Happy Sunday, kidlit friends! It’s Margaret covering for Karina as she goes on tour for her latest Vanderbeeker book, Vanderbeekers Ever After. Hooray for Karina!
Today I review four books for Hawaiian History Month as well as two intergenerational new releases. Before I get to those reviews, Book Riot’s editorial team is writing for casual and power readers alike over at The Deep Dive! During the month of September, all new free subscribers will be entered to win Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, plus 5 mystery books from The Deep Dive.
To enter, simply start a free subscription to The Deep Dive. No payment method required!
Bookish Goods
Amigos Canarios Coloring Book by VeronikaTralo
I don’t know why Etsy had this adorable coloring book on my front page, but I’m glad they did! It’s so cute! Each page can be torn out of the book for framing when finished. $22
New Releases
Bábo: A Tale of Armenian Rug-Washing Day by Astrid Kamalyan, illustrated by Anait Semirdzhyan (picture book)
In this joyful picture book, young Tato, along with her siblings and cousins, wash her Bábo’s rug. She loves rug-washing day; it’s her favorite chore! The text sings and the illustrations are playful and vibrant. I’m not sure I’ve read a picture book set in Armenia before, and I’m thankful to read such a happy one.
Bompa’s Insect Expedition by David Suzuki and Tanya Lloyd Kyi, illustrated by Qin Leng (picture book)
Bug-loving kids will adore this colorful and imaginative foray into insects based on author and science broadcaster David Suzuki’s experiences with his grandchildren. At first two twins are disappointed about their outdoor adventure with their bompa. There’s nothing interesting to look at! But when Bompa points out all the amazing insect life as they walk, their family expedition becomes a lot more interesting.
For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!
Riot Recommendations
September is Hawaiian History Month, and here are four Hawaiian children’s books by Hawaiian authors I love.
Aloha Everything by Kaylin Melia George, illustrated by Mae Waite (picture book)
In this stunning mythic picture book, a young Hawaiian girl learns the traditions and stories behind Hula, the Hawaiian folkloric dance. The more she learns, the closer she comes to understanding the true meaning of aloha. The illustrations in this are gorgeous. You can see a few inside pages on my Instagram review of it. The author sells the book through Kickstarter, and she’s donating 100% of September sales to ‘Āina Momona to help provide direct support to those affected by the Maui wildfires.
Kapaemahu by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, and Joe Wilson, illustrated by Daniel Sousa (picture book)
This is also a picture book based on Indigenous Hawaiian myths. It’s about how the Mahu — people with both male and female spirits — brought the healing arts and science to Hawaii in the 15th century. The Hawaiians honored their legacy with a monument of four boulders. When white colonists move onto the island, the legend behind the boulders is forgotten, but not forever.
Punky Aloha by Shar Tuiasoa (picture book)
In this vibrant picture book, a shy girl, Punky, finds her courage with some advice from her grandmother as well as her grandmother’s supposedly magic sunglasses that help her share her aloha. With sunglasses on, she manages to make friends and help her community. It’s an adorable read!
Lei and the Fire Goddess by Malia Maunakea (middle grade)
This is such an entertaining contemporary middle grade fantasy centering Hawaiian folklore. Twelve-year-old Anna/Leilani spends her summers with her grandmother, Tutu, in a small village near a volcano. Tutu teaches Anna Hawaiian folklore and language in the hopes that Anna will remember and carry her Hawaiian heritage proudly, but after a falling out with her best friend in Colorado, Anna believes that by embracing her Hawaiian heritage, she’s separating herself from her friend. At first, she tries to reject Tutu’s teachings, but when she picks the wrong flower in a fury, she triggers the goddess Pela’s rage.
Fall is suddenly here! Tennessee has a slow transition into fall, but the leaves are officially falling, on a few trees at least. The temperatures vary a lot. When we leave for the school bus stop in the morning, it’s in the 50s, and when I pick her up in the afternoon, it’s in the 80s.
If you’d like to read more of my kidlit reviews, I’m on Instagram @BabyLibrarians, Twitter @AReaderlyMom, and blog irregularly at Baby Librarians. You can also read my Book Riot posts. If you’d like to drop me a line, my email is kingsbury.margaret@gmail.com.
All the best,
Margaret Kingsbury