A poignant monument to the power of hidden Indigenous histories.
A rich retelling of an ancient Indigenous Hawaiian legend.
Long ago, four mahu (spirits) traveled from Tahiti to Waikiki, Hawaii. Neither male nor female, they were “a mixture of both in mind, heart, and spirit.” Each had a specific “skill in the science of healing.” Their leader, Kapaemahu, “healed by laying on hands.” Kapuni “possessed great spiritual power.” Kinohi could look inside a person and see what was ailing them. Kahaloa had the gift of distance healing. The mahu shared their wisdom with the islanders, who, in turn, erected a monument in their honor; four enormous boulders were moved down a mountain and placed together on the beach. The mahu ceremonially transferred their powers to the rocks then vanished. For centuries the stones remained on Waikiki Beach; times changed, and eventually the monument lay forgotten under the city. It has since been recovered, but its history and meaning continue to be erased. Written in both Olelo Niihau and English, this picture book, based on the authors’ Academy Award–shortlisted animated short, underscores the importance of preserving sacred spaces and is a powerful reminder of how story honors our ancestors. Filled with cultural details and beautifully illustrated in vibrant tropical colors, the book pays homage to Indigenous Hawaiian healing traditions and affirms two-spirit people. The fascinating backmatter provides background information about the original Hawaiian legend and Niihau dialect. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A poignant monument to the power of hidden Indigenous histories. (author's note, glossary) (Picture book. 7-12)Pub Date: June 7, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-53006-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Kokila
Review Posted Online: March 15, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2022
More hijinks-filled adventure than mystery, this is sure to win an audience.
Ben Silverstein’s summer with Grandpa is about to go wild.
When his parents need to “work out some troubles,” 10-year-old Ben gets shipped off to tiny Buttonville, where everything seems to be closed or out of business since the button factory was shuttered years ago. Ben’s used to spending summers in the pool in his Los Angeles backyard with his friends, and Buttonville looks positively coma-inducing. When Grandpa’s mouser Barnaby deposits what has to be a baby dragon on Ben’s bed, Ben and his new friend Pearl (whom the whole town calls “troublemaker” on account of a few innocent incidents) decide to visit the new “worm doctor” who has moved into the abandoned button factory. (Ben had heard her strange assistant Mr. Tabby buying ingredients for “dragon’s milk” at the grocery....) When their visit unleashes a hairy, pudding-loving imaginary beast on the town of Buttonville, Ben and Pearl volunteer to catch him. Selfors kicks off her Imaginary Veterinary series with a solid, entertaining opener. Ben and Pearl are Everykids that readers will relate to, and the adults of Buttonville are often delightfully weird and clueless. Twenty-five pages of backmatter include information on wyverns and sasquatch as well as the science of reptiles and a pudding recipe.
More hijinks-filled adventure than mystery, this is sure to win an audience. (Adventure. 8-12)Pub Date: April 2, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-316-20934-2
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
An unsubtle and unengaging attempt to educate children on border issues.
Uchenna and Elliot join Professor Fauna on a trip to the southern border to rescue the mythical chupacabras.
In this borderland adventure of the Unicorn Rescue Society, Peruvian Professor Fauna whisks Uchenna and the ever reluctant Elliot out of class and flies them down on a dilapidated plane to Laredo, Texas. The trio’s mission is to rescue a baby chupacabra, whose pack’s feeding pattern has been disrupted by a border wall. In this fourth installment of the series, Gidwitz seeks to provide credibility and authority on border topics by bringing on Mexican-American author Bowles as a co-writer. However, their effort to incorporate complex topics—such as environmental and immigration issues—into an otherwise formulaic and predictable plot falls short, as the complexities of border life are constantly pointed out and explained by adults. As in previous installments, one of Professor Fauna’s ex-colleagues makes an appearance to aid the group in thwarting whatever species-endangering scheme the Schmoke brothers may have concocted. The encounter between Dr. Cervantes, a Mexican-American professor teaching at Texas A&M, and her former mentor creates tension between the adult characters, forcing the children to become spectators who simply learn and imitate the correct behaviors from adults. Uchenna presents black and Elliot, white.
An unsubtle and unengaging attempt to educate children on border issues. (Fantasy. 7-12)Pub Date: April 16, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-7352-3179-5
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2019
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