Voices in the Air

By Naomi Shihab Nye,

Book cover of Voices in the Air: Poems for Listeners

Book description

"Nye once again deftly charts the world through verse."-Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"A beautifully constructed, thoughtful, and inspiring collection."-School Library Journal (starred review)

Young People's Poet Laureate and National Book Award Finalist Naomi Shihab Nye's uncommon and unforgettable voice offers readers peace, humor, inspiration, and solace. This volume of almost…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

2 authors picked Voices in the Air as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This spring Naomi Nye did a reading near me and a friend who knows her took me along. What a night! In the signing line, I got to tell her how much her poems have meant to me.

In a year that’s had its struggles, I’ve turned to poetry. Memorizing poems and attempting to understand them has made me hope writing could be fun and rewarding again. 

I loved Voices in the Air for inspiring me, for being so beautiful and yet so accessible. It’s a book for young readers, but it’s one I keep close.

That’s what a minute said to an hour
Without me you are nothing

I know what you’re saying. First a kid’s book, now poems? Yes. Even though she has lived in St. Louis, Ramallah, Jerusalem, and now San Antonio, you would swear that she probably lived right down the street from wherever you are. In fact, she lives right down the road from me.

The wind never says
Call me back,
I’ll be waiting for your call.
All we know about wind’s address is
somewhere else.

Even though we share a birthday with Jack Kerouac and James Taylor, we have…

Want books like Voices in the Air?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 73 books like Voices in the Air.

Browse books like Voices in the Air

Book cover of At Home in Mitford
Book cover of Dandelion Wine
Book cover of Lake Wobegon Days

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,401

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in hope, artistic inspiration, and Jerusalem?

Hope 18 books
Jerusalem 43 books