SNOW ANGEL, SAND ANGEL

A girl growing up in Hawaii finally experiences snow, but it isn’t what she expected.

Claire’s teacher assigns them to make dioramas about the seasons, and Claire is disappointed to get winter. Claire has lived on the Big Island of Hawaii all her life and has never seen real snow. To give her a taste, Claire’s father takes the family up to Mauna Kea to see snow, but it’s a disappointment. The snow is hard and blocky, like ice; she can’t run around because of the altitude; and the snowman they build is all lumpy. Claire dreams of becoming a snow angel, flying away to a snowy place that is more beautiful and more special than the island. Then the family makes a trip to Hapuna Beach, where her parents share their knowledge of the Native Hawaiian names of the hundred winds and many sea creatures. Claire begins to see the beauty of the place she calls home. Both Yamanaka and Lukashevsky were born and raised in Hawaii, and their affection for it shines in this beautiful homage to the Big Island. Claire embodies the common process of wanting to experience new things and discovering the beauty in your own heritage and homeland. The narration includes Hawaiian names for places, fish, and plants, while the illustrations revel in their vigor and beauty. Claire and her family have brown skin and straight, black hair. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A wonderful recognition of land, culture, family, and heritage.