If youʻre a regular at my blog, you will notice something fun — a brand new banner! Itʻs not just pretty art (by talented local artist Dru Santiago.) Itʻs got some cool Hawaiʻi (and Hawaiian) features, too. To begin, weʻll look at just one: the three birds. Spot them in the banner above? Cute, right? But theyʻre not just any birds.
Native Hawaiian visionary Kēhau Noe is an artist and storyteller. Her media is computers, and her mission is to design programs that help people to interact with and learn from the environment. “The challenge of building software or games that take advantage of what technology affords us, but still be accessible and useful to the general person is fun to me, she says. “Software can be capable of performing complex and seemingly impossible tasks, but if the average person does not like to look at it, or can’t understand how to interface it, then not many people will use it. Her innovative storytelling immerses viewers in the Native Hawaiian world view. We are pleased to feature this trailblazer on our blog today.
It’s a fact of the marketplace that many picture books with the unfortunate timing of being released during the COVID pandemic were often not given the attention they deserved. And that’s really too bad, because they merit space on our bookshelves. Punky Aloha, the debut picture book by talented author/illustrator Shar Tuiʻasoa, is one of these hidden gems. Released in mid-2020 during the height of the pandemic, Punky is just the kind of delightful story kids — and their grown-ups — will love.
Talented picture book illustrator Jing Jing Tsong is a master at her craft. Influenced by the principles of monoprint and traditional stone lithography, Jing Jing layers colors and textures to create images that are engaging and compelling. Their visual and emotional appeal communicate a visual experience for young readers and their grown-ups. “In everything I practice,” she says, “I explore the interconnectedness of being.” We are very pleased to talk story with illustrator Jing Jing Tsong.
Some picture books are classics. They tell timeless tales that teach us about the world and our place in it. One such classic also happens to be one of the first Native Hawaiian-themed books written in an authentic voice. Too Many Mangoes by Tammy Paikai is a story based on the author’s childhood experience. This gentle story is about two Hawaiian kids, Kama and Nani, who love to climb the mango tree at their grandpaʻs house. One day grandpa asks them to pick some mangoes, but when he realizes that the kids have picked way too many for their family to eat, he instructs them to give the mangoes away to their neighbors. Thus the adventure begins.
Ciara Leinaʻala Lacy is a talented writer-producer-director whose passion is telling stories influenced by her Native Hawaiian heritage. Her documentary-style content have shown at Sundance and Berlinale and on streaming platforms including Netflix, PBS, ABC, and Al Jazeera. Her award-winning filmography includes Is That Black Enough for You? (2022), This is the Way We Rise (2021), Out of State (2018), We are Still Here (2018), and 11/8/16 (2017), and as well as other commercial projects. And as if all of that wasn’t impressive enough, Ciara is humble and gracious. She recently carved out some time out of her busy schedule to talk story with us.
When I was a kid, I had a set of books called Great Illustrated Classics. They were fat volumes full of stories embellished with black and white drawings. The scariest tales were from Greek and Roman mythology where the hero battled bad guys and won (most of the time.) Even in school, the myths we read were limited to Greek and Roman gods with names like Zeus, Athena, Poseidon and Mars. But where were the colorful picture books about Pele, Maui, Kaʻahupahau, Kamapuaʻa, the menehune? There weren’t any, not in the kidlit section of the library or in any of the illustrated classics that lined my childhood bookshelf.
Like most Native Hawaiians, author Gabrielle Ahuliʻi grew up hearing the beloved legends passed down from generation to generation. Best known for her popular series, Hawaiian Legends for Little Ones, and now for her first graphic novel, Hi’iaka and Panaewa, Gabrielle beautifully retells these classic stories for today’s young readers and their grown-ups.
Welcome to a new occasional series about learning from mentor text picture books!
I love picture books, those wildly colorful, wonderfully imaginative works of children’s literature. Some picture books are so good that every time I read one, I always come away with something new — a fact I didn’t know, an exciting idea I hadn’t thought of, a point of view I hadn’t considered — in a small, easy-to-read, beautifully illustrated package. As a writer, I use mentor texts to improve my storytelling skills.
Native Hawaiian artist Solomon Enos is a modern-day Renaissance man: a sought-after artist, book illustrator, muralist, sculptor, and game designer. His beautiful pieces have been exhibited at multiple public venues, including the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum, and the prestigious Smithsonian Museum Asian Pacific American Center. Google, Pixar, and Disneyʻs Aulani Resort are among his famous clients.
Kamalani Hurley
[photo: Rokki Midro]
Kamalani Hurley
[photo: Rokki Midro]
