The illustrations by Amy Matsushita-Beal are beautiful. Because Bon dances tend to be held during evening hours, the book’s scenes are saturated with deep blues to represent the evening sky. One of my favorite spreads shows the girl entering the  for the first time. We readers share her wonder and excitement — the thumping beats of the drummers, the tall red and white striped tower strung with brightly colored lanterns, the tents beyond that hint of delicious treats.

Although Obon is a Japanese tradition, the illustrations include diverse faces. As a girl, I attended Bon dances with my Japanese language school classmates, so I appreciate that the dancers are an authentically accurate reflection of the open-to-all invitation of the festival. 

I love back matter, and the material at the end of the book is very insightful. I particularly loved learning about Hawaiʻi’s Obon traditions and that new songs are created to reflect life here. Festivals welcome everyone in the community to join in. And as a future ancestor — no spoiler here — I admit the last line of the back matter brought me to tears.

Do you have a favorite medium to work with? Why is that?

I recently picked up gouache painting again, and while I’m still refamiliarizing myself with the medium, I’d say it is becoming a new favorite. For the most part, I’ve worked primarily digitally as an illustrator until recently, and while I love all that digital work offers in the way of flexibility and ease, I really enjoy getting my hands back on something more tactile and messy like paints.

Can you share a bit about what you’re working on now? What’s your inspiration?

Something that has always inspired me is my childhood growing up in Hawaiʻi. I have such fond memories of sitting on my grandpa’s lanai eating manapua, gawking at tide pools, and playing with sleeping grass as a kid. On the flip side, leaving all of that and moving to the mainland was incredibly difficult for me. I’m just starting out with the idea, but I’m hoping to play with it a little and see if these inspirations can come together as either a series of illustrations to speak on these experiences or, who knows, maybe even a picture book!

That sounds so fun! What are your hopes and dreams for the year and beyond in terms of your career and what you do you hope for your career in the future?

I’m starting 2025 with a lot of hopes! I recently signed with an agent so I’m looking forward to debuting on new books and other projects in the new year. My dream for the next year is to build a good foundation for myself as a professional illustrator and past that? I would love to explore the possibility of publishing a book as an author/illustrator myself. To be added alongside other published Pacific Islanders would be such a dream!

What advice would you give an aspiring illustrator?

It is okay to pivot. It is okay to take a break, too! I went through several years of my life when creating art was not a priority for me because I was dealing with some very difficult things. I felt bad about this for a while but honestly, a break was what I needed and I do not feel as if I irrevocably damaged my career by taking one as I eventually came back rested and reenergized and caught right back up to my peers. Sometimes taking a chance to sit back and take in other media can be so helpful when you’ve been creating endlessly for a while and feel burnt out.

The illustrations by New York Times bestselling illustrator Dung Ho are colorful and vibrant. The art beautifully invites the reader to become a part of Tala’s island family.

Two spreads are my particular favorites. I love the dance spread on pages 20–21. Both text and art do a wonderful job of capturing Tala’s joy and triumph as she dances the taualuga solo for her family and friends. 

And I especially adore the family’s reaction to Tala’s solo on page 22. Growing up in Hawai’i, I’ve attended many Samoan parties and celebrations, and they often end just as page 22 so effectively shows, with elders and others joining in on the fun. This page is my very favorite, I think, because it speaks to me personally, because these folks could be my own friends and neighbors. And isn’t being able to relate to a character or to a piece of art what makes a book special?