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Naomi Shihab Nye

ナオミ・シハーブ・ナイ

Naomi Shihab Nye

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1952-03-12 （St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.）
Nationality
Palestinian American
Languages
English, Arabic
Residence History
Ferguson, Missouri (childhood) → West Bank (brief, 1966) → San Antonio, Texas (longtime residence; current)

Career

Occupations
poet, editor, author, songwriter, novelist, creative writing teacher
Active Years
1977-
Affiliations
Texas State University (creative writing faculty)
Influenced By
William Stafford, Elizabeth Bishop

Education

Trinity University (Texas)
English and World Religions
Degree: BA
Period: 1970年代前半
Year of Graduation: 1974
Country: United States
Studied English and world religions (BA)

Awards

NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature
2013
Organization: The Neustadt Prizes (World Literature Today / University of Oklahoma)
Result: winner
Poetry Foundation Young People's Poet Laureate
2019
Organization: Poetry Foundation
Result: laureate (2019–22)
Wallace Stevens Award
2024
Organization: Academy of American Poets
Result: winner (lifetime achievement)
Texas Writer Award
2024
Organization: Texas Book Festival / local organizers
Result: recipient
Guggenheim Fellowship (Poetry)
1997
Organization: John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
Result: fellow
Witter Bynner Fellowship
2000
Organization: Library of Congress (selection)
Result: fellow
Lannan Literary Fellowship
2002
Organization: Lannan Foundation
Result: fellow
Robert Creeley Award
2013
Organization: Robert Creeley Foundation
Result: winner
Pushcart Prize (multiple)
Organization: Pushcart Press
Result: winner (multiple)
Jane Addams Children's Book Award
Organization: Jane Addams Children's Book Award Committee
Result: winner
Paterson Poetry Prize
Organization: Paterson Literary Arts
Result: winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Different Ways to Pray

1980 poetry

An early collection exploring differences and shared experiences among cultures; poems inspired by travel and cross-cultural encounters.

rootscross-cultural understandingtravel

Hugging the Jukebox

1982 poetry

A collection focused on connections between diverse people and empathy for others; recipient of the Voertman Poetry Prize.

empathyconnectionordinary imagery

Fuel

1998 poetry

A highly regarded volume that ranges over a variety of subjects, scenes, and settings, delving into moments of daily life and memory.

memoryeveryday lifeloss and renewal

19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East

2002 poetry (Middle East themes)

A collection centered on the Middle East and its people, addressing war, loss, and family memory.

homeconflictfamily

Habibi

1999 young-adult novel

An autobiographical YA novel about an Arab-American teenage girl who moves to Jerusalem in the 1970s; explores identity and belonging.

identitybelongingadolescence

The Tiny Journalist: Poems

2019 poetry (children/young readers)

A poetry collection for children and young readers; characterized by close observation and a warm, accessible voice.

kindnesseveryday observationfamily

Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems

2020 poetry (collected)

A collected volume including previously published poems and new work; offers an overview of themes and changes across her career.

retrospectivegrowthbeauty in the ordinary

Grace Notes: Poems about Families

2024 poetry (about families)

A collection that delicately portrays family and intergenerational bonds, including poems suitable for young readers.

familyheritagedomestic scenes

Bibliography

  • Different Ways to Pray (1980)
  • Hugging the Jukebox (1982)
  • Yellow Glove (1986)
  • Fuel (1998)
  • Habibi (1999)
  • 19 Varieties of Gazelle (2002)
  • The Tiny Journalist (2019)
  • Everything Comes Next (2020)
  • Grace Notes (2024)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
accessible, warmly conversational voiceclear use of ordinary imagerymusical, songlike rhythm
Recurring Motifs
roots and homememory of migration and exilefamilykindness and empathy

Legacy

Naomi Shihab Nye, a Palestinian American writer, has produced a wide-ranging body of work from children's books to adult poetry. Known for an accessible, inclusive voice, she has influenced young readers and educators, earned multiple awards and fellowships, and contributed significantly to poetry and cross-cultural understanding.

Academic Societies

  • Academy of American Poets (associated)

Archives

  • University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries, Special Collections (Naomi Shihab Nye papers)
  • Library of Congress (bibliographic records)

In Popular Culture

  • Her poem "Famous" was quoted in a U.S. court concurring opinion, showing her work's presence in public discourse.

Quotes

  • “San Antonio feels most like home as I have lived here the longest. But everywhere can be home the moment you unpack, make a tiny space that feels agreeable.”
    Source: Washington Post (essay/interview) (2014)

Trivia

  • Has published more than 35 books across poetry, children's literature, novels, and essays.
  • Received a custom pair of turquoise boots with the 2024 Texas Writer Award.
  • Began composing poetry around age six.
  • The Naomi Shihab Nye Prize for Arab community writers was established in 2024.