppy's passionate Arabic formality and Liyana's Israeli friend Omer's reflective, though hesitant, English. Moore, always equal to the task of multicultural portrayals, balances the demands of the text with a gentle delivery of its many poetic passages. T.B. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 00]